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Psalm 55:9-15

Listen to Psalm 55:9-15
9 Destroy, O Lord, 1divide their tongues; for I see 2violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it on its walls, and 3iniquity and trouble are within it;
11 ruin is in its midst; 4oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace.
12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me—then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who 5deals insolently with me—then I could hide from him.
13 6But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend.
14 We used to take sweet counsel together; within God’s house we walked in 7the throng.
15 Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol 8alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.

Psalm 55:9-15 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil [A Psalm] of David. The occasion of this psalm was either the persecution of Saul, or the conspiracy of Absalom. Some think it was written when David understood that the inhabitants of Keilah would deliver him into the hands of Saul, 1 Samuel 23:12; and others when the Ziphites attempted a second time to do the same, 1 Samuel 26:1; but since a single person is spoken of that magnified himself against him, Psalm 55:12; and Ahithophel seems to be designed; it may be thought rather to be written on account of Absalom's rebellion, and Ahithophel's counsel against him; who is considered by many Christian interpreters as a type of Judas, the betrayer of our Lord; and, indeed, there are many things in this psalm, if not the whole, which may be truly applied to Christ, as will be seen in the following exposition of it.
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Cross References 8

  • 1. 55:9 [Gen. 11:9]
  • 2. 55:9 Jer. 6:7
  • 3. 55:10 Ps. 5:9
  • 4. 55:11 [Ps. 10:7]
  • 5. 55:12 Job 19:5
  • 6. 55:13 [2 Sam. 15:12; 16:23]; See Ps. 41:9
  • 7. 55:14 Ps. 42:4
  • 8. 55:15 Num. 16:30, 33; Prov. 1:12; [Ps. 124:3]
The Holy Bible, English Standard VersionĀ® (ESVĀ®) Ā© 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025

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