Psalm 53–55

Psalm 53a

53:1–6pp—Ps 14:1–7

For the director of music. According to mahalath.b A maskilc of David.

1 The fools says in his heart,

“There is no God.”t

They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;

there is no one who does good.

2 God looks down from heavenu

on all mankind

to see if there are any who understand,v

any who seek God.w

3 Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;

there is no one who does good,

not even one.x

4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;

they never call on God.

5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,

where there was nothing to dread.y

God scattered the bonesz of those who attacked you;a

you put them to shame,b for God despised them.c

6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

When God restores his people,

let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Psalm 54a

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskilb of David. When the Ziphitesd had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

1 Save mee, O God, by your name;f

vindicate me by your might.g

2 Hear my prayer, O God;h

listen to the words of my mouth.

3 Arrogant foes are attacking me;i

ruthless peoplej are trying to kill mek—

people without regard for God.c l

4 Surely God is my help;m

the Lord is the one who sustains me.n

5 Let evil recoilo on those who slander me;

in your faithfulnessp destroy them.

6 I will sacrifice a freewill offeringq to you;

I will praiser your name, Lord, for it is good.s

7 You have delivered met from all my troubles,

and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.u

Psalm 55a

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskilb of David.

1 Listen to my prayer, O God,

do not ignore my plea;v

2 hear me and answer me.w

My thoughts trouble me and I am distraughtx

3 because of what my enemy is saying,

because of the threats of the wicked;

for they bring down suffering on mey

and assailz me in their anger.a

4 My heart is in anguishb within me;

the terrorsc of death have fallen on me.

5 Fear and tremblingd have beset me;

horrore has overwhelmed me.

6 I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!

I would fly away and be at rest.

7 I would flee far away

and stay in the desert;c f

8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,g

far from the tempest and storm.h”

9 Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,i

for I see violence and strifej in the city.k

10 Day and night they prowll about on its walls;

malice and abuse are within it.

11 Destructive forcesm are at work in the city;

threats and liesn 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,o

14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowshipp

at the house of God,q

as we walked about

among the worshipers.

15 Let death take my enemies by surprise;r

let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,s

for evil finds lodging among them.

16 As for me, I call to God,

and the Lord saves me.

17 Evening,t morningu and noonv

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,w

who does not change—

he will hearx them and humble them,

because they have no fear of God.y

20 My companion attacks his friends;z

he violates his covenant.a

21 His talk is smooth as butter,b

yet war is in his heart;

his words are more soothing than oil,c

yet they are drawn swords.d

22 Cast your cares on the Lord

and he will sustain you;e

he will never let

the righteous be shaken.f

23 But you, God, will bring down the wicked

into the pitg of decay;

the bloodthirsty and deceitfulh

will not live out half their days.i

But as for me, I trust in you.j