1 Give ear, O God, to my prayer; And hide not Thyself from my entreaty. 2 Attend unto me, and answer me: I am distracted as I muse, and must groan; 3 For the voice of [my] enemy, On account of the oppression of the wicked; For they fling down iniquity upon me, And in wrath they are hostile to me. 4 My heart writhes within me: And terrors of death have fallen upon me. 5 Fear and trembling come upon me, Horror wraps me round. 6 Then I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away, and [there] abide. 7 Lo, then would I migrate far away, I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah. 8 I would hasten my escape From stormy wind and tempest. 9 Swallow [them up], Lord; confuse their tongue: For I see violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they go their rounds upon her walls: And iniquity and mischief are in her midst. 11 Destructions are in her midst: And from her open market-place depart not oppression and deceit. 12 For it is not an enemy that reviles me--that I could bear: It is not my hater that magnifies himself against me--from him I could shelter myself: 13 But it is thou, a man my equal, My companion, and my familiar friend. 14 We who together used to make familiar intercourse sweet, And walked to the house of God with the crowd. 15 Desolations [fall] on them! May they go down alive to Sheol! For wickednesses are in their dwelling, in their midst. 16 As for me, I will cry to God; And Jehovah will save me. 17 Evening, and morning, and noon will I muse and groan: And He will hear my voice. 18 He has redeemed my soul in peace, so that they come not near me For in great numbers were they round me. 19 God will hear, and answer them-- Even He that sitteth throned from of old-- Selah. Them who have no changes And who fear not God. 20 He has laid his hands on those who were at peace with him: He has broken his covenant. 21 Smooth are the buttery words of his mouth, But his heart is war: Softer are his words than oil, Yet are they drawn swords. 22 Cast upon Jehovah thy burden, And He, He will hold thee up: He will never let the righteous be moved. 23 But Thou, O God, shall bring them down to the depth of the pit: Men of blood and deceit shall not attain half their days; But as for me, I will trust in Thee.