the Fourth Week of Advent
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Bishop's Bible
Psalms 55
1 O Lorde geue eare vnto my prayer: and hide not thy selfe from my petition.2 Take heede vnto me, and heare me: I can not choose but mourne in my prayer, and make a noyse.3 [Deliuer me] from the voyce of the enemie, and from the present affliction of the wicked: for they are minded to do me mischiefe, and are set malitiously against me.4 My heart trembleth within me: and the feare of death is fallen vpon me.5 Fearefulnes and trembling are come vpon me: and an horrible dread hath ouerwhelmed me.6 And I sayde, O that I had wynges like a doue: for then woulde I flee away, and be at rest.7 Lo, then woulde I fleeing get me away farre of: and remayne in the wyldernesse. Selah.8 Then woulde I make hast to escape: from the stormie wynde, [and] from the tempest.
9 Destroy their tongues O Lorde, and deuide [them]: for I haue seene oppression and strife in the citie.10 They do compasse it day and night within the walles: mischiefe also and labour, are in the midst of it.11 Malice is in the midst of it: disceipt and guyle go not out of her streates.12 Truely he was not mine enemie that hath done me this dishonour, for then I coulde haue borne it: neither was he one that seemed to hate me that dyd magnifie hym selfe against me, for then I woulde haue hyd my selfe from him.13 But it was euen thou whom I esteemed as my selfe: my guyde, and myne owne familier companion.14 We delighted greatly to conferre our secretes together: we walked deuoutly in the house of God felowe lyke.15 Let death sodainly come vpon them, let them go downe quicke into hell: for wickednes is in their dwellinges and among them.
16 As for me I wyll crye vnto the Lord: and God wyll saue me.17 In the euening and morning, and at noone day wyll I pray, and that most instantly: and he wyll heare my voyce.18 He hath redeemed my soule through peace fro the battayle that was against me: for there were many with me.19 The Lorde who sitteth [a ruler] from the beginning, wyll heare [me] and afflict them, Selah: forsomuche as there is no chaunge in them, and for that they do not feare God.20 He layde his handes vpon such as be at peace with him: and he brake his couenaunt.21 The [wordes] of his mouth were softer then butter, yet warre was in his heart: his wordes were smother then oyle, and yet be they very swordes.22 O cast thy burthen vpon God, and he wyll vpholde thee: he wyll not suffer at any time the righteous to moue.23 [And as for] them: thou O Lorde wylt hurle headlong into the pit of destruction. The bloodthirstie and deceiptfull men shal not liue out halfe their dayes: neuerthelesse I wyll put my full trust in thee.