Psalms · Majority Standard Bible
Psalm 55 Majority Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
1 For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. Listen to my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea.
1 For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David. 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 distraught
2 Attend to me, and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and moan
3 at the voice of the enemy, at the pressure of the wicked. For they bring down disaster upon me and resent me in their anger.
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 pounds within me, and the terrors of death assail me.
4 My heart is severely pained within me. The terrors of death have fallen on me.
5 Fear and trembling grip me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
5 Fearfulness and trembling have come on me. Horror has overwhelmed me.
6 I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest.
6 I said, “Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest.
7 How far away I would flee! In the wilderness I would remain. Selah
7 Behold, then I would wander far off. I would lodge in the wilderness.” Selah.
8 I would hurry to my shelter, far from this raging tempest.”
8 “I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm.”
9 O Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.
9 Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they encircle the walls, while malice and trouble lie within.
10 Day and night they prowl around on its walls. Malice and abuse are also within her.
11 Destruction is within; oppression and deceit never leave the streets.
11 Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets.
12 For 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.
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.
13 But it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend.
13 But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend.
14 We shared sweet fellowship together; we walked with the crowd into the house of God.
14 We took sweet fellowship together. We walked in God’s house with company.
15 Let death seize them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, for evil is with them in their homes.
15 Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is among them, in their dwelling.
16 But I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
16 As for me, I will call on God. Yahweh will save me.
17 Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.
17 Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice.
18 He redeems my soul in peace from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.
18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, although there are many who oppose me.
19 God will hear and humiliate them—the One enthroned for the ages—Selah because they do not change and they have no fear of God.
19 God, who is enthroned forever, will hear and answer them. Selah. They never change and don’t fear God.
20 My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.
20 He raises his hands against his friends. He has violated his covenant.
21 His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
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 upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.
22 Cast your burden on Yahweh and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.
23 But 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.
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 (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)