1To the chief musician on Neginoth, a Maskil of David.¶ 2Give ear, O God, to my prayer, and hide not thyself from my supplication. 3Listen unto me, and answer me: I mourn in my grief, and moan; 4Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked; for they cast wrong upon me, and in wrath they attack me. 5My heart is sorely pained within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. 6Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and shuddering hath covered me. 7And I said, Oh that some one would give me wings like a dove! I would fly away and dwell quietly. 8Lo, I would flee far away, I would spend my night in the wilderness. Selah. 9I would prepare hastily a refuge for me from the sweeping wind and from storm. 10Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongue; for I have seen violence and strife in the city; 11Day and night do these encompass it upon her walls: and wrong and trouble are in her midst. 12Mischief is in her midst: guile and deceit depart not from her streets. 13For it is not an enemy that reproached me; then I could bear it: not he that hateth me hath magnified himself against me; then I would have hidden myself from him; 14But it is thou, a man my equal, my guide, and my acquaintance; 15So that we took sweet secret counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in tumultuous company. 16Let him dispense death over them; let them go down alive into the nether world; for evil is in their dwelling, in the midst of them. 17I, however, will call on God: and the Lord will save me. 18At evening and morning and noon will I make my complaint and moan: and he heareth my voice.— 19He delivereth my soul in peace from the battle against me; for in multitudes are they contending with me. 20God will hear, and humble them—yea, he that sitteth enthroned from the oldest time Selah—those who dread no changes, and fear not God. 21He stretcheth out his hands against those at peace with him: he violateth his covenant. 22The creamy words of his mouth are smooth, yet there is war in his heart; his words are softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords. 23Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved. But thou, O God, thou wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: let not the men of blood and deceit live out half their days; but I will indeed trust in thee.