
55 - Exaudi, Deus

1   Hear my prayer, O God, 🞙
    and hide not yourself from my petition.

2   Give heed to me, and hear me, 🞙
    for I am troubled in my prayer and am tormented,

3   Because of the cry of the enemy, and oppression by the ungodly; 🞙
    for they are of a mind to do me great harm, so maliciously are they set against me.

4   My heart is disquieted within me, 🞙
    and the fear of death has fallen upon me.

5   Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, 🞙
    and a horrible dread has overwhelmed me.

6   And I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove, 🞙
    for then would I fly away and be at rest.

7   Indeed, then I would get away to a far off place 🞙
    and make my dwelling in the wilderness.

8   I would make haste to escape, 🞙
    because of the stormy wind and tempest.”

9   Confuse their speech, O Lord, and divide them, 🞙
    for I have seen unrighteousness and strife in the city.

10  Day and night they go about within her walls; 🞙
    trouble and sorrow are in the midst of her.

11  Great wickedness is there; 🞙
    deceit and guile do not leave her streets.

12  For it is not an enemy who has done me this dishonor, 🞙
    for then I could have borne it;

13  Neither was it my adversary who exalted himself against me, 🞙
    for then I would have hidden myself from him.

14  But it was you, my companion, 🞙
    my comrade and my own familiar friend.

15  We took sweet counsel together 🞙
    and walked in the house of God as friends.

16  Let death come hastily upon them, and let them go down alive into the grave, 🞙
    for there is wickedness in their hearts.

17  As for me, I will call upon God, 🞙
    and the Lord shall save me.

18  In the evening, and morning, and at noonday will I pray and lament, 🞙
    and he shall hear my voice.

19  It is he who shall deliver my soul in peace from the battle that is against me, 🞙
    for there are many who fight me.

20  God, who endures for ever, shall hear me and bring them down; 🞙
    for they never change, nor do they fear God.

21  My familiar friend has laid his hands upon those who were at peace with him, 🞙
    and he has broken his covenant.

22  The words of his mouth were softer than butter, yet war was in his heart; 🞙
    his words were smoother than oil, and yet they were drawn swords.

23  O cast your burden upon the Lord, and he shall nourish you, 🞙
    and shall not allow the righteous to fall for ever.

24  But as for the bloodthirsty and deceitful, 🞙
    you, O God, shall bring them into the pit of destruction.

25  They shall not live out half their days; 🞙
    but my trust shall be in you, O Lord.
