Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Living Translation NLT
1 (54-1) <Unto the end, in verses, understanding for David.> (54-2) Hear, O God, my prayer, and despise not my supplication:
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Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help!
2 (54-3) Be attentive to me and hear me. I am grieved in my exercise; and am troubled,
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Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.
3 (54-4) At the voice of the enemy, and at the tribulation of the sinner. For they have cast iniquities upon me: and in wrath they were troublesome to me.
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My enemies shout at me, making loud and wicked threats. They bring trouble on me and angrily hunt me down.
4 (54-5) My heart is troubled within me: and the fear of death is fallen upon me.
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My heart pounds in my chest. The terror of death assaults me.
5 (54-6) Fear and trembling are come upon me: and darkness hath covered me.
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Fear and trembling overwhelm me, and I can’t stop shaking.
6 (54-7) And I said: Who will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and be at rest?
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Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest!
7 (54-8) Lo, I have gone far off flying away; and I abode in the wilderness.
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I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness. Interlude
8 (54-9) I waited for him that hath saved me from pusillanimity of spirit, and a storm.
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How quickly I would escape— far from this wild storm of hatred.
9 (54-10) Cast down, O Lord, and divide their tongues; for I have seen iniquity and contradiction in the city.
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Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans, for I see violence and conflict in the city.
10 (54-11) Day and night shall iniquity surround it upon its walls: and in the midst thereof are labour,
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Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders, but the real danger is wickedness within the city.
11 (54-12) And injustice. And usury and deceit have not departed from its streets.
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Everything is falling apart; threats and cheating are rampant in the streets.
12 (54-13) For if my enemy had reviled me, I would verily have borne with it. And if he that hated me had spoken great things against me, I would perhaps have hidden my self from him.
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It is not an enemy who taunts me— I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me— I could have hidden from them.
13 (54-14) But thou a man of one mind, my guide, and my familiar,
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Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend.
14 (54-15) Who didst take sweetmeats together with me: in the house of God we walked with consent.
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What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God.
15 (54-16) Let death come upon them, and let them go down alive into hell. For there is wickedness in their dwellings: in the midst of them.
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Let death stalk my enemies; let the grave swallow them alive, for evil makes its home within them.
16 (54-17) But I have cried to God: and the Lord will save me.
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But I will call on God, and the LORD will rescue me.
17 (54-18) Evening and morning, and at noon I will speak and declare: and he shall hear my voice.
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Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the LORD hears my voice.
18 (54-19) He shall redeem my soul in peace from them that draw near to me: for among many they were with me.
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He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me.
19 (54-20) God shall hear, and the Eternal shall humble them. For there is no change with them, and they have not feared God:
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God, who has ruled forever, will hear me and humble them. Interlude For my enemies refuse to change their ways; they do not fear God.
20 (54-21) He hath stretched forth his hand to repay. They have defiled his covenant,
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As for my companion, he betrayed his friends; he broke his promises.
21 (54-22) They are divided by the wrath of his countenance, and his heart hath drawn near. His words are smoother than oil, and the same are darts.
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His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!
22 (54-23) Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall not suffer the just to waver for ever.
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Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
23 (54-24) But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee, O Lord.
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But you, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction. Murderers and liars will die young, but I am trusting you to save me.