6

O that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captives of his people, Jacob shall rejoice and Israel be glad.

PSALM LIV.

A prayer against enemies.

For the leader of the music. To be sung on stringed instruments. A psalm of David, when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?

1

SAVE me, O God, by thy name,

And by thy strength defend my cause!

2 O God hear my prayer,

Give ear to the words of my mouth!

3 For strangers have risen up against me, And oppressors seek my life ;;

4

They have not set God before them.

Behold! God is my helper;

The Lord is the support of my life.

5 He will repay evil to my enemies;

For thy truth's sake, O God, cut them off! 6 With a willing heart will I sacrifice to thee; I will praise thy glorious name, O Jehovah ! 7 For thou hast delivered me from all trouble,

So that my eye hath looked with satisfaction upon my enemies!

PSALM LV.

A prayer against enemies, especially against a treacherous friend.

For the leader of the music. To be sung on stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

1

GIVE ear to my prayer, O God!

Hide not thyself from my supplication ! 2 Be attentive to me and hear me ;

I wander about mourning, and am agitated, 3 On account of the clamors of the enemy, On account of the violence of the wicked. For they bring evil upon me ;

And in wrath set themselves against me. 4 My heart trembleth in my bosom,

And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling have seized me,
And horror hath overwhelmed me.

6 O, think I, that I had wings like a dove!
For then would I fly away, and be at rest.
7 Behold, I would wander far away,
And take up my abode in a wilderness.
8 I would hasten away to a shelter

9

From the sweeping wind and tempest.

Confound, O Lord, divide their counsels! For I behold violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night do these go about its walls; In the midst of it are iniquity and mischief. 11 All kinds of wickedness are in the midst of it; Oppression and fraud depart not from its streets.

12

It was not an open foe, that reviled me,
That I could have borne ;

Nor one owing me hatred, who rose up against me;
From him I could have hid myself.

13 But it was thou, a man regarded as my equal,

My friend and my acquaintance;

14 We held sweet converse together,

And walked to the house of God in company. 15 May sudden death seize upon them!

16

May they go down to Hades alive!

For all kinds of wickedness are in their dwellings,

in the midst of them.

As for me, I will call upon God;

And Jehovah will save me.

17 At evening, at morn, and at noon I mourn and sigh,

And he will hear my voice.

18 He will deliver me in peace from my

conflict;

For many have risen up against me.
19 God will hear me and bring them down;

He that hath been judge of old;
Because they have had no reverses,
Therefore they have no fear of God.

20 They lift up their hands against their friend,
And break their covenant with him.

21 Their speech was softer than butter;

22

But war was in their heart;

Their words were smoother than oil,

Yet were they drawn swords.

Commit thy destiny to the Lord, and he will sustain

thee;

He will never suffer the righteous to fall.

L

23 Yea, thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the lowest pit!

Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their

days.

But I will trust in thee!

V. 10. These, i. e. violence and strife.

PSALM LVI.

A prayer for help by one surrounded by enemies. It has been remarked by several critics that the Hebrew inscription does not agree very well with the contents of this psalm. It seems more applicable to the treatment of David from Saul and his courtiers.

For the leader of the music. To be sung to the tune of "The dumb dove amongst strangers." A psalm of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.

1 HAVE pity upon me, O God, for man panteth for my life;

My adversary daily oppresseth me.

2 Mine enemies daily pant for my life,

And many are they who proudly war against me.

3 When I am in fear,

I will put my trust in thee!

4 I will glory in the promise of God ;

In God do I put my trust; I will not fear;

What can flesh do to me?

5 Every day they wrest my words;

All their thoughts are against me for evil.

6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they watch my steps,

Lying in wait for my life.

7 Shall they escape by their iniquity?

In thine anger cast down the people, O God!

8 Count thou my wanderings;

9

Put my tears into thy bottle!

Are they not recorded in thy book?

When I cry to thee, my enemies shall turn back; This I know, that God is for me.

10 I will glory in the promise of God;

I will glory in the promise of Jehovah.

11 In God do I put my trust; I will not fear;

What can man do to me?

12 Thy vows are upon me, O God!

I will render praises to thee!

13 For thou hast delivered me from death;

Yea, my feet from falling;

That I may walk before God in the light of the living.

PSALM LVII.

For the leader of the music. To be sung to the tune of "Do not destroy." A psalm of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.

1

HAVE pity upon me, O God, have pity upon me,
For in thee doth my soul seek refuge!

Yea, in the shadow of thy wings do I take shelter,
Until these calamities be overpast!

2 I call upon God the most high,

Upon God, who performeth all things for me;

3 He will send from heaven, and save me ;

He will put to shame him that panteth for my life;
God will send forth his mercy and his truth.