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55:1  Listen to my prayer, O God, and hide not Yourself from my supplication!
55:2  Attend to me and answer me; I am restless and distraught in my complaint and must moan
55:3  [And I am distracted] at the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression and threats of the wicked; for they would cast trouble upon me, and in wrath they persecute me.
55:4  My heart is grievously pained within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
55:5  Fear and trembling have come upon me; horror and fright have overwhelmed me.
55:6  And I say, Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.
55:7  Yes, I would wander far away, I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
55:8  I would hasten to escape and to find a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest.
55:9  Destroy [their schemes], O Lord, confuse their tongues, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
55:10  Day and night they go about on its walls; iniquity and mischief are in its midst.
55:11  Violence and ruin are within it; fraud and guile do not depart from its streets and marketplaces.
55:12  For it is not an enemy who reproaches and taunts me—then I might bear it; nor is it one who has hated me who insolently vaunts himself against me—then I might hide from him.
55:13  But it was you, a man my equal, my companion and my familiar friend.
55:14  We had sweet fellowship together and used to walk to the house of God in company.
55:15  Let desolations and death come suddenly upon them; let them go down alive to Sheol (the place of the dead), for evils are in their habitations, in their hearts, and their inmost part.
55:16  As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord will save me.
55:17  Evening and morning and at noon will I utter my complaint and moan and sigh, and He will hear my voice.
55:18  He has redeemed my life in peace from the battle that was against me [so that none came near me], for they were many who strove with me.
55:19  God will hear and humble them, even He Who abides of old—Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!—because in them there has been no change [of heart], and they do not fear, revere, and worship God.
55:20  [My companion] has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; he has broken and profaned his agreement [of friendship and loyalty].
55:21  The words of his mouth were smoother than cream or butter, but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
55:22  Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail).
55:23  But You, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in, lean on, and confidently rely on You.