Psalms 55

Cast your burden on the Lord

For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. Listen to my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea.a ²Attend to me and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and distraughtb ³at the voice of the enemy, at the pressure of the wicked. For they release disaster upon me and revile me in their anger.

⁴My heart murmurs within me, and the terrors of death assail me. ⁵Fear and trembling grip me, and horror has overwhelmed me. ⁶I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest.

⁷How far away I would flee! In the wilderness I would remain. Selah ⁸I would hurry to my shelter, far from this raging tempest.” ⁹O Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰Day and night they encircle the walls, while malice and trouble lie within. ¹¹Destruction is within; oppression and deceit never leave the streets. ¹²For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide.c

¹³But it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend. ¹⁴We shared sweet fellowship together; we walked with the crowd into the house of God. ¹⁵Let death seize them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, for evil is with them in their homes.d

¹⁶But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. ¹⁷Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.e ¹⁸He redeems my soul in peace from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.f

¹⁹God will hear and humiliate them— the One enthroned for the ages— Selah because they do not change and they have no fear of God. ²⁰My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. ²¹His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.g

²²Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.h ²³But You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.

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Commentary

Psalms 55 is a desperate lament from David, likely written during Absalom's rebellion or a similar betrayal by a trusted friend. The psalmist cries out for deliverance from enemies and, more painfully, from the treachery of a close companion. The chapter moves from raw anguish to a

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Bible Dictionary· Psalms 55(8)

Battle Cry House Pit Soul Sweet The Way Voice

Bible Characters· Psalms 55(2)

David Selah

References· Psalms 55

a: v.1 — 1 Peter 3:12, Psalms 86:6, Psalms 61:1, Psalms 27:9, Psalms 80:1, Psalms 64:1, Psalms 54:1-2, Psalms 84:8, Psalms 143:7, Psalms 5:1
b: v.2 — Isaiah 38:14, Psalms 66:19, Psalms 77:3, Isaiah 59:11, Psalms 64:1, Psalms 43:2, Psalms 102:9-10, Psalms 38:6, Psalms 32:3, Psalms 13:1-2
c: v.12 — Betrayed by a friend, not enemy: John 13:18, Luke 22:47; Psalms 41:9, John 13:18, Matthew 26:21-23, Psalms 35:26, John 18:2-3, Psalms 38:16, Isaiah 10:15
d: v.15 — Death of the impenitent traitor: Matthew 27:3, Acts 1:16; Psalms 59:13, Psalms 9:17, Acts 1:18-20, Psalms 109:6-20, Psalms 64:7, 2 Samuel 18:14, Acts 1:25, Matthew 26:24, Numbers 16:30-34, Matthew 27:5
e: v.17 — 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Ephesians 6:18, Psalms 141:2, Acts 3:1, Hebrews 5:7, Mark 1:35, Daniel 6:10, Acts 10:9, Psalms 119:147-148, Psalms 92:2
f: v.18 — Psalms 3:6-7, 2 Samuel 22:1, Matthew 26:53, 2 Chronicles 32:7-8, 1 John 4:4, Psalms 57:3, Psalms 27:1-3, Psalms 118:10-12, Acts 2:33-36, 2 Samuel 18:28
g: v.21 — Psalms 57:4, Proverbs 5:3-4, Proverbs 26:28, Psalms 28:3, Psalms 12:2, Luke 20:20-21, Psalms 64:3, Proverbs 26:24-26, Matthew 26:25, Psalms 62:4
h: v.22 — 1 Peter 5:7, Psalms 37:5, Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 6:25, Psalms 62:6, Psalms 16:8, Psalms 37:24, Psalms 27:14, Psalms 62:2, Matthew 11:28

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