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¹ For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; And don't hide yourself from my supplication.² Attend to 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 on me, And in anger they persecute me.⁴ My heart is very pained inside me: And the terrors of death have fallen on me.⁵ Fearfulness and trembling have come on me, And horror has overwhelmed me.⁶ And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest.⁷ Look, then I would wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah.⁸ I would hurry myself 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 it on the walls thereof: Iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.¹¹ Wickedness is in the midst thereof: Oppression and guile do not depart from its streets.¹² For it is not an enemy that reproached me; or I could have borne it: It is not one who hated me that magnified himself against me; or I would have hid myself from him:¹³ But it was you, [a] common man like me, 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 on them, Let them go down alive into Sheol; For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.

¹⁶ As for me, I will call on God; And Yahweh will save me.¹⁷ Evening, and morning, and at noonday, I will complain, and moan; And he will hear my voice.¹⁸ He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me; For they were many [that strove] with me.¹⁹ God will hear, and answer them, Even he that abides of old, Selah, [The men] who have no changes, And who don't fear God.²⁰ He has put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him: He has profaned his covenant.²¹ His mouth was smooth as butter, But his heart was war: His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.²² Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you: He will never allow the righteous to be moved.²³ But you, O God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction: Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in you.