Psalms 55:5

5 I shake with fear, I shudder from head to foot.

Psalms 55:5 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 55:5

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me
Fear and dread of mind, and trembling of body;

and horror hath overwhelmed me;
or "covered me"; he was in the utmost consternation and surprise at what he apprehended would be the issue of things; so Christ in the garden is said to be "sore amazed", ( Mark 14:33 ) ; all which terror, fearfulness, trembling, and horror, arose from a sense of sin imputed to him, even of all the sins of his people, the faith of which must be nauseous to him, and the guilt thereof pressing upon him; and from a feeling of the wrath of God, and the curse of the law, which he endured in the room and stead of his people; and this shows the truth of his human nature, and the weakness and insufficiency of that, without his divine nature, to have performed the great work of redemption; also the evil of sin, the exceeding sinfulness of it, and the strictness of divine justice; and likewise the wonderful love of Christ in becoming a surety for his people, and what ease and pleasure they may take; all the pain, the trembling, and horror, were his, and all the joy is theirs.

Psalms 55:5 In-Context

3 at the mean voice, quail before the evil eye, As they pile on the guilt, stockpile angry slander.
4 My insides are turned inside out; specters of death have me down.
5 I shake with fear, I shudder from head to foot.
6 "Who will give me wings," I ask - "wings like a dove?" Get me out of here on dove wings;
7 I want some peace and quiet. I want a walk in the country,
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.