Psalms 55:1-8

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David.

1 ^[a][b]Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea;

2 hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught

3 because of what my enemy is saying, because of the threats of the wicked; for they bring down suffering on me and assail me in their anger.

4 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me.

5 Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.

6 I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.

7 I would flee far away and stay in the desert;^[c]

8 I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.”

Psalms 55:1-8 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.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 27:9; Psalms 61:1; Lamentations 3:56
• 2. Psalms 4:1; Psalms 66:19
• 3. 1 Samuel 1:15-16; Psalms 77:3; Psalms 86:6-7; Psalms 142:2; Isaiah 38:14
• 4. S 2 Samuel 16:6-8; Psalms 17:9; Psalms 143:3
• 5. S Psalms 44:16
• 6. Psalms 71:11
• 7. S Psalms 6:3
• 8. S Job 18:11; Psalms 116:3
• 9. S Job 4:14; S 2 Corinthians 7:15; Job 21:6; Psalms 119:120
• 10. Deuteronomy 28:67; Isaiah 21:4; Jeremiah 46:5; Jeremiah 49:5; Ezekiel 7:18
• 11. 1 Samuel 23:14
• 12. Psalms 31:20
• 13. Psalms 77:18; Isaiah 4:6; Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 28:2; Isaiah 29:6; Isaiah 32:2

Footnotes

• [a]. In Hebrew texts 55:1-23 is numbered 55:2-24.
• [b]. Title: Probably a literary or musical term
• [c]. The Hebrew has "Selah" (a word of uncertain meaning) here and in the middle of verse 19.