1 To him that excelleth on Neginoth. A Psalme of David to give instruction. Heare my prayer, O God, and hide not thy selfe from my supplication. 2 Hearken vnto me, and answere me: I mourne in my prayer, and make a noyse, 3 For the voyce of the enemie, and for the vexation of ye wicked, because they haue brought iniquitie vpon me, and furiously hate me. 4 Mine heart trembleth within mee, and the terrours of death are fallen vpon me. 5 Feare and trembling are come vpon mee, and an horrible feare hath couered me. 6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a doue: then would I flie away and rest. 7 Beholde, I woulde take my flight farre off, and lodge in the wildernes. Selah. 8 Hee would make haste for my deliuerance from the stormie winde and tempest. 9 Destroy, O Lord, and deuide their tongues: for I haue seene crueltie and strife in the citie. 10 Day and night they goe about it vpon the walles thereof: both iniquitie and mischiefe are in the middes of it. 11 Wickednes is in the middes thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streetes. 12 Surely mine enemie did not defame mee: for I could haue borne it: neither did mine aduersarie exalt himselfe against mee: for I would haue hid me from him. 13 But it was thou, O man, euen my companion, my guide and my familiar: 14 Which delited in consulting together, and went into the House of God as companions. 15 Let death sense vpon them: let them goe downe quicke into the graue: for wickednes is in their dwellings, euen in the middes of them. 16 But I will call vnto God, and the Lord will saue me. 17 Euening and morning, and at noone will I pray, and make a noyse, and he wil heare my voice. 18 He hath deliuered my soule in peace from the battel, that was against me: for many were with me. 19 God shall heare and afflict them, euen hee that reigneth of olde, Selah. because they haue no changes, therefore they feare not God. 20 Hee layed his hande vpon such, as be at peace with him, and he brake his couenant. 21 The wordes of his mouth were softer then butter, yet warre was in his heart: his words were more gentle then oyle, yet they were swordes. 22 Cast thy burden vpon the Lord, and hee shall nourish thee: he wil not suffer the righteous to fall for euer. 23 And thou, O God, shalt bring them downe into the pitte of corruption: the bloudie, and deceitfull men shall not liue halfe their dayes: but I will trust in thee.
Psalm 55 Geneva Bible (1599)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Original 16th-century spelling.
Cross references (23)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Peter 3:12; Psalm 86:6; Psalm 61:1; Psalm 27:9; Psalm 80:1
- 2 Isaiah 38:14; Psalm 77:3; Psalm 66:19; Isaiah 59:11; Psalm 64:1
- 3 2 Samuel 16:7–8; Psalm 35:11; Psalm 27:12; Psalm 73:8; Psalm 12:5
- 4 Psalm 116:3; Mark 14:33–34; 2 Corinthians 1:8–10; Hebrews 5:7; Psalm 18:4–5
- 5 Psalm 119:120; Job 21:6; Luke 22:44; Psalm 88:15–16; Psalm 61:2
- 6 Psalm 11:1; Revelation 12:14; Psalm 139:9
- 7 Jeremiah 9:2; 2 Samuel 15:14; Jeremiah 37:12; Proverbs 6:4–5; 2 Samuel 17:21–22
- 8 Isaiah 4:6; Matthew 7:25–27; Psalm 18:4; Isaiah 17:12–13
- 9 Jeremiah 6:7; 2 Samuel 15:31; Genesis 11:7–9; Acts 23:6–10; 2 Samuel 17:1–14
- 10 Psalm 59:14–15; Isaiah 59:6–15; John 18:28; Acts 9:24; Ezekiel 9:4
- 11 Isaiah 59:7; Psalm 5:9; Jeremiah 5:26–27; Psalm 10:7; Acts 7:51–52
- 12 Psalm 41:9; John 13:18; Matthew 26:21–23; Psalm 35:26; John 18:2–3
- 13 Micah 7:5; Jeremiah 9:4; 2 Samuel 15:12; Mark 14:44–45; Psalm 41:9
- 14 Psalm 42:4; Ezekiel 33:31; Isaiah 2:3; Psalm 122:1
- 15 Psalm 59:13; Psalm 9:17; Psalm 109:6–20; Acts 1:18–20; Psalm 64:7
- 16 Psalm 50:15; Luke 6:11–12; Psalm 91:15; Psalm 73:28; Psalm 109:4
- 17 Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Psalm 141:2; Hebrews 5:7; Acts 3:1
- 18 Psalm 57:3; Matthew 26:53; 1 John 4:4; Psalm 3:6–7; 2 Chronicles 32:7–8
- 19 Deuteronomy 33:27; Zephaniah 1:12; Ecclesiastes 8:11; Revelation 6:10–11; Micah 5:2
- 20 Psalm 7:4; Psalm 89:34; Acts 12:1; Psalm 109:5; Psalm 120:6–7
- 21 Psalm 57:4; Proverbs 5:3–4; Psalm 28:3; Proverbs 26:28; Psalm 12:2
- 22 1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 37:5; Philippians 4:6–7; Matthew 6:25; Psalm 62:6
- 23 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).
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).
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)
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)