He Will Never Allow the Righteous to Be Shaken

For the choir director. With stringed instruments. A [†]Maskil of David.

1Give ear to my prayer, O God;

And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.

2Give heed to me and answer me;

I am restless in my complaint and [†]am surely distracted,

3Because of the voice of the enemy,

Because of the pressure of the wicked;

For they shake wickedness down upon me

And in anger they bear a grudge against me.

4My heart is in anguish within me,

And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

5Fear and trembling come upon me,

And [†]horror has covered me.

6I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!

I would fly away and [†]be at rest.

7Behold, I would wander far away,

I would lodge in the wilderness. [†]Selah.

8I would hasten to my place of refuge

From the stormy wind and tempest.”

9[†]Confuse, O Lord, divide their tongues,

For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

10Day and night they go around her upon her walls,

And wickedness and mischief are in her midst.

11Destruction is in her midst;

Oppression and deceit do not depart from her [†]streets.

12For it is not an enemy who reproaches me,

Then I could bear it;

Nor is it one who hates me who has magnified himself against me,

Then I could hide myself from him.

13But it is you, a man [†]my equal,

My close companion and my [†]familiar friend;

14We who had sweet counsel together

Walked in the house of God in the throng.

15Let [†]death come deceitfully upon them;

Let them go down alive to Sheol,

For evil is in their dwelling, in their midst.

16As for me, I shall call upon God,

And Yahweh will save me.

17Evening and morning and at noon, I will bring my complaint and moan,

And He will hear my voice.

18He will redeem my soul in peace [†]from the battle which is against me,

For they are many who strive with me.

19God will hear and [†]answer them—

Even the one who [†]sits enthroned from of old— Selah.

Because they [†]do not change,

And do not fear God.

20[†]My companion has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him;

He has [†]violated his covenant.

21His [†]speech was smoother than butter,

But his heart was war;

His words were softer than oil,

Yet they were drawn swords.

22Cast [†]your burden upon Yahweh and He will sustain you;

He will never allow the righteous to [†]be shaken.

23But You, O God, will bring them down to the [†]pit of corruption;

Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days.

But I will trust in You.