Psalm 54:1–56:13

¹God, save me by your power.

Set me free by your might.

²God, hear my prayer.

Listen to what I’m saying.

³Strangers are attacking me.

Mean people are trying to kill me.

They don’t care about God. Selah

⁴But I know that God helps me.

The Lord is the one who keeps me going.

⁵My enemies tell lies about me.

Do to them the evil things they planned against me.

God, be faithful and destroy them.

⁶I will sacrifice an offering to you

just because I choose to.

Lord, I will praise your name

because it is good.

⁷You have saved me from all of my troubles.

With my own eyes I have seen you win the battle over my enemies.

Psalm 55

For the director of music. A maskil of David to be played on stringed instruments.

¹God, listen to my prayer.

Pay attention to my cry for help.

²Hear me and answer me.

My thoughts upset me. I’m very troubled.

³I’m troubled by what my enemies say about me.

I’m upset because sinful people stare at me.

They cause me all kinds of suffering.

When they are angry, they attack me with their words.

⁴I feel great pain deep down inside me.

The terrors of death are crushing me.

⁵Fear and trembling have taken hold of me.

Panic has overpowered me.

⁶I said, “I wish I had wings like a dove!

Then I would fly away and be at rest.

⁷I would escape to a place far away.

I would stay out in the desert. Selah

⁸I would hurry to my place of safety.

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

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

I see people destroying things and fighting in the city.

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

The city is full of crime and trouble.

¹¹Forces that destroy are at work inside it.

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

¹²If an enemy were making fun of me,

I could stand it.

If he were looking down on me,

I could hide from him.

¹³But it’s you, someone like myself.

It’s my companion, my close friend.

¹⁴We used to enjoy good friendship

as we walked with the crowds at the house of God.

¹⁵Let death take my enemies by surprise.

Let them be buried alive,

because their hearts and homes are full of evil.

¹⁶But I call out to God.

And the Lord saves me.

¹⁷Evening, morning and noon

I groan and cry out.

And he hears my voice.

¹⁸Even though many enemies are fighting against me,

he brings me safely back from the battle.

¹⁹God sits on his throne forever.

He hears my prayers and makes my enemies suffer. Selah

They never change their ways.

They don’t have any respect for God.

²⁰My companion attacks his friends.

He breaks his promise.

²¹His talk is as smooth as butter.

But he has war in his heart.

His words flow like olive oil.

But they are like swords ready for battle.

²²Turn your worries over to the Lord.

He will keep you going.

He will never let godly people fall.

²³God, you will bring sinners

down to the grave.

Murderers and liars

won’t live out even half of their lives.

But I trust in you.

Psalm 56

For the director of music. A miktam of David after the Philistines had captured him in Gath. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oak Trees.”

¹God, show me your favor. Men are chasing me.

All day long they keep attacking me.

²Those who tell lies about me chase me all day long.

Many proud people are attacking me.

³When I’m afraid,

I will trust in you.

⁴I trust in God. I praise his word.

I trust in God. I will not be afraid.

What can people do to me?

⁵All day long they twist my words.

They are always making plans to harm me.

⁶They get together and hide.

They watch my steps.

They hope to kill me.

⁷Make sure you don’t let them escape.

God, bring down the nations in your anger.

⁸Write down my poem of sadness.

List my tears on your scroll.

Aren’t you making a record of them?

⁹My enemies will turn back

when I call out to you for help.

Then I will know that God is on my side.

¹⁰I trust in God. I praise his word.

I trust in the Lord. I praise his word.

¹¹I trust in God. I will not be afraid.

What can mere men do to me?

¹²God, I have made promises to you.

I will bring my thank offerings to you.

¹³You have saved me from death.

You have kept me from tripping and falling.

Now I can live with you

in the light that leads to life.