17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and moan aloud; and he will hear my voice.
And Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, [which is] the ninth [hour];
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening oblation.
Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up both supplications and entreaties to him who was able to save him out of death, with strong crying and tears; (and having been heard because of his piety;)
And on the morrow, as these were journeying and drawing near to the city, Peter went up on the house to pray, about the sixth hour.
-- saw plainly in a vision, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius.
To declare thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness in the nights,
And he spoke also a parable to them to the purport that they should always pray and not faint, saying, There was a judge in a city, not fearing God and not respecting man: and there was a widow in that city, and she came to him, saying, Avenge me of mine adverse party. And he would not for a time; but afterwards he said within himself, If even I fear not God and respect not man, at any rate because this widow annoys me I will avenge her, that she may not by perpetually coming completely harass me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge says. And shall not God at all avenge his elect, who cry to him day and night, and he bears long as to them?
And rising in the morning long before day, he went out and went away into a desert place, and there prayed.
Then they answered and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
At midnight I rise up to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments.
But as for me, Jehovah, I cry unto thee, and in the morning my prayer cometh before thee.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 55
Commentary on Psalms 55 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 55
Ps 55:1-23. In great terror on account of enemies, and grieved by the treachery of a friend, the Psalmist offers an earnest prayer for relief. He mingles confident assurances of divine favor to himself with invocations and predictions of God's avenging judgments on the wicked. The tone suits David's experience, both in the times of Saul and Absalom, though perhaps neither was exclusively before his mind.
1. hide not thyself, &c.—(compare Ps 13:1; 27:9), withhold not help.
2. The terms of the last clause express full indulgence of grief.
3. oppression—literally, "persecution."
they … iniquity—literally, "they make evil doings slide upon me."
4, 5. express great alarm.
5. come upon—or literally, "into."
6. be at rest—literally, "dwell," that is, permanently.
7, 8. Even a wilderness is a safer place than exposure to such evils, terrible as storm and tempest.
9. Destroy—literally, "swallow" (Ps 21:9).
divide their tongues—or, "confound their speech," and hence their counsels (Ge 11:7).
the city—perhaps Jerusalem, the scene of anarchy.
10, 11. which is described in detail (compare Ps 7:14-16).
11. Wickedness—literally, "Mischief," evils resulting from others (Ps 5:9; 52:2, 7).
streets—or literally, "wide places," markets, courts of justice, and any public place.
12-14. This description of treachery does not deny, but aggravates, the injury from enemies.
13. guide—literally, "friend" (Pr 16:28; 17:9).
acquaintance—in Hebrew, a yet more intimate associate.
14. in company—literally, "with a crowd," in a festal procession.
15. Let death, &c.—or, "Desolations are on them."
let them go—literally, "they will go."
quick—or, living in the midst of life, death will come (compare Nu 16:33).
among them—or, "within them," in their hearts (Ps 5:9; 49:11).
16-18. God answers his constant and repeated prayers.
18. many with me—that is, by the context, fighting with me.
19. God hears the wicked in wrath.
abideth—or, "sitteth."
of old—enthroned as a sovereign.
Because … no changes—Prosperity hardens them (Ps 73:5).
20, 21. The treachery is aggravated by hypocrisy. The changes of number, Ps 55:15, 23, and here, enliven the picture, and imply that the chief traitor and his accomplices are in view together.
22. thy burden—literally, "gift," what is assigned you.
he shall sustain—literally, "supply food," and so all need (Ps 37:25; Mt 6:11).
to be moved—from the secure position of His favor (compare Ps 10:6).
23. bloody … days—(compare Ps 5:6; 51:14), deceit and murderous dispositions often united. The threat is directed specially (not as a general truth) against the wicked, then in the writer's view.