1 Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;
3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.
4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath 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 Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.
8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.
9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.
11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.
12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.
14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.
15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
19 God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.
20 He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23 But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.
1 [[To the chief Musician H5329 on Neginoth, H5058 Maschil, H4905 A Psalm of David.]] H1732 Give ear H238 to my prayer, H8605 O God; H430 and hide H5956 not thyself from my supplication. H8467
2 Attend H7181 unto me, and hear H6030 me: I mourn H7300 in my complaint, H7879 and make a noise; H1949
3 Because of the voice H6963 of the enemy, H341 because H6440 of the oppression H6125 of the wicked: H7563 for they cast H4131 iniquity H205 upon me, and in wrath H639 they hate H7852 me.
4 My heart H3820 is sore pained H2342 within H7130 me: and the terrors H367 of death H4194 are fallen H5307 upon me.
5 Fearfulness H3374 and trembling H7461 are come H935 upon me, and horror H6427 hath overwhelmed H3680 me.
6 And I said, H559 Oh that H5414 I had wings H83 like a dove! H3123 for then would I fly away, H5774 and be at rest. H7931
7 Lo, then would I wander H5074 far off, H7368 and remain H3885 in the wilderness. H4057 Selah. H5542
8 I would hasten H2363 my escape H4655 from the windy H7307 storm H5584 and tempest. H5591
9 Destroy, H1104 O Lord, H136 and divide H6385 their tongues: H3956 for I have seen H7200 violence H2555 and strife H7379 in the city. H5892
10 Day H3119 and night H3915 they go about H5437 it upon the walls H2346 thereof: mischief H205 also and sorrow H5999 are in the midst H7130 of it.
11 Wickedness H1942 is in the midst H7130 thereof: deceit H8496 and guile H4820 depart H4185 not from her streets. H7339
12 For it was not an enemy H341 that reproached H2778 me; then I could have borne H5375 it: neither was it he that hated H8130 me that did magnify H1431 himself against me; then I would have hid H5641 myself from him:
13 But it was thou, a man H582 mine equal, H6187 my guide, H441 and mine acquaintance. H3045
14 We took sweet H4985 counsel H5475 together, H3162 and walked H1980 unto the house H1004 of God H430 in company. H7285
15 Let death H4194 seize H5377 H3451 upon them, and let them go down H3381 quick H2416 into hell: H7585 for wickedness H7451 is in their dwellings, H4033 and among H7130 them.
16 As for me, I will call H7121 upon God; H430 and the LORD H3068 shall save H3467 me.
17 Evening, H6153 and morning, H1242 and at noon, H6672 will I pray, H7878 and cry aloud: H1993 and he shall hear H8085 my voice. H6963
18 He hath delivered H6299 my soul H5315 in peace H7965 from the battle H7128 that was against me: for there were many H7227 with me.
19 God H410 shall hear, H8085 and afflict H6030 them, even he that abideth H3427 of old. H6924 Selah. H5542 Because they have no changes, H2487 therefore they fear H3372 not God. H430
20 He hath put forth H7971 his hands H3027 against such as be at peace H7965 with him: he hath broken H2490 his covenant. H1285
21 The words of his mouth H6310 were smoother H2505 than butter, H4260 but war H7128 was in his heart: H3820 his words H1697 were softer H7401 than oil, H8081 yet were they drawn swords. H6609
22 Cast H7993 thy burden H3053 upon the LORD, H3068 and he shall sustain H3557 thee: he shall never H5769 suffer H5414 the righteous H6662 to be moved. H4131
23 But thou, O God, H430 shalt bring them down H3381 into the pit H875 of destruction: H7845 bloody H1818 and deceitful H4820 men H582 shall not live out half H2673 their days; H3117 but I will trust H982 in thee.
1 Give ear to my prayer, O God; And hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Attend unto me, and answer me: I am restless in my complaint, and moan,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they cast iniquity upon me, And in anger they persecute me.
4 My heart is sore pained within me: And the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, And horror hath overwhelmed me.
6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then would I fly away, and be at rest.
7 Lo, then would I wander far off, I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah
8 I would haste me to a shelter From the stormy wind and tempest.
9 Destroy, O Lord, `and' divide their tongue; For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: Iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.
