Psalm 55:1-8 – Restless, Distracted, & Afraid? Pray!

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 3 Dec. 2023

Introduction:

vs. 1-2 Requesting a Hearing From God

v. 3 The Enemy Introduced

  1. The enemy is making “noise”/speaking with a loud “voice”

  1. The enemy is putting “pressure” on David through some kind of “oppression”

  1. The enemy is also blame-shifting: “they pass off/cast/bring down/drop iniquity on me”

  1. and they are antagonizing me angrily/hate/revile/bear a grudge against me.”

vs. 4-5 The Tangle Of Anxious Emotions About The Enemy

vs. 6-8 The Hope and Dream


Psalm 55:1-8 Side-by side comparison of versionsA

Vulgate (Ps. 54)B

LXXC
(Ps. 54)

Brenton (Vaticanus)D

KJVE

NAW

Masoretic TxtF

PeshittaG

1 in finem in carmini­busH intellec­tus David 2 exaudi Deus orationem meam et ne despexeris X deprecation­em meam

1 Εἰς τὸ τέλοςI, ἐν ὕμνοιςJ· συνέσεωςK τῷ Δαυιδ.
2 Ἐνώτισαι, ὁ θεός, τὴν προσευχὴν μου καὶ μὴ ὑπερίδῃς X τὴν δέησίν μου,

1 For the end, among Hymns of instruction by David. Hearken, O God, to my prayer; and disregard not X my sup­plication.

1 To the chief Musi­cian on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my suppli­cation.

1 For the concertmaster with strings, a thoughtful one by David. Please give ear, O God, to my prayer. And don’t act like you didn’t hear about my petition!

(א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינֹת מַשְׂכִּיל לְדָוִד.
(
ב) הַאֲזִינָהL אֱלֹהִים תְּפִלָּתִי וְאַל תִּתְעַלַּםM מִתְּחִנָּתִיN.





2
צות אלהא צלותי ולא תהמאO
מן בעותי

3 intende mihi et exaudi me contristatus sum in exer­citatione mea et con­turbatus sum

3 πρόσχες μοι καὶ εἰσάκουσόν μου. ἐλυπή­θην ἐν τῇ ἀδολεσχίᾳP μου καὶ ἐταράχθην

2 Attend to me, and hearken to me: I was grieved in my medita­tionQ, and troubled;

2 Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my com­plaint, and make a noise;

2 Please be attentive to me and answer me! I am restless in my complaint, so I am going to make some noise

(ג) הַקְשִׁיבָהR לִּי וַעֲנֵנִי אָרִידS בְּשִׂיחִי וְאָהִימָהT.

3 שׁמעיני ועניני [ו]אתפן לגעתי ושׁמעיניU

4 a voce inimici [et] a tribulati­one pecca­toris quon­iam declin­averunt in me iniqui­tatem et in ira molesti erant mihi

4 ἀπὸV φωνῆς ἐχθροῦ [καὶ] ἀπὸ θλίψ­εωςW ἁμαρτ­ωλοῦX, ὅτι ἐξέκλινανY ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ἀνομίαν καὶ ἐν ὀργῇ ἐνεκότουνZ μοι.

3 because of the voice of the enemy, [and] be­cause of the oppression of the sin­ner: for they broughtAA iniquity against me, and were wrath­fully angry with me.

3 Because of the voice of the ene­my, because of the op­pression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

3 as a result of the voice of an enemy {and} as a result of the oppression of the wicked, for they are passing off iniquity on me, and they are antagonizing me angrily.

(ד) מִקּוֹלAB אוֹיֵב ACמִפְּנֵי עָקַתAD רָשָׁע כִּי יָמִיטוּAE עָלַי אָוֶן וּבְאַף יִשְׂטְמוּנִיAF.

4 מטל X בעלדבבי [ו]מטל אולצנה דעולא מטל דצלוAG עלי עולא וXX
סקרוניAH

5 cor meum conturbat­um est in me et formido mortis cecidit super me

5 ἡ καρδία μου ἐταράχ­θηAI ἐνAJ ἐμοί, καὶ δειλίαAK θανάτου ἐπέπεσεν ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ·

4 My heart was troub­led within me; and the fear of death fell upon me.

4 My heart is sore pained with­in me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

4 As for my heart, it writhes in my innards, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

(ה) לִבִּי יָחִיל בְּקִרְבִּיAL וְאֵימוֹתAM מָוֶת נָפְלוּ עָלָי.

