Psalm 55
לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת מַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְדָוִֽד
BSB
Cast Your Burden upon the LORD
(2 Samuel 17:15–29)
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 release disaster upon me
and revile me in their anger.
4My heart murmurs 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.”
9O Lord, confuse and confound their speech,
for I see violence and strife in the city.
10Day and night they encircle the walls,
while malice and trouble lie within.
11Destruction is within;
oppression and deceit never leave the streets.
12For it is not an enemy who insults me;
that I could endure.
It is not a foe who rises against me;
from him I could hide.
13But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion and close friend.
14We shared sweet fellowship together;
we walked with the crowd into the house of God.
15Let death seize them by surprise;
let them go down to Sheol alive,
for evil is with them in their homes.
16But I call to God,
and the LORD saves me.
17Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress,
and He hears my voice.
18He redeems my soul in peace
from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me.
19God will hear and humiliate them—
the One enthroned for the ages—
Selah
because they do not change
and they have no fear of God.
20My companion attacks his friends;
he violates his covenant.
21His speech is smooth as butter,
but war is in his heart.
His words are softer than oil,
yet they are swords unsheathed.
22Cast your burden upon the LORD
and He will sustain you;
He will never let the righteous be shaken.
23But You, O God, will bring them down
to the Pit of destruction;
men of bloodshed and deceit
will not live out half their days.
But I will trust in You.
Introduction
Psalms 55
It is the conjecture of many expositors that David penned this psalm upon occasion of Absalom's rebellion, and that the particular enemy he here speaks of, that dealt treacherously with him, was Ahithophel; and some will therefore make David's troubles here typical of Christ's sufferings, and Ahithophel's treachery a figure of Judas's, because they both hanged themselves. But there is nothing in it particularly applied to Christ in the New Testament. David was in great distress when he penned this psalm. I. He prays that God would manifest his favour to him, and pleads his own sorrow and fear (Psa 55:1-8). II. He prays that God would manifest his displeasure against his enemies, and pleads their great wickedness and treachery (Psa 55:9-15 and again Psa 55:20, Psa 55:21). III. He assures himself that God would, in due time, appear for him against his enemies, comforts himself with the hopes of it, and encourages others to trust in God (Psa 55:16-19 and again Psa 55:22, Psa 55:23). In singing this psalm we may, if there be occasion, apply it to our own troubles; if not, we may sympathize with those to whose case it comes nearer, foreseeing that there will be, at last, indignation and wrath to the persecutors, salvation and joy to the persecuted.
To the chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil. A psalm of David.
Cross-references: Ps 55:1 · Ps 55:9 · Ps 55:20 · Ps 55:21 · Ps 55:16 · Ps 55:22 · Ps 55:23