11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof: Oppression and guile depart not from its streets.
12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; Then I could have borne it: Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; Then I would have hid myself from him:
13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, My companion, and my familiar friend.
14 We took sweet counsel together; We walked in the house of God with the throng.
15 Let death come suddenly upon them, Let them go down alive into Sheol; For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.
16 As for me, I will call upon God; And Jehovah will save me.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain, and moan; And he will hear my voice.
18 He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me; For they were many `that strove' with me.
19 God will hear, and answer them, Even he that abideth of old, Selah `The men' who have no changes, And who fear not God.
20 He hath put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him: He hath profaned his covenant.
21 His mouth was smooth as butter, But his heart was war: His words were softer than oil, Yet were they drawn swords.
22 Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: He will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23 But thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in thee. Psalm 56 For the Chief Musician; set to Jonath elem rehokim. `A Psalm' of David. Michtam: when the Philistines took him in Gath.
1 To the Overseer with stringed instruments. -- An instruction, by David. Give ear, O God, `to' my prayer, And hide not from my supplication.
2 Attend to me, and answer me, I mourn in my meditation, and make a noise,
3 Because of the voice of an enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked, For they cause sorrow to move against me, And in anger they hate me.
4 My heart is pained within me, And terrors of death have fallen on me.
5 Fear and trembling come in to me, And horror doth cover me.
6 And I say, `Who doth give to me a pinion as a dove? I fly away and rest,
7 Lo, I move far off, I lodge in a wilderness. Selah.
8 I hasten escape for myself, From a rushing wind, from a whirlwind.
9 Swallow up, O Lord, divide their tongue, For I saw violence and strife in a city.
10 By day and by night they go round it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness `are' in its midst,
11 Mischiefs `are' in its midst. Fraud and deceit depart not from its street.
12 For an enemy reproacheth me not, or I bear `it', He who is hating me Hath not magnified himself against me, Or I hide from him.
13 But thou, a man -- as mine equal, My familiar friend, and mine acquaintance.
14 When together we sweeten counsel, Into the house of God we walk in company.
15 Desolations `are' upon them, They go down `to' Sheol -- alive, For wickedness `is' in their dwelling, in their midst.
16 I -- to God I call, and Jehovah saveth me.
17 Evening, and morning, and noon, I meditate, and make a noise, and He heareth my voice,
18 He hath ransomed in peace my soul From him who is near to me, For with the multitude they were with me.
19 God doth hear and afflict them, And He sitteth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, and fear not God,
20 He hath sent forth his hands against his well-wishers, He hath polluted his covenant.
21 Sweeter than honey hath been his mouth, And his heart `is' war! Softer have been his words than oil, And they `are' drawn `swords'.
22 Cast on Jehovah that which He hath given thee, And He doth sustain thee, He doth not suffer for ever the moving of the righteous.
23 And Thou, O God, dost bring them down To a pit of destruction, Men of blood and deceit reach not to half their days, And I -- I do trust in Thee!
1 {To the chief Musician. On stringed instruments: an instruction. Of David.} Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2 Attend unto me, and answer me: I wander about in my plaint, and I moan aloud,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy; because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in anger they persecute me.
4 My heart is writhing within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away, and be at rest;
7 Behold, I would flee afar off, I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah;
8 I would hasten my escape from the stormy wind, from the tempest.
9 Swallow [them] up, Lord; divide their tongue: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof; and iniquity and mischief are in the midst of it.
11 Perversities are in the midst thereof; and oppression and deceit depart not from its streets.
12 For it is not an enemy that hath reproached me -- then could I have borne it; neither is it he that hateth me that hath magnified [himself] against me -- then would I have hidden myself from him;
13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, mine intimate, my familiar friend. ...
14 We who held sweet intercourse together. To the house of God we walked amid the throng.
15 Let death seize upon them, let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwellings, in their midst.
16 As for me, unto God will I call; and Jehovah will save me.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and moan aloud; and he will hear my voice.
18 He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle against me: for there were many about me.
19 ùGod will hear, and afflict them: he that is seated of old, (Selah) ... because there is no change in them, and they fear not God.
20 He hath put forth his hands against such as are at peace with him; he hath profaned his covenant.
21 Smooth were the milky [words] of his mouth, but his heart was war; his words were softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords.
