Focused Passage

Psalms 55:1-8

Casting Betrayal's Burden on the LORD Who Sustains

Psalm 55 moves from urgent prayer and inner terror, to flight-longing and citywide disorder, to the anguish of intimate betrayal, then to continual prayer, confidence in redemption, exposure of smooth treachery, burden-casting trust, and final hope in God's judgment.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.

1Listen to my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea.

2Attend to me and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and distraught

3at the voice of the enemy, at the pressure of the wicked. For they bring down disaster upon me and resent me in their anger.

4My heart pounds within me, and the terrors of death assail me.

5Fear and trembling grip me, and horror has overwhelmed me.

6I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest.

7How far away I would flee! In the wilderness I would remain. Selah

8I would hurry to my shelter, far from this raging tempest.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

2 Samuel 17:15BSB references 1 Peter 3:12Classic cross-references Psalms 86:6Classic cross-references Romans 8:26Classic cross-references Psalms 5:1Classic cross-references Psalms 61:1Classic cross-references

Original words

Listenהַאֲזִ֣ינָהH238Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singularto my prayerתְּפִלָּתִ֑יH8605Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularO Godאֱ֭לֹהִיםH430Noun - masculine pluraland do notוְאַל־H408Conjunctive waw | Adverbignoreתִּ֝תְעַלַּ֗םH5956Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine singularmy pleaמִתְּחִנָּתִֽי׃H8467Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

Maskil is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.

Verse 2

Cross-references

Isaiah 38:14Classic cross-references Psalms 66:19Classic cross-references Psalms 77:3Classic cross-references Isaiah 59:11Classic cross-references Psalms 119:149Classic cross-references

Original words

Attendהַקְשִׁ֣יבָהH7181Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singularto meלִּ֣יPreposition | first person common singularand answer meוַעֲנֵ֑נִיH6030Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singularI am restlessאָרִ֖ידH7300Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singularin my complaintבְּשִׂיחִ֣יH7879Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularand distraughtוְאָהִֽימָה׃H1949Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

2 Samuel 16:7Classic cross-references Psalms 35:11Classic cross-references Proverbs 18:14Classic cross-references Psalms 27:12Classic cross-references

Original words

at the voiceמִקּ֤וֹלH6963Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularof the enemyאוֹיֵ֗בH341Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularatמִפְּנֵ֣יH6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructthe pressureעָקַ֣תH6125Noun - feminine singular constructof the wickedרָשָׁ֑עH7563Adjective - masculine singularForכִּי־H3588Conjunctionthey bring downיָמִ֥יטוּH4131Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine pluraldisasterאָ֝֗וֶןH205Noun - masculine singularupon meעָלַ֥יH5921Preposition | first person common singularand resent meיִשְׂטְמֽוּנִי׃H7852Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | first person common singularin their angerוּבְאַ֥ףH639Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 4

Cross-references

Psalms 56:3Classic cross-references Psalms 42:5Classic cross-references Hebrews 2:15Classic cross-references Psalms 116:3Classic cross-references Mark 14:33Classic cross-references

Original words

My heartלִ֭בִּיH3820Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularpoundsיָחִ֣ילH2342Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwithin meבְּקִרְבִּ֑יH7130Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularand the terrorsוְאֵימ֥וֹתH367Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural constructof deathמָ֝֗וֶתH4194Noun - masculine singularassailנָפְל֥וּH5307Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralmeעָלָֽי׃H5921Preposition | first person common singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

Psalms 61:2Classic cross-references Job 21:6Classic cross-references Psalms 119:120Classic cross-references Luke 22:44Classic cross-references Proverbs 18:14Classic cross-references

Original words

Fearיִרְאָ֣הH3374Noun - feminine singularand tremblingוָ֭רַעַדH7461Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singulargripיָ֣בֹאH935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularmeבִ֑יPreposition | first person common singularand horrorפַּלָּצֽוּת׃H6427Noun - feminine singularhas overwhelmed meוַ֝תְּכַסֵּ֗נִיH3680Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | first person common singular

Verse 6

Cross-references

Psalms 11:1Classic cross-references Revelation 12:14Classic cross-references Psalms 139:9Classic cross-references Proverbs 21:19Classic cross-references Jeremiah 48:28Classic cross-references

Original words

I saidוָאֹמַ֗רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularOhמִֽי־H4310Interjectionthatיִתֶּן־H5414Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularI hadלִּ֣יPreposition | first person common singularwingsאֵ֭בֶרH83Noun - masculine singularlike a doveכַּיּוֹנָ֗הH3123Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine singularI would fly awayאָע֥וּפָהH5774Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularand find restוְאֶשְׁכֹּֽנָה׃H7931Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular

Verse 7

Cross-references

Jeremiah 9:2Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 15:14Classic cross-references Jeremiah 37:12Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 17:21Classic cross-references Proverbs 6:4Classic cross-references

Original words

Howהִ֭נֵּהH2009Interjectionfar awayאַרְחִ֣יקH7368Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singularI would fleeנְדֹ֑דH5074Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructIn the wildernessבַּמִּדְבָּ֣רH4057Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularI would remainאָלִ֖יןH3885Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singularSelahסֶֽלָה׃H5542Interjection

Verse 8

Cross-references

Isaiah 4:6Classic cross-references Matthew 7:25Classic cross-references

Original words

I would hurryאָחִ֣ישָׁהH2363Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularto my shelterמִפְלָ֣טH4655Noun - masculine singularfar fromלִ֑יPreposition | first person common singularthis ragingמֵר֖וּחַH7307Preposition-m | Noun - common singular. . .סֹעָ֣הH5584Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singulartempestמִסָּֽעַר׃H5591Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular

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