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¹ TO THE OVERSEER. WITH STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. AN INSTRUCTION OF DAVID. Give ear, O God, [to] my prayer, || And do not hide from my supplication.² Attend to me, and answer me, || I mourn in my meditation, and make a noise,³ Because of the voice of an enemy, || Because of the oppression of the wicked, || For they cause sorrow to move against me, || And in anger they hate me.⁴ My heart is pained within me, || And terrors of death have fallen on me.⁵ Fear and trembling come to me, || And horror covers me.⁶ And I say, "Who gives to me a pinion as a dove?" I fly away and rest,⁷ Behold, I move far off, || I lodge in a wilderness. Selah.⁸ I hurry escape for myself, || From a rushing wind, from a whirlwind.

⁹ Swallow up, O Lord, divide their tongue, || For I saw violence and strife in a city.¹⁰ By day and by night they go around it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness [are] in its midst,¹¹ Mischiefs [are] in its midst. Fraud and deceit do not depart from its street.¹² For an enemy does not reproach me, or I bear [it], || He who is hating me || Has not magnified himself against me, || Or I hide from him.¹³ But you, a man—as my equal, || My familiar friend, and my acquaintance.¹⁴ When together we sweeten counsel, || We walk into the house of God in company.¹⁵ Desolations [are] on them, || They go down [to] Sheol—alive, || For wickedness [is] in their dwelling, in their midst.

¹⁶ I call to God, and YHWH saves me.¹⁷ Evening, and morning, and noon, || I meditate, and make a noise, and He hears my voice,¹⁸ He has ransomed my soul in peace || From him who is near to me, || For with the multitude they were with me.¹⁹ God hears and afflicts them, || And He sits of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, and do not fear God,²⁰ He has sent forth his hands against his well-wishers, || He has defiled his covenant.²¹ His mouth has been sweeter than honey, || And his heart [is] war! His words have been softer than oil, || And they [are] drawn [swords].²² Cast on YHWH that which He has given you, || And He sustains you, || He does not permit the moving of the righteous forever.²³ And You, O God, bring them down || To a pit of destruction, || Men of blood and deceit do not reach to half their days, || And I trust in You!