Psalm 55:7–12

7 I would flee far away

and stay in the desert;

8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,

far from the tempest and storm.”

9 Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,

for I see violence and strife in the city.

10 Day and night they prowl about on its walls;

malice and abuse are within it.

11 Destructive forces are at work in the city;

threats and lies 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.

7 Lo, then would I wander far off,

And remain in the wilderness. Selah.

8 I would hasten my escape

From the windy storm and tempest.

9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues:

For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof:

Mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.

11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof:

Deceit and guile depart not from her streets.

12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it:

Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

7 I would fly far away

to the quiet of the wilderness.

Interlude

8 How quickly I would escape—

far from this wild storm of hatred.

9 Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans,

for I see violence and conflict in the city.

10 Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders,

but the real danger is wickedness within the city.

11 Everything is falling apart;

threats and cheating are rampant in the streets.

12 It is not an enemy who taunts me—

I could bear that.

It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me—

I could have hidden from them.

7 Indeed, I would wander far off,

And remain in the wilderness.

Selah

8 I would hasten my escape

From the windy storm and tempest.”

9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues,

For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

10 Day and night they go around it on its walls;

Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it.

11 Destruction is in its midst;

Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.

12 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me;

Then I could bear it.

Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me;

Then I could hide from him.

7 I would wander far away

and 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,

because I see violence and fighting in the city.

10 Day and night they are all around its walls,

and 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.

7 Lo, then would I wander far off,

I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah

8 I would haste me to a shelter

From the stormy wind and tempest.

9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongue;

For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof:

Iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.

11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof:

Oppression and guile depart not from its streets.

12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me;

Then I could have borne it:

Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me;

Then I would have hid myself from him:

7 Behold, I would flee afar off, I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah; 8 I would hasten my escape from the stormy wind, from the tempest.

9 Swallow them up, Lord; divide their tongue: for I have seen violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof; and iniquity and mischief are in the midst of it. 11 Perversities are in the midst thereof; and oppression and deceit depart not from its streets. 12 For it is not an enemy that hath reproached me—then could I have borne it; neither is it he that hateth me that hath magnified himself against me—then would I have hidden myself from him;

7 Indeed, I would run far away. 

I would stay in the desert. 

Selah 

8 I would hurry to find shelter 

from the raging wind and storm.” 

9 Completely confuse their language, O Lord, 

because I see violence and conflict in the city. 

10 Day and night they go around on ⸤top of⸥ the city walls. 

Trouble and misery are everywhere. 

11 Destruction is everywhere. 

Oppression and fraud never leave the streets.

12 If an enemy had insulted me, 

then I could bear it. 

If someone who hated me had attacked me, 

then I could hide from him. 

7 How far away I would flee;

I would stay in the wilderness. Selah

8 I would hurry to my shelter

from the raging wind and the storm.”

9 Lord, confuse and confound their speech,

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;

11 destruction is inside it;

oppression and deceit never leave its marketplace.

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.

7 truly, I would flee far away;

I would lodge in the wilderness;   Selah

8 I would hurry to find a shelter for myself

from the raging wind and tempest.”

9 Confuse, O Lord, confound their speech,

for I see violence and strife in the city.

10 Day and night they go around it

on its walls,

and iniquity and trouble are within it;

11 ruin is in its midst;

oppression and fraud

do not depart from its marketplace.

12 It is not enemies who taunt me—

I could bear that;

it is not adversaries who deal insolently with me—

I could hide from them.

7 Look, I would flee far away.

I would dwell in the wilderness. Selah

8 I would hurry to my refuge

from the raging wind and storm.”

9 Confuse, O Lord; divide their speech,

because I see violence and strife in the city.

10 Day and night they go around it on its walls,

and iniquity and trouble are in its midst.

11 Destruction is within it,

and oppression and deceit

do not depart from its public square.

12 For it is not an enemy that taunts me,

or I could bear it.

It is not one who hates me that magnifies himself over me,

or I could hide myself from him.

7 I would escape to a place far away.

I would stay out in the desert. Selah

8 I would hurry to my place of safety.

It would be far away from the winds and storms I’m facing.”

9 Lord, destroy the plans of sinners. Keep them from understanding one another.

I see people destroying things and fighting in the city.

10 Day and night they prowl around on top of its walls.

The city is full of crime and trouble.

11 Forces that destroy are at work inside it.

Its streets are full of people who cheat others and take advantage of them.

12 If an enemy were making fun of me,

I could stand it.

If he were looking down on me,

I could hide from him.

7 “Behold, I would wander far away,

I would lodge in the wilderness.

Selah.

8 “I would hasten to my place of refuge

From the stormy wind and tempest.”

9 Confuse, O Lord, divide their tongues,

For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

10 Day and night they go around her upon her walls,

And iniquity and mischief are in her midst.

11 Destruction is in her midst;

Oppression and deceit do not depart from her streets.

12 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me,

Then I could bear it;

Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me,

Then I could hide myself from him.