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¹ Hearken, O God, to my prayer; and disregard not my supplication. ² Attend to me, and hearken to me: I was grieved in my meditation, and troubled; ³ because of the voice of the enemy, and because of the oppression of the sinner: for they brought iniquity against me, and were wrathfully angry with me. ⁴ My heart was troubled within me; and the fear of death fell upon me. ⁵ Fear and trembling came upon me, and darkness covered me. ⁶ And I said, O that I had wings as those of a dove! then would I flee away, and be at rest. ⁷ Lo! I have fled afar off, and lodged in the wilderness. Pause. ⁸ I waited for him that should deliver me from distress of spirit and tempest.

⁹ Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen iniquity and gain saying in the city. ¹⁰ Day and night he shall go round about it upon its walls: iniquity and sorrow and unrighteousness are in the midst of it; ¹¹ and usury and craft have not failed from its streets. ¹² For if an enemy had reproached me, I would have endured it; and if one who hated me had spoken vauntingly against me, I would have hid myself from him. ¹³ But thou, O man like minded, my guide, and my acquaintance, ¹⁴ who in companionship with me sweetened our food: we walked in the house of God in concord. ¹⁵ Let death come upon them, and let them go down alive into Hades, for iniquity is in their dwellings, in the midst of them.

¹⁶ I cried to God, and the Lord hearkened to me. ¹⁷ Evening, and morning, and at noon I will declare and make known my wants: and he shall hear my voice. ¹⁸ He shall deliver my soul in peace from them that draw nigh to me: for they were with me in many cases. ¹⁹ God shall hear, and bring them low, even he that has existed from eternity. Pause. ²⁰ He has reached forth his hand for retribution; they have profaned his covenant. ²¹ They were scattered at the anger of his countenance, and his heart drew nigh them. His words were smoother than oil, yet are they darts. ²² Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. ²³ But thou, O God, shalt bring them down to the pit of destruction; bloody and crafty men shall not live out half their days; but I will hope in thee, O Lord.