Add parallel Print Page Options

Psalm 55

Dem Vorsänger. Mit Saitenspiel. Ein Maskil von David.

Schenke meinem Gebet Gehör, o Gott,
und verbirg dich nicht vor meinem Flehen!

Höre auf mich und antworte mir!
Ich bin unruhig in meiner Klage und stöhne

vor dem Brüllen des Feindes,
vor der Bedrückung des Gottlosen;
denn sie wollen Unheil über mich bringen
und befeinden mich grimmig!

Mein Herz bebt in mir,
und die Schrecken des Todes haben mich überfallen;

Furcht und Zittern kommt mich an,
und Schauder bedeckt mich.

Und ich sprach: O dass ich Flügel hätte wie die Taube;
ich würde davonfliegen, bis ich Ruhe fände!

Siehe, ich wollte weit weg fliehen,
mich in der Wüste aufhalten; (Sela.)

ich wollte zu meinem Zufluchtsort eilen
vor dem brausenden Wind, vor dem Sturm.

10 Vertilge sie, Herr, entzweie sie in ihren Absprachen,[a]
denn ich sehe Gewalttat und Streit in der Stadt!

11 Tag und Nacht gehen sie umher auf ihren Mauern,
und in ihrem Inneren ist Unheil und Verderben.

12 Bosheit herrscht in ihrer Mitte,
und von ihrem Markt weichen nicht Bedrückung und Betrug.

13 Denn es ist nicht mein Feind, der mich schmäht;
das könnte ich ertragen.
Nicht mein Hasser tut groß gegen mich;
vor dem wollte ich mich verbergen.

14 Aber du bist es, ein Mensch meinesgleichen,
mein Freund und mein Vertrauter!

15 [Dabei] hatten wir innige Gemeinschaft miteinander,
sind zum Haus Gottes gegangen mit der Menge! —

16 Der Tod überfalle sie!
Sie sollen lebendig ins Totenreich fahren,
denn Bosheit ist in ihren Wohnungen, in ihrem Inneren.

17 Ich aber rufe zu Gott,
und der Herr wird mir helfen.

18 Abends, morgens und mittags will ich beten und ringen,[b]
so wird er meine Stimme hören.

19 Er hat meine Seele erlöst und ihr Frieden verschafft
vor denen, die mich bekriegten;
denn viele sind gegen mich gewesen.

20 Gott wird hören und sie demütigen,
er, der auf dem Thron sitzt von Urzeit her. (Sela.)

Denn sie ändern sich nicht,
und sie fürchten Gott nicht. —

21 Er[c] hat seine Hand ausgestreckt gegen die, welche in Frieden mit ihm lebten;
seinen Bund hat er entweiht.

22 Seine Reden sind glatt wie Butter,
aber Krieg hat er im Sinn.
Seine Worte sind sanfter als Öl,
aber doch gezückte Schwerter.

23 Wirf dein Anliegen auf den Herrn,
und er wird für dich sorgen;
er wird den Gerechten in Ewigkeit nicht wanken lassen!

24 Ja, du, o Gott,
wirst sie in die Grube des Verderbens hinunterstoßen;
die Blutgierigen und Falschen
werden es nicht bis zur Hälfte ihrer Tage bringen.
Ich aber vertraue auf dich!

Footnotes

  1. (55,10) w. teile ihre Zunge; d.h. vereitle ihre Ratschläge durch Uneinigkeit.
  2. (55,18) od. will ich klagen und seufzen.
  3. (55,21) d.h. der Gottlose.

Trust in God Concerning the Treachery of Friends

To the Chief Musician. With [a]stringed instruments. A [b]Contemplation of David.

55 Give ear to my prayer, O God,
And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.
Attend to me, and hear me;
I (A)am[c] restless in my complaint, and moan noisily,
Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the oppression of the wicked;
(B)For they bring down trouble upon me,
And in wrath they hate me.

