Psalms 54; Psalms 55; Psalms 56

1 God! Save me by your name; defend me by your might!

2 God! Hear my prayer; listen to the words of my mouth!

3 The proud have come up against me; violent people want me dead. They pay no attention to God. Selah

4 But look here: God is my helper; my Lord sustains my life.

5 He will bring disaster on my opponents. By your faithfulness, God, destroy them!

6 I will sacrifice to you freely; I will give thanks to your name, LORD, because it's so good,

7 and because God has delivered me from every distress. My eyes have seen my enemies' defeat.

1 God, listen to my prayer; don't avoid my request!

2 Pay attention! Answer me! I can't sit still while complaining. I'm beside myself

3 over the enemy's noise, at the wicked person's racket, because they bring disaster on me and harass me furiously.

4 My heart pounds in my chest because death's terrors have reached me.

5 Fear and trembling have come upon me; I'm shaking all over.

6 I say to myself, I wish I had wings like a dove! I'd fly away and rest.

7 I'd run so far away! I'd live in the desert. Selah far from the rushing wind and storm.

8 I'd hurry to my hideout,

9 Baffle them, my Lord! Confuse their language because I see violence and conflict in the city.

10 Day and night they make their rounds on its walls, and evil and misery live inside it.

11 Disaster lives inside it; oppression and fraud never leave the town square.

12 It's not an enemy that is insulting me— I could handle that. It's not someone who hates me who is exalted over me— I could hide from them.

13 No. It's you, my equal, my close companion, my good friend!

14 It was so pleasant when together we entered God's house with the crowd.

15 Let death devastate my enemies; let them go to the grave alive because evil lives with them— even inside them!

16 But I call out to God, and the LORD will rescue me.

17 At evening, morning, and midday I complain and moan so that God will hear my voice.

18 He saves me, unharmed, from my struggle, though there are many who are out to get me.

19 God, who is enthroned from ancient days, will hear and humble them Selah because they don't change and they don't worship God.

20 My friend attacked his allies, breaking his covenant.

21 Though his talk is smoother than butter, war is in his heart; though his words are more silky than oil, they are really drawn swords:

22 "Cast your burden on the LORD— he will support you! God will never let the righteous be shaken!"

23 But you, God, bring the wicked down to the deepest pit. Let bloodthirsty and treacherous people not live out even half their days. But me? I trust in you!

1 God, have mercy on me because I'm being trampled. All day long the enemy oppresses me.

2 My attackers trample me all day long because I have so many enemies. Exalted one,

3 whenever I'm afraid, I put my trust in you—

4 in God, whose word I praise. I trust in God; I won't be afraid. What can mere flesh do to me?

5 All day long they frustrate my pursuits; all their thoughts are evil against me.

6 They get together and set an ambush— they are watching my steps, hoping for my death.

7 Don't rescue them for any reason! In wrath bring down the people, God!

8 You yourself have kept track of my misery. Put my tears into your bottle— aren't they on your scroll already?

9 Then my enemies will retreat when I cry out. I know this because God is mine.

10 God: whose word I praise. The LORD: whose word I praise.

11 I trust in God; I won't be afraid. What can anyone do to me?

12 I will fulfill my promises to you, God. I will present thanksgiving offerings to you

13 because you have saved my life from death, saved my feet from stumbling so that I can walk before God in the light of life.