22 Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and *he* will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23 And thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. But as for me, I will confide in thee.
1 > Listen to my prayer, God. Don't hide yourself from my supplication.
2 Attend to me, and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and moan,
3 Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked. For they bring suffering on me. In anger they hold a grudge against me.
4 My heart is severely pained within me. The terrors of death have fallen on me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling have come on me. Horror has overwhelmed me.
6 I said, "Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest.
7 Behold, then I would wander far off. I would lodge in the wilderness." Selah.
8 "I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and tempest."
9 Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they prowl around on its walls. Malice and abuse are also within her.
11 Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies don't depart from her streets.
12 For it was not an enemy who insulted me, Then I could have endured it. Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me, Then I would have hid myself from him.
13 But it was you, a man like me, My companion, and my familiar friend.
14 We took sweet fellowship together. We walked in God's house with company.
15 Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.
16 As for me, I will call on God. Yahweh will save me.
17 Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice.
18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, Although there are many who oppose me.
19 God, who is enthroned forever, Will hear, and answer them. Selah. They never change, Who don't fear God.
20 He raises his hands against his friends. He has violated his covenant.
21 His mouth was smooth as butter, But his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.
22 Cast your burden on Yahweh, and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.
23 But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, But I will trust in you.
1 <To the chief music-maker, on Neginoth. Maschil. Of David.> Give hearing to my prayer, O God; and let not your ear be shut against my request.
2 Give thought to me, and let my prayer be answered: I have been made low in sorrow;
3 I am troubled because of the voice of the cruel ones, because of the loud cry of the evil-doers; for they put a weight of evil on me, and they are cruel in their hate for me.
4 My heart is deeply wounded, and the fear of death has come on me.
5 Fear and shaking have come over me, with deep fear I am covered.
6 And I said, If only I had wings like a dove! for then I would go in flight from here and be at rest.
7 I would go wandering far away, living in the waste land. (Selah.)
8 I would quickly take cover from the driving storm and from the violent wind.
9 Send destruction on them, O Lord, make a division of tongues among them: for I have seen fighting and violent acts in the town.
10 By day and night they go round the town, on the walls; trouble and sorrow are in the heart of it.
11 Evil is there; cruel rule and deceit are ever in the streets.
12 For it was not my hater who said evil of me; that would have been no grief to me; it was not one outside the number of my friends who made himself strong against me, or I would have kept myself from him in a secret place;
13 But it was you, my equal, my guide, my well-loved friend.
14 We had loving talk together, and went to the house of God in company.
15 Let the hand of death come on them suddenly, and let them go down living into the underworld; because evil is in their houses and in their hearts.
16 As for me, I will make my prayer to God, and he will be my saviour.
17 In the evening and in the morning and in the middle of the day I will make my prayer with sounds of grief; and my voice will come to his ears.
18 He has taken my soul away from the attack which was made against me, and given it peace; for great numbers were against me.
19 God will give thought to me; he who from early times is strong will send pain and trouble on them. (Selah.) Because they are unchanged, they have no fear of God.
20 He has put out his hand against those who were at peace with him; he has not kept his agreement.
21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, but they were sharp swords.
22 Put your cares on the Lord, and he will be your support; he will not let the upright man be moved.
23 But you, O God, will send them down into the underworld; the cruel and the false will be cut off before half their days are ended; but I will have faith in you.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 55
Commentary on Psalms 55 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Prayer of One Who Is Maliciously Beset and Betrayed by His Friend
Psalms 54:1-7 is followed by another Davidic Psalm bearing the same inscription: To the Precentor, with accompaniment of stringed instruments, a meditation, by David . It also accords with the former in the form of the prayer with which it opens (cf. Psalms 55:2 with Psalms 54:3.); and it is the Elohimic counterpart of the Jahve- Psalms 41:1-13. If the Psalm is by David, we require (in opposition to Hengstenberg) an assignable occasion for it in the history of his life. For how could the faithless bosom friend, over whom the complaint concerning malicious foes here, as in Psalms 41:1-13, lingers with special sadness, be a mere abstract personage; since it has in the person of Judas Iscariot its historical living antitype in the life and passion of the second David? This Old Testament Judas is none other than Ahithפphel, the right hand of Absalom. Ps 55 belongs, like Psalms 41:1-13, to the four years during which the rebellion of Absalom was forming; only to a somewhat later period, when Absalom's party were so sure of their cause that they had no need to make any secret of it. How it came to pass that David left the beginnings and progressive steps of the rebellion of Absalom to take their course without bringing any other weapon to bear against it than the weapon of prayer, is discussed on Psalms 41:1-13.