5 X XX XXX ונפלת בי דחלתא X

6 timor et tremor venit super me et contexit me tenebra

6 φόβος καὶ τρόμος ἦλθεν ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ, καὶ ἐκάλυψέν με σκότοςAN.

5 Fear and trembling came upon me, and darkness covered me.

5 Fearful­ness and tremb­ling are come upon me, and horror hath over­whelm­ed me.

5 Fear and trembling enters into me, and shivering overwhelms me.

(ו) יִרְאָה וָרַעַדAO יָבֹא APבִי וַתְּכַסֵּנִיAQ פַּלָּצוּתAR.

6 X XX X XX וכסיוני טללי [מותא]

7 et dixi quis dabit mihi pinnas sicut colum­bae [et] volabo et requiescam

7 καὶ εἶπα Τίς δώσει μοι πτέρυγ­αςAS ὡσεὶ περιστερᾶς [καὶ] πετασ­θήσομαι καὶ καταπαύσωAT;

6 And I said, O that I had wings as those of a dove! [then] would I flee away, and be at rest.

6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.

6 And I say, “If only I could be given a wing like the dove! I would fly away and then settle down!

(ז) וָאֹמַר
מִי יִתֶּן לִּי אֵבֶרAU כַּיּוֹנָה אָעוּפָה וְאֶשְׁכֹּנָה.

7 ואמרת מן דין [יהב] לי גפא איך דיונא פרחת ושׁכנת

8 ecce elongavi fugiens [et] mansi in solitudine diapsalma

8 ἰδοὺ ἐμάκρυνα φυγαδεύων AV [καὶ] ηὐλίσθηνAW ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. διάψαλμα.

7 Lo! I have fled afar off, and lodged in the wilderness. Pause.

7 Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilder­ness. Selah.

7 Hey, I would go fleeing far away, {and} I would spend the night in the wilderness. {Selah}

(ח) הִנֵּה אַרְחִיק נְדֹד אָלִין בַּמִּדְבָּר סֶלָה.

8 וארחקת פרחתAX [ו]שׁרית במדברא X

9 expecta­bam eum qui salvum me fecit a pusillanim­itate spiritus [et] a tempestate

9 προσεδεχ­όμηνAY τὸν σῴζοντάAZ με ἀπὸ BAὀλιγο­ψυχίας καὶ καταιγίδοςBB.

8 I waited for him that should deliver me from dis­tress of spirit and tempest.

8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.

8 I will hurry to the one who brings deliverance to me from the rushing wind – from the storm.

(ט) אָחִישָׁה מִפְלָטBC לִי מֵרוּחַ סֹעָהBD מִסָּעַר.

9 [ו]כתרת [למן] דמפצא לי מן רוחא X דעלעלא


1Jewish tradition supports this connection (Cohen, followed by Henry), but Augustine made no such connection, and Calvin objected to that connection, positing instead Saul’s persecution of David as the context. Fausset suggested both could have been on David’s mind; G. Wilson suggested neither could have been. Datta, following Briggs believed it was from the time of Nehemiah.

2מַהֲר֣וּ - compare to אָחִישָׁה (“hurry”) in Psalm 55:8

3שמע, a synonym of the Hebrew verbs in v.1 (הַאֲזִ֣ינָה – “give ear") and v.2 (הַקְשִׁ֣יבָה – “pay attention”).

4“Our rambling thoughts when we are distracted with grief we may bring before him, and that too in utterances rather to be called “a noise” than language. He will attend so carefully that he will understand us, and he will often fulfil desires which we ourselves could not have expressed in intelligible words.” ~Spurgeon

5Lamentations 3:55-56 “I called on Your name, O LORD, From the lowest pit. You have heard my voice [when I said]: ‘Do not hide Your ear From my sighing, from my cry for help.’” (NKJV)

6Isaiah 1:15 “And when you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from them; and although you multiply prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood.” (NAW)

7But Christians are instructed not to be “troubled” (John 14:1 & 27).

8From פעם, a synonym to the word in Psalm 55:2.

9From הגה, a synonym to the word in Psalm 55:2.

10Cf. commands to do both in Eph. 6:18 & 1 Tim. 2:1.

11Compare 2 Samuel 11:3 with 23:34, the only two places in the Bible which mention Eliam. If Eliam is the same man in both passages, then he was Ahithophel’s son and Bathsheba’s father.

12An argument against this hypothesis, however, is that, if his relationship to Bathsheba was a motivation, why would he support Maacah’s son Absalom instead of Bathsheba’s son Solomon?

13See similar sentiments expressed by David in Psalm 6:3, 18:1-3, 38:8, 69:20, 102:3, 119:120.

