Psalm 55

Betrayal by a Friend

For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.

God, listen to my prayer
and do not hide from my plea for help.(A)
Pay attention to me and answer me.(B)
I am restless and in turmoil with my complaint,(C)
because of the enemy’s words,[a]
because of the pressure[b] of the wicked.
For they bring down disaster on me
and harass me in anger.(D)

My heart shudders within me;(E)
terrors of death sweep over me.
Fear and trembling grip me;
horror has overwhelmed me.(F)
I said, “If only I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and find rest.(G)
How far away I would flee;
I would stay in the wilderness.(H)Selah
I would hurry to my shelter
from the raging wind and the storm.”(I)

Lord, confuse[c] and confound their speech,[d](J)
for I see violence and strife in the city;
10 day and night they make the rounds on its walls.
Crime and trouble are within it;(K)
11 destruction is inside it;
oppression and deceit never leave its marketplace.(L)

12 Now it is not an enemy who insults me—
otherwise I could bear it;
it is not a foe who rises up against me—
otherwise I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man who is my peer,
my companion and good friend!(M)
14 We used to have close fellowship;
we walked with the crowd into the house of God.(N)

15 Let death take them by surprise;(O)
let them go down to Sheol alive,
because evil is in their homes and within them.(P)
16 But I call to God,
and the Lord will save me.(Q)
17 I complain and groan morning, noon, and night,(R)
and he hears my voice.(S)
18 Though many are against me,
he will redeem me from my battle unharmed.(T)
19 God, the one enthroned from long ago,(U)
will hear and will humiliate themSelah
because they do not change
and do not fear God.(V)

20 My friend(W) acts violently
against those at peace with him;(X)
he violates his covenant.(Y)
21 His buttery words are smooth,
but war is in his heart.
His words are softer than oil,
but they are drawn swords.(Z)

22 Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;(AA)
he will never allow the righteous to be shaken.(AB)

23 God, you will bring them down
to the Pit of destruction;(AC)
men of bloodshed and treachery
will not live out half their days.(AD)
But I will trust in you.(AE)

Footnotes

  1. 55:3 Lit voice
  2. 55:3 Or threat, or oppression
  3. 55:9 Or destroy
  4. 55:9 Lit and divide their tongue

Peter’s Sermon

14 Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “Fellow Jews and all you residents of Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning.[a] 16 On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

17 And it will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all people;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.(A)
18 I will even pour out my Spirit
on my servants in those days, both men and women
and they will prophesy.(B)
19 I will display wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below:
blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood(C)
before the great and glorious day of the Lord(D) comes.
21 Then everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.[b](E)

22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know.(F) 23 Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used[c] lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him.(G) 24 God raised him up, ending the pains of death,(H) because it was not possible for him to be held by death. 25 For David says of him:

I saw the Lord ever before me;
because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad
and my tongue rejoices.
Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me in Hades
or allow your holy one to see decay.(I)
28 You have revealed the paths of life to me;
you will fill me with gladness
in your presence.[d](J)

29 “Brothers and sisters, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch David: He is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.(K) 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants[e] on his throne.(L) 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah: He[f] was not abandoned in Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.[g](M)

32 “God has raised(N) this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this. 33 Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God(O) and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit,(P) he has poured out(Q) what you both see and hear. 34 For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says:

The Lord declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.’[h](R)

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”(S)

Call to Repentance

37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” (T)

38 Peter replied, “Repent(U) and be baptized,(V) each of you, in the name(W) of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off,(X) as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt[i] generation!” (Y) 41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:15 Lit it’s the third hour of the day
  2. 2:17–21 Jl 2:28–32
  3. 2:23 Other mss read you have taken
  4. 2:25–28 Ps 16:8–11
  5. 2:30 Other mss add according to the flesh to raise up the Messiah
  6. 2:31 Other mss read His soul
  7. 2:31 Ps 16:10
  8. 2:34–35 Ps 110:1
  9. 2:40 Or crooked, or twisted

30 People don’t despise the thief if he steals
to satisfy himself when he is hungry.(A)
31 Still, if caught, he must pay seven times as much;(B)
he must give up all the wealth in his house.
32 The one who commits adultery[a] lacks sense;
whoever does so destroys himself.(C)
33 He will get a beating[b] and dishonor,
and his disgrace will never be removed.
34 For jealousy enrages a husband,(D)
and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35 He will not be appeased by anything
or be persuaded by lavish bribes.

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Footnotes

  1. 6:32 Lit commits adultery with a woman
  2. 6:33 Or plague

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