Psalm 55

55A David psalm. Open your ears, God, to my prayer; don't pretend you don't hear me knocking.H5329H5058H4905H1732H238H8605H430H5956H84672Come close and whisper your answer. I really need you. I shudderH7181H6030H7300H7879H19493at the mean voice, quail before the evil eye, As they pile on the guilt, stockpile angry slander.H6963H341H6440H6125H7563H4131H205H639H78524My insides are turned inside out; specters of death have me down.H3820H2342H7130H367H4194H53075I shake with fear, I shudder from head to foot.H3374H7461H935H6427H36806"Who will give me wings," I ask— "wings like a dove?" Get me out of here on dove wings;H559H5414H83H3123H5774H79317I want some peace and quiet. I want a walk in the country,H5074H7368H3885H4057H55428I want a cabin in the woods. I'm desperate for a change from rage and stormy weather.H2363H4655H7307H5584H55919Come down hard, Lord—slit their tongues. I'm appalled how they've split the city Into rival gangs prowling the alleysH1104H136H6385H3956H7200H2555H7379H589210Day and night spoiling for a fight, trash piled in the streets,H3119H3915H5437H2346H205H5999H713011Even shopkeepers gouging and cheating in broad daylight.H1942H7130H8496H4820H4185H733912This isn't the neighborhood bully mocking me—I could take that. This isn't a foreign devil spitting invective—I could tune that out.H341H2778H5375H8130H1431H564113It's you! We grew up together! You! My best friend!H582H6187H441H304514Those long hours of leisure as we walked arm in arm, God a third party to our conversation.H4985H5475H3162H1980H1004H430H728515Haul my betrayers off alive to hell—let them experience the horror, let them feel every desolate detail of a damned life.H4194H5377H3451H3381H2416H7585H7451H4033H713016I call to God; GOD will help me.H7121H430H3068H346717At dusk, dawn, and noon I sigh deep sighs—he hears, he rescues.H6153H1242H6672H7878H1993H8085H696318My life is well and whole, secure in the middle of danger Even while thousands are lined up against me.H6299H5315H7965H7128H722719God hears it all, and from his judge's bench puts them in their place. But, set in their ways, they won't change; they pay him no mind.H410H8085H6030H3427H6924H5542H2487H3372H43020And this, my best friend, betrayed his best friends; his life betrayed his word.H7971H3027H7965H2490H128521All my life I've been charmed by his speech, never dreaming he'd turn on me. His words, which were music to my ears, turned to daggers in my heart.H6310H2505H4260H7128H3820H1697H7401H8081H660922Pile your troubles on GOD's shoulders— he'll carry your load, he'll help you out. He'll never let good people topple into ruin.H7993H3053H3068H3557H5769H5414H6662H413123But you, God, will throw the others into a muddy bog, Cut the lifespan of assassins and traitors in half. And I trust in you. A David psalm, when he was captured by the Philistines in Gath.H430H3381H875H7845H1818H4820H582H2673H3117H982