1Eine Unterweisung Davids, vorzusingen, beim Saitenspiel.2Gott, höre mein Gebet und verbirg dich nicht vor meinem Flehen.3Merke auf mich und erhöre mich, wie ich so ruhelos klage und heule,4dass der Feind so schreit und der Frevler mich bedrängt; denn sie wollen Unheil über mich bringen und sind mir heftig gram.5Mein Herz ängstet sich in meinem Leibe, und Todesfurcht ist auf mich gefallen.6Furcht und Zittern ist über mich gekommen, und Grauen hat mich überfallen.7Ich sprach: O hätte ich Flügel wie Tauben, dass ich wegflöge und Ruhe fände!8Siehe, so wollte ich in die Ferne fliehen und in der Wüste bleiben. Sela.9Ich wollte eilen, dass ich entrinne vor dem Sturmwind und Wetter.10Entzweie sie, Herr, verwirre ihre Sprache; denn ich sehe Frevel und Hader in der Stadt.11Sie umkreisen die Stadt Tag und Nacht auf ihren Mauern, und Mühsal und Unheil ist drinnen.12Verderbnis regiert darin, Lügen und Trügen weicht nicht aus ihren Gassen.13Denn nicht mein Feind schmäht mich, das würde ich ertragen; keiner, der mich hasst, tut groß wider mich, vor ihm könnte ich mich verbergen; (Ps 41,10)14sondern du bist es, mein Gefährte, mein Freund und mein Vertrauter,15die wir freundlich miteinander waren, die wir in Gottes Haus gingen inmitten der Menge!16Der Tod übereile sie, dass sie lebendig zu den Toten fahren; denn es ist lauter Bosheit bei ihnen. (4Mo 16,31)17Ich aber will zu Gott rufen und der HERR wird mir helfen.18Des Abends, morgens und mittags will ich klagen und heulen; so wird er meine Stimme hören.19Er erlöst mich von denen, die an mich wollen, und schafft mir Ruhe; denn ihrer sind viele wider mich.20Gott wird hören und sie demütigen, der allewege bleibt. Sela. Denn sie werden nicht anders und fürchten Gott nicht. (Ps 102,27)21Der Feind legt seine Hände an seine Freunde und entheiligt seinen Bund.22Sein Mund ist glatter als Butter, und doch hat er Krieg im Sinn; seine Worte sind linder als Öl und sind doch gezückte Schwerter. (Jer 9,7)23Wirf dein Anliegen auf den HERRN; / der wird dich versorgen und wird den Gerechten in Ewigkeit nicht wanken lassen. (1Petr 5,7)24Und du, Gott, wirst sie hinunterstoßen in die tiefe Grube. / Die Blutgierigen und Falschen werden ihr Leben nicht bis zur Hälfte bringen. Ich aber hoffe auf dich. (Ps 102,25)
For the director of music. A maskil of David to be played on stringed instruments.
1God, listen to my prayer. Pay attention to my cry for help.2Hear me and answer me. My thoughts upset me. I’m very troubled.3I’m troubled by what my enemies say about me. I’m upset because they say they will harm me. They cause me all kinds of suffering. When they are angry, they attack me with their words.4I feel great pain deep down inside me. The terrors of death have fallen on me.5Fear and trembling have taken hold of me. Panic has overpowered me.6I said, ‘I wish I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away and be at rest.7I would escape to a place far away. I would stay out in the desert.8I would hurry to my place of safety. It would be far away from the winds and storms I’m facing.’9Lord, confuse the sinners and keep them from understanding one another. I see people destroying things and fighting in the city.10Day and night they prowl around on top of its walls. The city is full of crime and trouble.11Forces that destroy are at work inside it. Its streets are full of people who cheat others and take advantage of them.12If an enemy were making fun of me, I could stand it. If he were getting ready to oppose me, I could hide.13But it’s you, someone like myself. It’s my companion, my close friend.14We used to enjoy good friendship at the house of God. We used to walk together among those who came to worship.15Let death take my enemies by surprise. Let them be buried alive, because their hearts and homes are full of evil.16But I call out to God. And the LORD saves me.17Evening, morning and noon I groan and cry out. And he hears my voice.18Even though many enemies are fighting against me, he brings me safely back from the battle.19God has been on his throne since ancient times and does not change. He will hear my enemies and make them humble. That’s because they have no respect for God.20My companion attacks his friends. He breaks his promise.21His talk is as smooth as butter. But he has war in his heart. His words flow like olive oil. But they are like swords ready for battle.22Turn your worries over to the LORD. He will keep you going. He will never let godly people be shaken.23God, you will bring sinners down to the grave. Murderers and liars won’t live out even half of their lives. But I trust in you.
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.
1Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy![1] (Ps 54,2; Ps 61,1; Ps 86,6)2Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, (Ps 55,17; Ps 64,1; Jes 38,14; Jes 59,11)3because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me. (2Sam 16,7; 2Sam 16,8)4My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. (Ps 116,3)5Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. (Hi 21,6; Ps 78,53; Jes 21,4; Hes 7,18)6And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest;7yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah (Jer 9,2)8I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.” (Ps 83,15)9Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city. (1Mo 11,9; Jer 6,7)10Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it; (Ps 5,9)11ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace. (Ps 10,7)12For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me— then I could hide from him. (Hi 19,5)13But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. (2Sam 15,12; 2Sam 16,23)14We used to take sweet counsel together; within God’s house we walked in the throng. (Ps 42,4)15Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart. (4Mo 16,30; 4Mo 16,33; Ps 124,3; Spr 1,12)16But I call to God, and the LORD will save me.17Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. (Ps 5,3; Ps 55,2; Ps 88,13; Ps 92,2; Ps 141,2; Dan 6,10; Apg 3,1; Apg 10,3; Apg 10,9; Apg 10,30)18He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. (Ps 56,2)19God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God. (5Mo 33,27; Hi 10,17; Hi 21,7)20My companion[2] stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. (Apg 12,1)21His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. (Ps 28,3; Ps 57,4; Spr 5,3; Spr 5,4)22Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. (Ps 10,6; Ps 37,5)23But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you. (Hi 15,32; Ps 5,6; Ps 11,1; Ps 55,15; Ps 56,7; Ps 59,11; Ps 69,15; Ps 94,13; Spr 10,27)