(C)My heart is severely pained within me,
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,
And horror has overwhelmed me.
So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
Indeed, I would wander far off,
And remain in the wilderness. Selah
I would hasten my escape
From the windy storm and tempest.”

Destroy, O Lord, and divide their [d]tongues,
For I have seen (D)violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it on its walls;
(E)Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it.
11 Destruction is in its midst;
(F)Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.

12 (G)For it is not an enemy who reproaches me;
Then I could bear it.
Nor is it one who hates me who has (H)exalted himself against me;
Then I could hide from him.
13 But it was you, a man my equal,
(I)My companion and my acquaintance.
14 We took sweet counsel together,
And (J)walked to the house of God in the throng.

15 Let death seize them;
Let them (K)go down alive into [e]hell,
For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.

16 As for me, I will call upon God,
And the Lord shall save me.
17 (L)Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.
18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
For (M)there were many against me.
19 God will hear, and afflict them,
(N)Even He who abides from of old. Selah
Because they do not change,
Therefore they do not fear God.

20 He has (O)put forth his hands against those who (P)were at peace with him;
He has broken his [f]covenant.
21 (Q)The words of his mouth were smoother than butter,
But war was in his heart;
His words were softer than oil,
Yet they were drawn swords.

22 (R)Cast your burden on the Lord,
And (S)He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be [g]moved.

23 But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction;
(T)Bloodthirsty and deceitful men (U)shall not live out half their days;
But I will trust in You.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 55:1 Heb. neginoth
  2. Psalm 55:1 Heb. Maschil
  3. Psalm 55:2 wander
  4. Psalm 55:9 speech, their counsel
  5. Psalm 55:15 Or Sheol
  6. Psalm 55:20 treaty
  7. Psalm 55:22 shaken

Psalm 55[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[b] of David.

Listen to my prayer, O God,
    do not ignore my plea;(A)
    hear me and answer me.(B)
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught(C)
    because of what my enemy is saying,
    because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me(D)
    and assail(E) me in their anger.(F)

My heart is in anguish(G) within me;
    the terrors(H) of death have fallen on me.
Fear and trembling(I) have beset me;
    horror(J) has overwhelmed me.
I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest.
I would flee far away
    and stay in the desert;[c](K)
I would hurry to my place of shelter,(L)
    far from the tempest and storm.(M)

Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,(N)
    for I see violence and strife(O) in the city.(P)
10 Day and night they prowl(Q) about on its walls;
    malice and abuse are within it.
11 Destructive forces(R) are at work in the city;
    threats and lies(S) never leave its streets.

12 If an enemy were insulting me,
    I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
    I could hide.
13 But it is you, a man like myself,
    my companion, my close friend,(T)
14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship(U)
    at the house of God,(V)
as we walked about
    among the worshipers.

15 Let death take my enemies by surprise;(W)
    let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,(X)
    for evil finds lodging among them.

16 As for me, I call to God,
    and the Lord saves me.
17 Evening,(Y) morning(Z) and noon(AA)
    I cry out in distress,
    and he hears my voice.
18 He rescues me unharmed
    from the battle waged against me,
    even though many oppose me.
19 God, who is enthroned from of old,(AB)
    who does not change—
he will hear(AC) them and humble them,
    because they have no fear of God.(AD)

20 My companion attacks his friends;(AE)
    he violates his covenant.(AF)
21 His talk is smooth as butter,(AG)
    yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,(AH)
    yet they are drawn swords.(AI)

22 Cast your cares on the Lord
    and he will sustain you;(AJ)
he will never let
    the righteous be shaken.(AK)
23 But you, God, will bring down the wicked
    into the pit(AL) of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful(AM)
    will not live out half their days.(AN)

But as for me, I trust in you.(AO)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 55:1 In Hebrew texts 55:1-23 is numbered 55:2-24.
  2. Psalm 55:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 55:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and in the middle of verse 19.