Hitzig also holds this Psalm to be Jeremianic. But it contains no coincidences with the language and thoughts of Jeremiah worth speaking of, excepting that this prophet, in Psalms 9:1, gives utterance to a similar wish to that of the psalmist in Psalms 55:7, and springing from the same motive. The argument in favour of Jeremiah in opposition to David is consequently referred to the picture of life and suffering which is presented in the Psalm; and it becomes a question whether this harmonizes better with the persecuted life of Jeremiah or of David. The exposition which follows here places itself - and it is at least worthy of being attempted - on the standpoint of the writer of the inscription.
In this first group sorrow prevails. David spreads forth his deep grief before God, and desires for himself some lonely spot in the wilderness far away from the home or lurking-place of the confederate band of those who are compassing his overthrow. “Veil not Thyself” here, where what is spoken of is something audible, not visible, is equivalent to “veil not Thine ear,” Lamentations 3:56, which He designedly does, when the right state of heart leaves the praying one, and consequently that which makes it acceptable and capable of being answered is wanting to the prayer (cf. Isaiah 1:15). שׂיח signifies a shrub (Syriac shucho , Arabic šı̂ḥ ), and also reflection and care (Arabic, carefulness, attention; Aramaic, סח , to babble, talk, discourse). The Hiph . חריד , which in Genesis 27:40 signifies to lead a roving life, has in this instance the signification to move one's self backwards and forwards, to be inwardly uneasy; root רד , Arab. rd , to totter, whence râda , jarûda , to run up and down (IV to desire, will); raida , to shake (said of a soft bloated body); radda , to turn (whence taraddud , a moving to and fro, doubting); therefore: I wander hither and thither in my reflecting or meditating, turning restlessly from one thought to another. It is not necessary to read ואחמיה after Psalms 77:4 instead of ועהימה , since the verb הוּם = המה , Psalms 42:6, 12, is secured by the derivatives. Since these only exhibit הוּם , and not הים (in Arabic used more particularly of the raving of love), ואהימה , as also אריד , is Hiph ., and in fact like this latter used with an inward object: I am obliged to raise a tumult or groan, break out into the dull murmuring sounds of pain. The cohortative not unfrequently signifies “I have to” or “I must” of incitements within one's self which are under the control of outward circumstances. In this restless state of mind he finds himself, and he is obliged to break forth into this cry of pain on account of the voice of the foe which he cannot but hear; by reason of the pressure or constraint ( עקת ) of the evil-doer which he is compelled to feel. The conjecture צעקת (Olshausen and Hupfeld) is superfluous. עקה is a more elegant Aramaizing word instead of צרה .
The second strophe begins with a more precise statement of that which justifies his pain. The Hiph . חמיט signifies here, as in Psalms 140:11 ( Chethîb ), declinare : they cast or roll down evil (calamity) upon him and maliciously lay snares for him בּאף , breathing anger against him who is conscious of having manifested only love towards them. His heart turns about in his body, it writhes ( יהיל ); cf. on this, Psalms 38:11. Fear and trembling take possession of his inward parts; יבא in the expression יבא בי , as is always the case when followed by a tone syllable, is a so-called נסוג אחור , i.e., it has the tone that has retreated to the penult . (Deuteronomy 1:38; Isaiah 7:24; Isaiah 60:20), although this is only with difficulty discernible in our printed copies, and is therefore (vid., Accentsystem , vi. §2) noted with Mercha . The fut. consec . which follows introduces the heightened state of terror which proceeds from this crowding on of fear and trembling. Moreover, the wish that is thereby urged from him, which David uttered to himself, is introduced in the third strophe by a fut. consec.
(Note: That beautiful old song of the church concerning Jesus has grown out of this strophe: -
Ecquis binas columbinas
Alas dabit animae?
Et in almam crucis palmam
Evolat citissime