Behold the power of God in the Psalms!

The future proves the past.

 

Psalm 55:

Complaint about a Friend’s Treachery

A Maskil of David.

 

55 Give ear to my prayer, O God;

and hide not thyself from my supplication!

2 Attend to me, and answer me;

I am overcome by my trouble.

I am distraught 3 by the noise of the enemy,

because of the oppression of the wicked.

For they bring trouble upon me,

and in anger they cherish enmity against me.

 

4 My heart is in anguish within me,

the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

5 Fear and trembling come upon me,

and horror overwhelms me.

6 And I say, “O that I had wings like a dove!

I would fly away and be at rest;

7 yea, I would wander afar,

I would lodge in the wilderness, Selah

8 I would haste to find me a shelter

from the raging wind and tempest.”

 

9 Destroy their plans, O Lord, confuse their tongues;

for I see violence and strife in the city.

10 Day and night they go around it

on its walls;

and mischief and trouble are within it,

11 ruin is in its midst;

oppression and fraud

do not depart from its market place.

 

12 It is not an enemy who taunts me—

then I could bear it;

it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—

then I could hide from him.

13 But it is you, my equal,

my companion, my familiar friend.

14 We used to hold sweet converse together;

within God’s house we walked in fellowship.

15 Let death come upon them;

let them go down to Sheol alive;

let them go away in terror into their graves.

 

16 But I call upon God;

and the Lord will save me.

17 Evening and morning and at noon

I utter my complaint and moan,

and he will hear my voice.

18 He will deliver my soul in safety

from the battle that I wage,

for many are arrayed against me.

19 God will give ear, and humble them,

he who is enthroned from of old;

because they keep no law,

and do not fear God. Selah

 

20 My companion stretched out his hand against his friends,

he violated his covenant.

21 His speech was smoother than butter,

yet war was in his heart;

his words were softer than oil,

yet they were drawn swords.

 

22 Cast your burden on the Lord,

and he will sustain you;

he will never permit

the righteous to be moved.

 

23 But thou, O God, wilt cast them down

into the lowest pit;

men of blood and treachery

shall not live out half their days.

But I will trust in thee.