142 Cor: 1:9-11 “Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us…” (NKJV)

15The Hebrew word‎ כַּנְפֵ֣י here is a synonym to the Hebrew word אֵבֶר in Psalm 55:6, but the Greek word πτερύγων is the same as the one in the Psalm (LXX 54:7). The same goes for the other Psalms mentioned above with the word “wings.” M. Henry: “[H]e wishes for wings, not to fly upon the prey, but to fly from the birds of prey... therefore the wings of an eagle would not become him. The dove flies low, and takes shelter as soon as she can, and thus would David fly.”

16“[T]here ariseth ofttimes in the mind of the servant of God a longing for solitude, for no other reason than because of the multitude of tribulations and scandals.” ~Augustine
“Gracious souls wish to retire from the hurry and bustle of this world, that they may sweetly enjoy God and themselves; and, if there be any true peace on this side heaven, it is they that enjoy it in those retirements.” ~M. Henry

AMy original chart includes the NASB, NIV, and ESV, but their copyright restrictions force me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. There are no known Dead Sea Scrolls containing Psalm 55. Where the DSS is legible and reads the same as the MT, the Hebrew text is colored purple. Where the DSS and ancient versions support each other against the MT in such a way that I suspect they are the original reading, I have highlighted them with yellow.

BJerome's Latin Vulgate w/ Deuterocanon using Gallican Psalter, 405 AD. As published electronically by E-Sword.

CThis Greek New Testament (GNT) is the 1904 "Patriarchal" edition of the Greek Orthodox Church. The Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine majority text of the GNT and the Textus Receptus are very similar. The Westcott-Hort, Nestle-Aland, and UBS editions are a slightly-different family of GNTs developed in the modern era as a break from the traditional Greek Bible by compiling just a few of the oldest-known manuscripts, but even so, the practical differences in the text between these two editing philosophies are minimal.

DEnglish translation of the Septuagint by Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton, 1851, “based upon the text of the Vaticanus” but not identical to the Vaticanus. As published electronically by E-Sword.

E1769 King James Version of the Holy Bible; public domain. As published electronically by E-Sword.

FFrom the Wiki Hebrew Bible https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A8_%D7%AA%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D.
DSS text comes from https://downloads.thewaytoyahuweh.com

GThe Leiden Peshitta, Copyright © 2012 by The Peshitta Foundation c/o Leiden University Institute for Religious Studies, as published electronically in BibleWorks.

H“In verses”

IAquilla: nikopoiw, Symmachus: epinikion (“victory”)

JAquilla: en yalmoiV, Symmachus: dia yalthriwn (in Psalms/psalters)

KAquilla: episthmonoV (“upon standing”)

LThe cohortative he- suffix here and on the opening verb of v.2 are a way to express urgency and/or respect while making a request. The imperatives in v.9 do not have these cohortatives.

MThis Hitpael form is only here and Deut. 22:1, 3-4; Job 6:16; and Isa. 58:7. With the exception of the Job passage (the subject of which is “ice”), all the other passages describe a person seeing another person or animal in need, but doing nothing to help, pretending not to have been aware of the need.
LXX, Vulgate, and Peshitta have a slightly-different word which means “despise/reject.”

Ncf. David’s assertion that God did hear in Psalm 6:9, and Solomon’s plea for God to hear in 1 Kings 8:28 || 2 Chron 6:19. The root of this noun is the Hebrew word for grace/mercy. LXX and Vulgate omit the mem prefix (“from”) which is in the MT, Peshitta, and Targums, and NIV follows that omission.

O“reject” is the translation of both Lamsa and of Bauscher. It is more like the translations of the LXX and Vulgate (“despise”) than of the MT, which raises the question of whether a synonym crept into the MT.

PSymmachus translated with kathnecqhn (“dragged down/depressed/brought low”).

QLiddel & Scott’s Lexicon entry for this Greek word is “idle talk.” Symmachus’ translation was a close synonym to that (proslalwn). Aquilla translated it with omilia (“associates”).

RNote paragogic he. Cf. other psalms where David opens with the same request: 5:2, 17:1, 61:1, 86:6, 142:7.

