Read the Bible

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Amaskil of David.

^(F104)
1 Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea;

² hear me and answer me.
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught

³ at the voice of the enemy,
at the stares of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering upon me
and revile me in their anger.

⁴ My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death assail me.

⁵ Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.

⁶ I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest-

⁷ I would flee far away
and stay in the desert;
Selah

⁸ I would hurry to my place of shelter,
far from the tempest and storm."

⁹ Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech,
for I see violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰ Day and night they prowl about on its walls;
malice and abuse are within it.

¹¹ Destructive forces are at work in the city;
threats and lies never leave its streets.

¹² If an enemy were insulting me,
I could endure it;
if a foe were raising himself against me,
I could hide from him.

¹³ But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend,

¹⁴ with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
as we walked with the throng at the house of God.

¹⁵ Let death take my enemies by surprise;
let them go down alive to the grave,
for evil finds lodging among them.

¹⁶ But I call to God,
and the LORD saves me.

¹⁷ Evening, morning and noon
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.

¹⁸ He ransoms me unharmed
from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me.

¹⁹ God, who is enthroned forever,
will hear them and afflict them-
Selah
men who never change their ways
and have no fear of God.

²⁰ My companion attacks his friends;
he violates his covenant.

²¹ His speech is smooth as butter,
yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,
yet they are drawn swords.

²² Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall.

²³ But you, O God, will bring down the wicked
into the pit of corruption;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
will not live out half their days.
But as for me, I trust in you.