Psalms 55:16-23

16 I call to God; God will help me.

17 At dusk, dawn, and noon I sigh deep sighs - he hears, he rescues.

18 My life is well and whole, secure in the middle of danger Even while thousands are lined up against me.

19 God hears it all, and from his judge's bench puts them in their place. But, set in their ways, they won't change; they pay him no mind.

20 And this, my best friend, betrayed his best friends; his life betrayed his word.

21 All my life I've been charmed by his speech, never dreaming he'd turn on me. His words, which were music to my ears, turned to daggers in my heart.

22 Pile your troubles on God's shoulders - he'll carry your load, he'll help you out. He'll never let good people topple into ruin.

23 But you, God, will throw the others into a muddy bog, Cut the lifespan of assassins and traitors in half. And I trust in you.

Psalms 55:16-23 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.