SThere are only three other instances of this verb in the O.T. : Gen. 27:40, Jer. 2:31, and Hos. 12:1. In those passages it is translated variously: have dominion, be restless, be lords, be free, roam, rule, be unruly, and walk.
Here LXX & Vulgate = “grieved/pained,” Peshitta = “turn,” Targums = “roar,” Symmachus = kathnecqhn (“depressed”), and Jerome’s later edition of the Psalms = humiliatus, KJV = “mourn,” NASB = “restless,” NIV = “troubled,” AJV = “distraught,” Rashi/Kimchi = “lament.”
Delitzsch: “The Hiph. חֵרִיד, which in Gen. 27:40 signifies to lead a roving life, has in this instance the signification to move one's self backwards and forwards, to be inwardly uneasy; root רד, Arab. rd, to totter, whence râda, jarûda, to run up and down...”
In the Greek NT, Jesus was thus “grieved” in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37), and thus “troubled” over being betrayed by Judas (John 12:27 & 13:21), which gives Psalm 55 some typological fulfillment in Christ. Christians are also promised such “grief” (John 16:20 "Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.” ~NKJV), but Christians are instructed not to be “troubled” (John 14:1 & 27).

TLXX, Vulgate, and Targums read like the stem is Hophal (“I am troubled”) instead of Hiphil (“I am causing vibrations”). NASB and NIV follow that passive reading. Peshitta seems to be out in left field with “hear.”
Delitzsch: “The cohortative not unfrequently signifies ‘I have to’ or ‘I must’ of incitements within one's self which are under the control of outward circumstances.”
Augustine’s entire commentary on this section focuses on not hating your enemies. It is an edifying message, but not exegetical.

UPeshitta reads “and turn to my cry and heed me,” but the Hebrew is “I am rambling in my complaint and I am making noise.”

VAquilla and Symmachus both started this verse with και (“and”) instead of the MT “[resulting] from” and added a word “the sound of the voice” instead of the MT “voice.”

WAquilla = anagkhV (“force”), Symmachus = enoclhsewV (“trouble”).

XAquilla and Symmachus both corrected the LXX to a word closer to the meaning of the MT with asebouV (“ungodly/impious”), although the meaning is not that much different.

YSymmachus = eperriyan (they dash upon”)

ZSymmachus corrected to hnantiwqhsan (“opposed themselves”), which is closer to the MT.

AAThe Greek word behind this carries a more complex meaning than simply “brought” – literally it is “leaned out.”

AB“By the ‘voice’ some understand such a noise as is occasioned by a multitude of men; as if he had said, that the enemy [Absalom] was mustering many troops against him: but he rather alludes to the threatenings which we may suppose that Saul was in the habit of venting upon this innocent prophet… Our greatest comfort under persecution is conscious rectitude, the reflection that we have not deserved it; for there springs from this the hope that we will experience the help of the Lord, who is the shield and defense of the distressed.” ~Calvin

ACLXX, Peshitta, and Vulgate all add an “and” here.

ADHapex legomenon. Delitzsch: “...pressure or constraint of the evil-doer which he is compelled to feel... עָקָה is a more elegant Aramaizing word instead of צָרָה.”

AECohen: “‘they burden me with guilt,’ charging me with crimes of which I am innocent (Hirsch).”
cf.
Psalm 13:3-4 “Look this way; answer me, Yahweh my God, cause there to be light toward my eyes, otherwise I will sleep the [sleep of] death. Otherwise my enemy will say, ‘I have bested him!’ My adversaries will rejoice that I am overthrown.” (NAW, cf. 38:17)

AFThis Hebrew root only occurs 5 other times in the O.T., all before the Psalms: Gen. 27:41 (Esau resenting Jacob for getting Isaac’s blessing); Gen 49:23 & 50:15 (rivalries between Joseph and his brothers), and Job 16:9 & 30:21 (speaking of God bringing affliction to Job).

AGThis word is translated “devised” by Lamsa and “prayed” by Bauscher. This is a little different from the word in the MT, which has more to do with “casting,” but still isn’t inimical to the general meaning.

AHLamsa = “reproached,” Bauscher = “regarded with malice”

AIAquilla translated with a Greek word wdinhsen (“writhed in pangs”), closer in meaning to the Hebrew, while Symmachus translated with a word further away in meaning: diestrofato (“misled/perverted”).

AJAquilla (egkatw) and Symmachus (endon) preserved the Hebrew word קרב (“inner part”) omitted by the LXX.

AKSymmachus used a synonym for “fear” and pluralized it foberai to match the MT. The MT, however, used a more specialized word here in v.4 than the generic Hebrew word for “fear.” (The generic Hebrew word for fear is what opens v.5, but clearly it is synonymous, so this is not a significant change in meaning.)

ALOther instances of “my heart” + “in my inward part” = Ps. 39:4, Jer. 23:9, and Lam. 1:20.

