| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! | 1For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A Davidic Maskil. God, listen to my prayer and do not ignore my plea for help. |
| 2Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, | 2Pay attention to me and answer me. I am restless and in turmoil with my complaint, |
| 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. | 3because of the enemy's voice, because of the pressure of the wicked. For they bring down disaster on me and harass me in anger. |
| 4My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. | 4My heart shudders within me; terrors of death sweep over me. |
| 5Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. | 5Fear and trembling grip me; horror has overwhelmed me. |
| 6And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; | 6I said, "If only I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest. |
| 7yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah | 7How far away I would flee; I would stay in the wilderness. Selah |
| 8I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.” | 8I would hurry to my shelter from the raging wind and the storm." |
| 9Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city. | 9Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city; |
| 10Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it; | 10day and night they make the rounds on its walls. Crime and trouble are within it; |
| 11ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace. | 11destruction is inside it; oppression and deceit never leave its marketplace. |
| 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. | 12Now it is not an enemy who insults me-- otherwise I could bear it; it is not a foe who rises up against me-- otherwise I could hide from him. |
| 13But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. | 13But it is you, a man who is my peer, my companion and good friend! |
| 14We used to take sweet counsel together; within God’s house we walked in the throng. | 14We used to have close fellowship; we walked with the crowd into the house of God. |
| 15Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart. | 15Let death take them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, because evil is in their homes and within them. |
| 16But I call to God, and the LORD will save me. | 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. | 17I complain and groan morning, noon, and night, and He hears my voice. |
| 18He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. | 18Though many are against me, He will redeem me from my battle unharmed. |
| 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. | 19God, the One enthroned from long ago, will hear and will humiliate them Selah because they do not change and do not fear God. |
| 20My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. | 20My friend acts violently against those at peace with him; he violates his covenant. |
| 21His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. | 21His buttery words are smooth, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, but they are drawn swords. |
| 22Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. | 22Cast your burden on the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. |
| 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. | 23God, You will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and treachery will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You. |
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