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Psalms · Catholic Public Domain Version

Psalm 54 (55) Catholic Public Domain Version

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  • Catholic
  • OT: Latin Vulgate
  • NT: Latin Vulgate
  • Catholic (73 books)
  • Formal (word for word)
  • 2009
  • Public domain

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · Psalm 55 · About the recordings

Notes on this text (4)

Psalm 54 in CPDV = Psalm 55 in WEB.

CPDV Catholic Public Domain Version
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
1 Unto the end. In verses, the understanding of David.
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2 Listen to my prayer, O God, and despise not my supplication.
55:1 For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David. Listen to my prayer, God. Don’t hide yourself from my supplication.
3 Be attentive to me, and heed me. I have been grieved in my training, and I have been disturbed
55:2 Attend to me, and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and moan
4 at the voice of the adversary and at the tribulation of the sinner. For they have diverted iniquities toward me, and they have been harassing me with rage.
55:3 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.
5 My heart has become disturbed within me, and the dread of death has fallen over me.
55:4 My heart is severely pained within me. The terrors of death have fallen on me.
6 Fear and trembling have overwhelmed me, and darkness has buried me.
55:5 Fearfulness and trembling have come on me. Horror has overwhelmed me.
7 And I said, “Who will give me wings like the dove, so that I may fly away and take rest?”
55:6 I said, “Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest.
8 Behold, I have fled far away, and I linger in solitude.
55:7 Behold, then I would wander far off. I would lodge in the wilderness.” Selah.
9 I waited for him who saved me from a weak-minded spirit and from a tempest.
55:8 “I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm.”
10 Cast them down, O Lord, and divide their tongues. For I have seen iniquity and contradiction in the city.
55:9 Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
11 Day and night, iniquity will surround it upon its walls, and hardship is in its midst,
55:10 Day and night they prowl around on its walls. Malice and abuse are also within her.
12 with injustice. And usury and deceit have not fallen away from its streets.
55:11 Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets.
13 For if my enemy had spoken evil about me, certainly, I would have sustained it. And if he who hated me had been speaking great things against me, I would perhaps have hidden myself from him.
55:12 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 hidden myself from him.
14 Truly, you are a man of one mind: my leader and my acquaintance,
55:13 But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend.
15 who took sweet food together with me. In the house of God, we walked side-by-side.
55:14 We took sweet fellowship together. We walked in God’s house with company.
16 Let death come upon them, and let them descend alive into Hellfire. For there is wickedness in their dwellings, in their midst.
55:15 Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is among them, in their dwelling.
17 But I have cried out to God, and the Lord will save me.
55:16 As for me, I will call on God. Yahweh will save me.
18 Evening and morning and midday, I will discourse and announce, and he will heed my voice.
55:17 Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice.
19 He will redeem my soul in peace from those who draw near to me. For, among the many, they were with me.
55:18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, although there are many who oppose me.
20 God will hear, and He who is before time will humble them. For there is no change with them, and they have not feared God.
55:19 God, who is enthroned forever, will hear and answer them. Selah. They never change and don’t fear God.
21 He has stretched forth his hand in retribution. They have contaminated his covenant.
55:20 He raises his hands against his friends. He has violated his covenant.
22 They were divided by the wrath of his countenance, and his heart has drawn near. His words are smoother than oil, and they are arrows.
55:21 His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
23 Cast your cares upon the Lord, and he will nurture you. He will not allow the just to be tossed about forever.
55:22 Cast your burden on Yahweh and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.
24 Truly, O God, you will lead them away into the well of death. Bloody and deceitful men will not divide their days in half. But I will hope in you, O Lord.
55:23 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.
Cross references (24)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info. References use English (Hebrew-based) verse numbers; links open the passage in CPDV.

  1. 1 1 Peter 3:12; Psalm 86:6; Psalm 61:1; Psalm 27:9; Psalm 80:1
  2. 2 1 Peter 3:12; Psalm 86:6; Psalm 61:1; Psalm 27:9; Psalm 80:1
  3. 3 Isaiah 38:14; Psalm 77:3; Psalm 66:19; Isaiah 59:11; Psalm 64:1
  4. 4 2 Samuel 16:7–8; Psalm 35:11; Psalm 27:12; Psalm 73:8; Psalm 12:5
  5. 5 Psalm 116:3; Mark 14:33–34; 2 Corinthians 1:8–10; Hebrews 5:7; Psalm 18:4–5
  6. 6 Psalm 119:120; Job 21:6; Luke 22:44; Psalm 88:15–16; Psalm 61:2
  7. 7 Psalm 11:1; Revelation 12:14; Psalm 139:9
  8. 8 Jeremiah 9:2; 2 Samuel 15:14; Jeremiah 37:12; Proverbs 6:4–5; 2 Samuel 17:21–22
  9. 9 Isaiah 4:6; Matthew 7:25–27; Psalm 18:4; Isaiah 17:12–13
  10. 10 Jeremiah 6:7; 2 Samuel 15:31; Genesis 11:7–9; Acts 23:6–10; 2 Samuel 17:1–14
  11. 11 Psalm 59:14–15; Isaiah 59:6–15; John 18:28; Acts 9:24; Ezekiel 9:4
  12. 12 Isaiah 59:7; Psalm 5:9; Jeremiah 5:26–27; Psalm 10:7; Acts 7:51–52
  13. 13 Psalm 41:9; John 13:18; Matthew 26:21–23; Psalm 35:26; John 18:2–3
  14. 14 Micah 7:5; Jeremiah 9:4; 2 Samuel 15:12; Mark 14:44–45; Psalm 41:9
  15. 15 Psalm 42:4; Ezekiel 33:31; Isaiah 2:3; Psalm 122:1
  16. 16 Psalm 59:13; Psalm 9:17; Psalm 109:6–20; Acts 1:18–20; Psalm 64:7
  17. 17 Psalm 50:15; Luke 6:11–12; Psalm 91:15; Psalm 73:28; Psalm 109:4
  18. 18 Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Psalm 141:2; Hebrews 5:7; Acts 3:1
  19. 19 Psalm 57:3; Matthew 26:53; 1 John 4:4; Psalm 3:6–7; 2 Chronicles 32:7–8
  20. 20 Deuteronomy 33:27; Zephaniah 1:12; Ecclesiastes 8:11; Revelation 6:10–11; Micah 5:2
  21. 21 Psalm 7:4; Psalm 89:34; Acts 12:1; Psalm 109:5; Psalm 120:6–7
  22. 22 Psalm 57:4; Proverbs 5:3–4; Psalm 28:3; Proverbs 26:28; Psalm 12:2
  23. 23 1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 37:5; Philippians 4:6–7; Matthew 6:25; Psalm 62:6
  24. 24 Proverbs 10:27; Psalm 5:6; Job 15:32; Psalm 7:15–16; Psalm 73:18

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations). Verse numbers below follow the Hebrew/English numbering: 55.

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

  1. Commentary Augustine of Hippo, Expositions on the Psalms (Psalm LIV)

    The title of this Psalm hath fruit in the prolixity thereof, if it be understood: and because the Psalm is short, let us make up our not having to tarry over the Psalm by tarrying over the title. For upon this dependeth every verse which is sung.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)

  2. Quotes verse 55:22 John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith (Book II, Chapters X–XI)

    This is what the Prophet David proclaimed to us when He said, Cast thy burden on the Lord, and He will sustain thee.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 9 (1899)