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55 ‎[1] **For the chief musician on stringed instruments, a contemplation by David. **
‎[2] **Listen to my prayer, God; do not ignore my plea. **The psalmist’s request that God heed his prayer is followed by a more modest request, that God not ignore him.
‎[3] **Heed me and answer me as I lament with my speech,** as I speak of my pain and suffering,** and cry out **
‎[4] **at the enemy’s voice, at the oppression** **of the wicked, casting **their **evil upon me and hating me with wrath. **
‎[5] **My heart is fearful within me; terrors of death descend upon me **because of all their threats.
‎[6] **Fear and trembling enter me; I am enveloped in horror. **
‎[7] **I said: Would that I had wings like a dove; I would fly away **to another place, anywhere else but here, **and come to rest. **
‎[8] **I would wander far away to reside in the wilderness. **Although I might be isolated there, at least I would be safe.** Selah. **
‎[9] **I would hasten to **seek out **a place of refuge, away from the stormy wind and tempest. **
‎[10] The psalmist now shifts his attention to his foes, asking God for aid:** Confound them, Lord, confuse their tongue **and** **bring an end to their calumnies, **for I see injustice and strife in the city **when they are in control.** **
‎[11] **Day and night they encircle its walls **with injustice,** and there is iniquity and mischief within, **
‎[12] **disasters within, intrigue and deceit not quitting its streets. **
‎[13] The psalmist now turns to a particularly painful matter:* ***For it is not an enemy who taunts me, which I could bear. **It would not be so bad if a known enemy would be scorning me. **Nor is it one of my foes who has grown threatening, from whom I could hide. **
‎[14] David addresses his antagonist: **But rather it is** **you, **the one who is** **assailing me,** a man who was **always considered by me to be **my equal, **and moreover **my guide and companion. **
‎[15] In our friendship **we shared confidences **with each other;** we walked **together **with great feeling in the House of God. **The pain is much greater, since my betrayal comes from one who had been a close friend.
‎[16] David prays: **May He bring up death upon them; let them go down, still living, to the netherworld. **This may allude to the rebellion of Korah, in which this was the fate of those who instigated an internal insurrection against Moses’ leadership.** For evil is in their dwelling place, **that is, it is **inside them. **
‎[17] **I call upon God; the Lord will save me. **
‎[18] **Evening and morning and noon, I speak **in prayer **and cry aloud, and He hears my voice. **
‎[19] At this point, there is a shift in the psalm’s tone, evidently describing events that occurred at a later time:* ***He redeemed me unharmed from the battle waged against me, for there were many with me **supporting me, and for their sake God saved me from harm. It is also possible that this verse is describing occasions in the past in which David was rescued by God.
‎[20] **The Almighty, He who abides from days of yore, will hear, and He will answer them, **those who have remained loyal to me, **Selah. **Referring now to the enemies: **They do not change; **as always, **they do not fear God. **
‎[21] **He, **my antagonist,** raised his arms against his **erstwhile **comrades, violating his covenant **with them.** **
‎[22] **His speech was smoother than cream, but **actually** war was in his heart. His words were softer than oil, yet they, **those words,** were **like **drawn swords **or, alternatively, like snares.
‎[23] The psalmist offers general words of encouragement: **Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you. He will never let the righteous slip. **
‎[24] But as for his enemies:* ***You, God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction. Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out **even **half their days, but I shall trust in You. **
Version: The Steinsaltz Tanakh - English
Source: https://korenpub.com/collections/the-steinsaltz-tanakh/products/steinsaltz-tanakh
License: Copyright: Steinsaltz Center