Font Size
Psalm 55:1-2
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 55:1-2
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 55[a]
A Lament over Betrayal
1 For the leader. On stringed instruments. A maskil of David.
I
2 Listen, God, to my prayer;(A)
do not hide from my pleading;
Footnotes
- Psalm 55 The psalmist, betrayed by intimate friends (Ps 55:14–15, 20–21), prays that God punish those oath breakers and thus be acknowledged as the protector of the wronged. The sufferings of the psalmist include both ostracism (Ps 55:4) and mental turmoil (Ps 55:5–6), culminating in the wish to flee society (Ps 55:7–9). The wish for a sudden death for one’s enemies (Ps 55:16) occurs elsewhere in the Psalms; an example of such a death is the earth opening under the wicked Dathan and Abiram (Nm 16:31–32). The psalmist, confident of vindication, exhorts others to a like trust in the God of justice (Ps 55:23). The Psalm is not so much for personal vengeance as for a public vindication of God’s righteousness now. There was no belief in an afterlife where such vindication could take place.
Psalm 55:1-2
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Psalm 55:1-2
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Psalm 55
Complaint about a Friend’s Treachery
To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.
1 Give ear to my prayer, O God;
do not hide yourself from my supplication.
2 Attend to me, and answer me;
I am troubled in my complaint.
I am distraught
Psalm 55:1-2
Good News Translation
Psalm 55:1-2
Good News Translation
The Prayer of Someone Betrayed by a Friend[a]
55 Hear my prayer, O God;
don't turn away from my plea!
2 Listen to me and answer me;
I am worn out by my worries.
Footnotes
- Psalm 55:1 HEBREW TITLE: A poem by David.
Psalm 55:1-2
New American Standard Bible
Psalm 55:1-2
New American Standard Bible
Prayer for the Destruction of the Treacherous.
For the music director; on stringed instruments. A [a]Maskil of David.
55 (A)Listen to my prayer, God;
And (B)do not hide Yourself from my pleading.
2 Give Your (C)attention to me and answer me;
I am restless in my (D)complaint and [b](E)severely distracted,
Footnotes
- Psalm 55 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
- Psalm 55:2 Another reading is I must moan
Psalm 55:1-2
New International Version
Psalm 55:1-2
New International Version
Read full chapter
Footnotes
- Psalm 55:1 In Hebrew texts 55:1-23 is numbered 55:2-24.
- Psalm 55:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 55:4-9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 55:4-9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
4 at the uproar of the enemy,
the clamor of the wicked.
They heap trouble upon me,
savagely accuse me.
5 My heart pounds within me;
death’s terrors fall upon me.
6 Fear and trembling overwhelm me;
shuddering sweeps over me.
7 I say, “If only I had wings like a dove
that I might fly away and find rest.(A)
8 Far away I would flee;
I would stay in the desert.(B)
Selah
9 “I would soon find a shelter
from the raging wind and storm.”
Psalm 55:4-9
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Psalm 55:4-9
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
4 My heart is in anguish within me,
the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling come upon me,
and horror overwhelms me.
6 And I say, “O that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest;
7 truly, I would flee far away;
I would lodge in the wilderness;Selah
8 I would hurry to find a shelter for myself
from the raging wind and tempest.”
9 Confuse, O Lord, confound their speech;
for I see violence and strife in the city.
Psalm 55:4-9
Good News Translation
Psalm 55:4-9
Good News Translation
4 I am terrified,
and the terrors of death crush me.
5 I am gripped by fear and trembling;
I am overcome with horror.
6 I wish I had wings like a dove.
I would fly away and find rest.
7 I would fly far away
and make my home in the desert.
8 I would hurry and find myself a shelter
from the raging wind and the storm.
9 Confuse the speech of my enemies, O Lord!
I see violence and riots in the city,
Psalm 55:4-9
New American Standard Bible
Psalm 55:4-9
New American Standard Bible
4 My (A)heart is in anguish within me,
And the terrors of (B)death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and (C)trembling come upon me,
And [a](D)horror has [b]overwhelmed me.
