Psalm 55
The betrayer.
THE BETRAYER
For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David.
VERSE 1. Listen to my prayer, God. Don’t hide yourself from my supplication.
Don’t hide yourself. Back in Psalm 10, David asked why the LORD God had hid himself.
Psalm 10:1. Why do you stand far off, LORD? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
VERSE 2. Attend to me, and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and moan,
VERSE 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.
VERSE 4. My heart is severely pained within me. The terrors of death have fallen on me.
VERSE 5. Fearfulness and trembling have come on me. Horror has overwhelmed me.
VERSE 6. I said, “Oh that I had wings like a dove! Then I would fly away, and be at rest.
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fly away, and be at rest. Metaphorically, this is the effect of Contemplative Prayer. We quiet ourselves and absorb what he has for us. We fly away and rest in God.
VERSE 7. Behold, then I would wander far off. I would lodge in the wilderness.” Selah.
the wilderness. Or “the desert.”
VERSE 8. “I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm.”
VERSE 9. Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
NASB translation. Confuse, O Lord, and divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
the city. Perhaps this is a reference to Jerusalem.
violence and strife:
Isaiah 5:7. The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. The people of Judah are his pleasant garden. He expected a crop of justice, but instead he found oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead he heard cries of violence. (NLT translation)
VERSE 10. Day and night they prowl around on its walls. Malice and abuse are also within her.
VERSE 11. Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets.
VERSE 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.
VERSE 13. But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend.
it was you. This is speaking of a betrayer.
This verse reminds us of the Lord Jesus Christ and Judas his betrayer.
VERSE 14. We took sweet fellowship together. We walked in God’s house with company.
VERSE 15. Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is among them, in their dwelling.
Let death come suddenly. David wants his enemies to die.
VERSE 16. As for me, I will call on God. The LORD will save me.
VERSE 17. Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice.
VERSE 18. He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, although there are many who oppose me.
VERSE 19. God, who is enthroned forever, will hear, and answer them. Selah. They never change, who don’t fear God.
VERSE 20. He raises his hands against his friends. He has violated his covenant.
VERSE 21. His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
VERSE 22. Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you. He will never allow the righteous to be moved.
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Cast your burden on the LORD. We are to entrust our cares to the Lord.
Philippians 4:6. In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
to be moved. That is, the LORD will never allow a righteous person to fall.
VERSE 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.
PSALMS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150
Deuterocanonical chapter: 151
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, David’s Fasting
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.