Psalm 55

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
⁸ I’d hurry to my hideout,
far from the rushing wind and storm.

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!

Listening to God: Why do you try to carry these heavy burdens by yourself?  The responsibilities I have placed on your shoulders are meant to be shared with me.  The purpose of this sharing is to drawn you and me closer together.  Out of this deeper relationship you will be able to accomplish far more than you ever could alone.  If you do not abide with me and allow me to provide what you need, you will be worn out and embittered.  Give this burden to me, and give me yourself too!

Journal or lift up your prayers and reflections to God.

*Our season of prayer guide comes from Joan Gray’s book, Sailboat Church: Helping Your Church Rethink Its Mission and Practice.