Psalm 55

International Children’s Bible

⁴ I am frightened inside.
    The terror of death has attacked me.
⁵ I am scared and shaking.
    Terror grips me.
⁶ I said, “I wish I had wings like a dove.
    Then I would fly away and rest.
⁷ I would wander far away.
    I would stay in the desert. Selah
⁸ I would hurry to my place of escape,
    far away from the wind and storm.”

⁹ Lord, destroy and confuse their words.
    I see violence and fighting in the city.
¹⁰ Day and night they are all around its walls.
    Evil and trouble are everywhere inside.
¹¹ Destruction is everywhere in the city.
    Trouble and lying never leave its streets.

¹² It was not an enemy insulting me.
    I could stand that.
It was not someone who hated me.
    I could hide from him.
¹³ But it is you, a person like me.
    You were my companion and good friend.
¹⁴ We had a good friendship.
    We went together to God’s Temple.

¹⁵ Let death take away my enemies.
    Let them die while they are still young
    because evil lives with them.
¹⁶ But I will call to God for help.
    And the Lord will save me.
¹⁷ Morning, noon and night I am troubled and upset.
    But he will listen to me.
¹⁸ Many are against me.
    But he keeps me safe in battle.
¹⁹ God who lives forever
    will hear me and punish them.
But they will not change.
    They do not fear God. Selah

²⁰ The one who was my friend attacks his friends.
    He breaks his promises.
²¹ His words are slippery like butter.
    But war is in his heart.
His words are smoother than oil,
    but they cut like knives.

²² Give your worries to the Lord.
    He will take care of you.
    He will never let good people down.
²³ But, God, you will bring down
    the wicked to the grave.
Murderers and liars will live
    only half a lifetime.
But I will trust in you.