6 I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and [c](E)be at rest.
7 Behold, I would flee far away,
I would (F)spend my nights in the wilderness. Selah
8 I would hurry to my place of refuge
From the (G)stormy wind and heavy gale.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 55:5 Lit shuddering
- Psalm 55:5 Lit covered
- Psalm 55:6 Lit settle down
Psalm 55:4-9
New International Version
Psalm 55:4-9
New International Version
4 My heart is in anguish(A) within me;
the terrors(B) of death have fallen on me.
5 Fear and trembling(C) have beset me;
horror(D) 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;[a](E)
8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,(F)
far from the tempest and storm.(G)”
Footnotes
- Psalm 55:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and in the middle of verse 19.
Psalm 55:16-19
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 55:16-19
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
III
16 Let death take them;
let them go down alive to Sheol,(A)
for evil is in their homes and bellies.
17 But I will call upon God,
and the Lord will save me.
18 At dusk, dawn, and noon
I will grieve and complain,
and my prayer will be heard.(B)
19 He will redeem my soul in peace
from those who war against me,
though there are many who oppose me.
Psalm 55:16-19
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Psalm 55:16-19
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
16 But I call upon God,
and the Lord will save me.
17 Evening and morning and at noon
I utter my complaint and moan,
and he will hear my voice.
18 He will redeem me unharmed
from the battle that I wage,
for many are arrayed against me.
19 God, who is enthroned from of old,Selah
will hear, and will humble them—
because they do not change,
and do not fear God.
Psalm 55:16-19
Good News Translation
Psalm 55:16-19
Good News Translation
16 But I call to the Lord God for help,
and he will save me.
17 Morning, noon, and night
my complaints and groans go up to him,
and he will hear my voice.
18 He will bring me safely back
from the battles that I fight
against so many enemies.
19 God, who has ruled from eternity,
will hear me and defeat them;
for they refuse to change,
and they do not fear him.
Psalm 55:16-19
New American Standard Bible
Psalm 55:16-19
New American Standard Bible
16 As for me, I shall (A)call upon God,
And the Lord will save me.
17 (B)Evening and (C)morning and at (D)noon, I will complain and moan,
And He will hear my voice.
18 He will (E)redeem my soul in peace [a]from the battle which is against me,
For they are (F)many who are aggressive toward me.
19 God will (G)hear and humiliate them—
Even the one (H)who [b]sits enthroned from ancient times— Selah
With whom there [c]is no change,
And who (I)do not fear God.
Footnotes
- Psalm 55:18 Or so that none may approach me
- Psalm 55:19 Or remains from
- Psalm 55:19 Lit are no changes
Psalm 55:16-19
New International Version
Psalm 55:16-19
New International Version
16 As for me, I call to God,
and the Lord saves me.
17 Evening,(A) morning(B) and noon(C)
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.
18 He rescues me unharmed
from the battle waged against me,
even though many oppose me.
19 God, who is enthroned from of old,(D)
who does not change—
he will hear(E) them and humble them,
because they have no fear of God.(F)
Psalm 55:22
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 55:22
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
22 Softer than butter is his speech,
but war is in his heart.
Smoother than oil are his words,
but they are unsheathed swords.(A)
Psalm 55:22
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Psalm 55:22
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
22 Cast your burden[a] on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.
Footnotes
- Psalm 55:22 Or Cast what he has given you
Psalm 55:22
Good News Translation
Psalm 55:22
Good News Translation
22 Leave your troubles with the Lord,
and he will defend you;
he never lets honest people be defeated.
Psalm 55:22
New American Standard Bible
Psalm 55:22
New American Standard Bible
22 (A)Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you;
(B)He will never allow the righteous to [a](C)be shaken.
Footnotes
- Psalm 55:22 Or totter
Psalm 55:22
New International Version
Psalm 55:22
New International Version
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation (GNT) 
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.