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¹ For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.² Attend unto me, and answer me: I am restless in my complaint, and moan;³ Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they cast iniquity upon me, and in anger they persecute me.⁴ My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.⁵ Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.⁶ And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! then would I fly away, and be at rest.⁷ Lo, then would I wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah⁸ 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 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 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:¹³ But it was thou, a man mine equal, my companion, and my familiar friend.¹⁴ We took sweet counsel together, we walked in the house of God with the throng.¹⁵ Let death come suddenly upon them, let them go down alive into the pit: for wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.

¹⁶ As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.¹⁷ Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain, and moan: and he shall hear my voice.¹⁸ He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for they were many that strove with me.¹⁹ God shall hear, and answer them, even he that abideth of old, Selah the men who have no changes, and who fear not God.²⁰ He hath put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him: he hath profaned his covenant.²¹ His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.²² Cast thy burden 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 into the pit of destruction: bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.