Psalm 55

Psalms · Chapter 55

Psalms 55:9

1Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.2Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;3Because 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.4My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.5Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.6And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.7Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.8I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.9Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.10Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.11Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.12For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:13But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.14We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.15Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.16As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.17Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.18He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.19God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.20He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.21The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.22Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.23But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
9Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.O Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongue; For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
confuseבַּלַּ֣עba-LA'H1104
to swallow up

בָּלַע (ba.la) 1) to swallow down, swallow up, engulf, eat up 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to swallow down 1a2) to swallow up, engulf 1b) (Niphal) to be swallowed up 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to swallow 1c2) to swallow up, engulf 1c3) squandering (fig.) 1d) (Pual) to be swallowed up 1e) (Hithpael) to be ended

O Lordאֲ֭דֹנָי'A-do-naiH0136
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

divideפַּלַּ֣גpa-LAGH6385
to divide

פָּלַג (pa.lag) 1) to divide, split 1a) (Niphal) to be split, be divided 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to split, cleave 1b2) to divide Aramaic equivalent: pe.lag (פְּלַג "to divide" H6386)

tongue theirלְשׁוֹנָ֑םle-sho-NAMH3956H
tongue

לָשׁוֹן (la.shon) : tongue/words 1) tongue 1a) tongue (of men) 1a1) tongue (literal) 1a2) tongue (organ of speech) 1b) language 1c) tongue (of animals) 1d) tongue (of fire) 1e) wedge, bay of sea (tongue-shaped)

forכִּֽי־ki-H3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

I have seenרָאִ֨יתִיra-'I-tiH7200G
to see: see

רָאָה (ra.ah) : see/show 1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to see 1a2) to see, perceive 1a3) to see, have vision 1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out 1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish 1a6) to look at, gaze at 1a7) to provide, choose 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to appear, present oneself 1b2) to be seen 1b3) to be visible 1c) (Pual) to be seen 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to see, show 1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at 1e) (Hophal) …

violenceחָמָ֖סcha-MASH2555
violence

חָמָס (cha.mas) violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice

and strifeוְרִ֣יבve-RIVH7379
strife

רִיב (riv) 1) strife, controversy, dispute 1a) strife, quarrel 1b) dispute, controversy, case at law

in the cityבָּעִֽיר׃ba-'IRH5892B
city

עִיר (ir) 1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded) 1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded) 1a) city, town

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.