AMKimchi explained this as the fear that they were trying to kill him.
The first few instances of this word in Genesis and Exodus describe proper fear when encountering God. The Sons of Korah, for instance in Psalm 88:14-16 “LORD, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth; I suffer Your terrors; I am distraught. Your fierce wrath has gone over me; Your terrors have cut me off.” (NKJV, cf. Isaiah 33:18).
LXX, Vulgate, and Peshitta are all singular, whereas the MT and Targums and Symmachus are plural.
The only instance in the New Testament of the Greek word for this word in the MT is 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear[timidity], but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (NKJV)

AN “darkness” – but that is not what the Hebrew says. A. = eilindhsiV (“wrap”?), S. = frikh (“shuddering”) – the latter is a good translation of the MT word.

AOThis word for “trembling” is not common. It is only found here and in Exodus 15:15, Psalms 2:11 & 48:6, and Isaiah 33:14. This “fear and trembling” is considered together so closely that, despite the compound subject, the verb “comes in” is singular.
These words, however, are more frequently used to describe a proper response to God than they are used to describe dismayed believers.
The Greek words for “fear and trembling” here are found in the GNT in
1 Cor. 2:3 “And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.”
2 Cor. 7:15 “And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.”
Eph. 6:5 “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;”
Php. 2:12 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (KJV)

APLXX and Vulgate (followed by KJV, NASB, and ESV) read “upon” instead of the MT “in,” and NIV & NLT omit the preposition altogether. Cohen and Fausset affirmed that the MT is “enter into me,” Cohen explaining it as “take possession of me.”

AQLit. “covers,” but English translations chose a figurative meaning.

ARThis word for “trembling” is not common. It is found only here and in Job 21:6, Isa. 21:4, and Ezek. 7:18. It appears that the LXX and Vulgate translators saw this word as stemming from a different Hebrew word with two of the same letters:אפלה (“darkness/dusk”), whereas the Peshitta translators saw it as stemming from צלמות (“shadow of death”).

ASA. metafrenapossibly a more-specific word for “pinions” (like the MT word is), or possibly a non-standard form of metaphorew, in which case the basic meaning would be “transfers.”

ATSymmachus = edrasqhnai (“to sit myself down”) This is a little more literal translation of the Hebrew.

AUThis word for “pinion-feather” is used only here, in Eze. 17:3, and in Isaiah 40:31 “But Yahweh's attendants will exchange strength; they will take wing like the eagles; they will run and not tire; they will walk and not grow faint.” (NAW)

AVInstead of the LXX “I went far, fleeing,” Symmachus rendered it porrw an epoihsa thn anacwrhsin mouI would make distant my evacuation.” Neither is inimical to the MT.

AWThe only use of this Greek word in the New Testament is in the Gospels (Matt. 21:17; Lk. 21:37), describing Jesus camping out on the Mount of Olives near Bethany during Holy Week.

AXThe MT uses a word for “fleeing,” but the Peshitta just uses the same basic verb for “fly” that it did in the previous verse.

AY2nd century Greek translators Aquilla, Theodotion, and Symmachus favored the MT reading with speusw/exaifnhV epoihsa (“I will hurry/make haste”).

AZCf. synonyms from Aquilla & Theodotion: diaswsmon (“safety” – this form of sozw is used to denote “healing” in the gospels (Matt. 14:36; Lk. 7:3), and to denote safety from drowning in the rest of the NT (Acts 23:24; 27:43-44; 28:1, 4; 1 Pet. 3:20)), and Symmachus: ekfeuxin (“refuge”). In the N.T., this passive participle of sozw is used exclusively of persons who are saved by Jesus (Lk. 13:23; Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 1:18; 2 Cor. 2:15).

BA A.Q. lailapwdouV (“waterspout?”), S. epairontoV (“sweeping” close to the meaning of the Targum’s word – this was the meaning Tate preferred in his commentary on the Psalms).

BB2nd Century Greek versions all used the practical synonym lailapoV (“hurricane”).

BCHapex Legomenon, but the root is common as a verb, meaning “escape.” LXX renders it “salvation”

BDHapex Legomenon. BDB suggested a meaning of “rushing” (as of “wind”), Holladay suggested a meaning of “slander” (as in a “spirit of slander”?), LXX & Vulgate suggest a meaning of “small/weak,” Targum suggests נטלא (Which seems to be translated “sweeping” in the Hebrew Union College Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon, and translated “shelter” in Edward Cook’s translation of the Targums), and the Peshitta ignores it. This word rhymes with the next, containing the same first two root letters and ending with a guttural.