1To the chief musician on Neginoth, a Maskil of David. Give ear, O God, to my prayer, and hide not thyself from my supplication. 2Listen unto me, and answer me: I mourn in my grief, and moan; 3Because 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. 4My heart is sorely pained within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. 5Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and shuddering hath covered me. 6And I said, Oh that some one would give me wings like a dove! I would fly away and dwell quietly. 7Lo, I would flee far away, I would spend my night in the wilderness. Selah. 8I would prepare hastily a refuge for me from the sweeping wind and from storm. 9Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongue; for I have seen violence and strife in the city; 10Day and night do these encompass it upon her walls: and wrong and trouble are in her midst. 11Mischief is in her midst: guile and deceit depart not from her streets. 12For 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; 13But it is thou, a man my equal, my guide, and my acquaintance; 14So that we took sweet secret counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in tumultuous company. 15Let 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. 16I, however, will call on God: and the Lord will save me. 17At evening and morning and noon will I make my complaint and moan: and he heareth my voice.–– 18He delivereth my soul in peace from the battle against me; for in multitudes are they contending with me. 19God will hear, and humble them––yea, he that sitteth enthroned from the oldest time Selah––those who dread no changes, and fear not God. 20He stretcheth out his hands against those at peace with him: he violateth his covenant. 21The 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. 22Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved. 23But 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.