Psalms 55:11-21

11 There is destruction everywhere; the streets are full of oppression and fraud.

12 If it were an enemy making fun of me, I could endure it; if it were an opponent boasting over me, I could hide myself from him.

13 But it is you, my companion, my colleague and close friend.

14 We had intimate talks with each other and worshiped together in the Temple.

15 May my enemies die before their time; may they go down alive into the world of the dead! Evil is in their homes and in their hearts.

16 But I call to the Lord God for help, and he will save me.

17 Morning, noon, and night my complaints and groans go up to him, and he will hear my voice.

18 He will bring me safely back from the battles that I fight against so many enemies.

19 God, who has ruled from eternity, will hear me and defeat them; for they refuse to change, and they do not fear him.

20 My former companion attacked his friends; he broke his promises.

21 His words were smoother than cream, but there was hatred in his heart; his words were as soothing as oil, but they cut like sharp swords.

Psalms 55:11-21 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.