LIV

To the chief Musician on Neginoth
Maschil, A Psalm of David

When the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not
David hide himself with us?

Save me, O God, by thy name,

And judge me by thy strength.
Hear my prayer, O God;

Give ear to the words of

my mouth.

For strangers are risen up against me,
And oppressors seek after my soul:
They have not set God before them.

Behold, God is mine helper:

The Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
He shall reward evil unto mine enemies:
Cut them off in thy truth.

I will freely sacrifice unto thee:

I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good.
For he hath delivered me out of all trouble:

Selah.

And mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

LV

To the chief Musician on Neginoth
Maschil, A Psalm of David

Give ear to my prayer, O God;

And hide not thyself from my supplication.

Attend unto me, and hear me:

I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;

Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked:

For they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

My heart is sore pained within me:

And the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me,
And horror hath overwhelmed me.

And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove!
For then would I fly away, and be at rest.
Lo, then would I wander far off,

And remain in the wilderness.

I would hasten my escape

From the windy storm and tempest.

Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues:

Selah.

For I have seen violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: Mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. Wickedness is in the midst thereof:

Deceit and guile depart not from her streets.

For it was not an enemy that reproached me;
I could have borne it:

then

Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify

himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

But it was thou, a man mine equal,

My guide, and mine acquaintance.

We took sweet counsel together,

And walked unto the house of God in company. Let death seize upon them,

And let them go down quick into hell:

For wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

As for me, I will call upon God;

And the Lord shall save me.

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud:

And he shall hear my voice.

He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me:

For there were many with me.
God shall hear, and afflict them,

Even he that abideth of old.
Because they have no changes,
Therefore they fear not God.

Selah.

He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him:

He hath broken his covenant.

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart:

His words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sus

tain thee:

He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the of destruction:

Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days;

But I will trust in thee.

LVI

To the chief Musician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim Michtam of David

When the Philistines took him in Gath

Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swal

low me up;

He fighting daily oppresseth me.

Mine enemies would daily swallow me up:

For they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.

What time I am afraid,

I will trust in thee.

In God I will praise his word,

In God I have put my trust; I will not fear

What flesh can do unto me.

Every day they wrest my words:

All their thoughts are against me for evil.

They gather themselves together, they hide them

selves,

They mark my steps,

When they wait for my soul.

Shall they escape by iniquity?

In thine anger cast down the people, O God.
Thou tellest my wanderings:

Put thou my tears into thy bottle:

Are they not in thy book?

When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn

back:

This I know; for God is for me.

In God will I praise his word:

In the Lord will I praise his word.

In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid What man can do unto me.

Thy vows are upon me, O God:

I will render praises unto thee.

For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling,

That I may walk before God in the light of the living?

LVII

To the chief Musician

Al-taschith, Michtam of David

When he fled from Saul in the cave

Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me:

For my soul trusteth in thee:

Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my

refuge,