Psalms 55:17-23

17 (54-18) Evening and morning, and at noon I will speak and declare: and he shall hear my voice.

18 (54-19) He shall redeem my soul in peace from them that draw near to me: for among many they were with me.

19 (54-20) God shall hear, and the Eternal shall humble them. For there is no change with them, and they have not feared God:

20 (54-21) He hath stretched forth his hand to repay. They have defiled his covenant,

21 (54-22) They are divided by the wrath of his countenance, and his heart hath drawn near. His words are smoother than oil, and the same are darts.

22 (54-23) Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall not suffer the just to waver for ever.

23 (54-24) But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee, O Lord.

Psalms 55:17-23 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.