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55:1  (For the one directing. With Neginos. Maskil of Dovid) Give ear to my tefillah, O Elohim; and veil not Thyself from my techinnah (supplication).
55:2  Attend unto me, and hear me; I wander restlessly in my si’ach (anxiety), and aloud I groan;
55:3  Because of the voice of the oyev (enemy), because of the oppression of the rasha (evildoer); for they cast aven (iniquity) upon me, and in af (wrath, anger) cherish their malice against me.
55:4  My lev writhes within me; and the terrors of mavet are fallen upon me.
55:5  Yirah va’ra’ad (fear and trembling) are come upon me, and pallatzut (horror, shuddering) overwhelmed me.
55:6  And I said, Oh that I had wings like a yonah! For then would I fly away and be at rest.
55:7  Hinei, then would I flee far off and lodge in the midbar. Selah.
55:8  I would hasten to my place of shelter from the ruach so’ah (wind of the tempest) and storm.
55:9  Destroy, Adonoi, and confuse their leshon; for I see chamas (violence) and riv (strife) in the Ir (city, i.e., Jerusalem).
55:10  Yomam and lailah they go about her [Yerushalayim] upon the chomot thereof; aven also and amal are in the midst of her [Yerushalayim].
55:11  Ruin is in the midst thereof; oppression and mirmah (guile, fraud, deceit) depart not from her rechov.
55:12  For it was not an oyev (enemy) that reproached me; then I could bear it; neither was it he that had sinah (hatred) for me that did exalt himself against me; then I could have hid myself from him;
55:13  But it was thou, an enosh (a man) equally [valued with myself], my aluf (intimate, friend), and me’yuda’i (deep acquaintance, familiar friend, see Psalm 41:9)
55:14  Together we took sweet sod (intimate conversation, fellowship, counsel), and walked unto the Beis Elohim with the throng.
55:15  Let mavet seize upon them, and let them go down chayyim into Sheol; for ra’ot (evils) are in their dwellings, and among them.
55:16  As for me, I will call upon Elohim; and Hashem shall save me.
55:17  Erev, and boker, and at tzohorayim (noon), will I pray, and cry aloud; and He shall hear my kol (voice).
55:18  He hath redeemed my nefesh in shalom from the battle that was against me; for there were rabbim against me.
55:19  El (G-d) shall hear, and afflict them, even He that abideth kedem (of old, forever). Selah. Because they do not change, therefore they fear not Elohim.
55:20  He [the faithless friend of verse 13-14] hath laid his hands on such as are at shalom with him; he hath broken his Brit.
55:21  The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his lev; his devarim were softer than shemen, yet they were drawn swords.
55:22  Cast thy burden upon Hashem, and He shall sustain thee; He shall never suffer the tzaddik to be moved.
55:23  But Thou, O Elohim, shalt bring them down into the pit of shachat; anshei damim umirmah (bloody and deceitful men) shall not live out half their yamim; but I will trust in Thee.