⁶ I wish I had wings
    like a dove,
so I could fly far away
    and be at peace.
⁷ I would go and live
    in some distant desert.
⁸ I would quickly find shelter
from howling winds
    and raging storms.

⁹ Confuse my enemies, Lord!
    Upset their plans.
Cruelty and violence
    are all I see in the city,
¹⁰ and they are like guards
    on patrol day and night.
The city is full of trouble,
evil, ¹¹     and corruption.
Troublemakers and liars
    freely roam the streets.

¹² My enemies are not the ones
    who sneer and make fun.
I could put up with that
    or even hide from them.
¹³ But it was my closest friend,
    the one I trusted most.
¹⁴ We enjoyed being together,
when we went with others
    to your house, our God.

¹⁵ All who hate me are controlled
    by the power of evil.
Sentence them to death
and send them down alive
    to the world of the dead.

¹⁶ I ask for your help, Lord God,
    and you will keep me safe.
¹⁷ Morning, noon, and night
you hear my concerns
    and my complaints.
¹⁸ I am attacked from all sides,
but you will rescue me
    unharmed by the battle.
¹⁹ You have always ruled,
    and you will hear me.
You will defeat my enemies
because they won't turn
    and worship you.

²⁰ My friend turned against me
    and broke his promise.
²¹ His words were smoother
than butter, and softer
    than olive oil.
But hatred filled his heart,
and he was ready to attack
    with a sword.

²² Our Lord, we belong to you.
We tell you what worries us,
    and you won't let us fall.
²³ But what about those people
    who are cruel and brutal?
You will throw them down
    into the deepest pit
long before their time.
    I trust you, Lord!