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Selected Verse: Psalms 55:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 55:1	Strong Concordance	To the chief Musician [05329] on Neginoth [05058], Maschil [04905], A Psalm of David [01732]. Give ear [0238] to my prayer [08605], O God [0430]; and hide [05956] not thyself from my supplication [08467].
	King James	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.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
In great terror on account of enemies, and grieved by the treachery of a friend, the Psalmist offers an earnest prayer for relief. He mingles confident assurances of divine favor to himself with invocations and predictions of God's avenging judgments on the wicked. The tone suits David's experience, both in the times of Saul and Absalom, though perhaps neither was exclusively before his mind. (Psa. 55:1-23) hide not thyself, &c.--(compare Psa 13:1; Psa 27:9), withhold not help.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

In great terror on account of enemies, and grieved by the treachery of a friend, the Psalmist offers an earnest prayer for relief. He mingles confident assurances of divine favor to himself with invocations and predictions of God's avenging judgments on the wicked. The tone suits David's experience, both in the times of Saul and Absalom, though perhaps neither was exclusively before his mind. (Psa. 55:1-23)

hide not thyself, &c.--(compare Psa 13:1; Psa 27:9), withhold not help.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Give ear to my prayer - See the notes at Psa 5:1; Psa 17:6. This is the language of earnestness. The psalmist was in deep affliction, and he pleaded, therefore, that God would not turn away from him in his troubles. And hide not thyself from my supplication - That is, Do not withdraw thyself, or render thyself inaccessible to my prayer. Do not so conceal thyself that I may not have the privilege of approaching thee. Compare the notes at Isa 1:15. See also Eze 22:26; Pro 28:27; Lev 20:4; Sa1 12:3. The same word is used in all these places, and the general meaning is that of "shutting the eyes upon," as implying neglect. So also in Lam 3:56, the phrase "to hide the ear" means to turn away so as not to hear. The earnest prayer of the psalmist here is, that God would not, as it were, withdraw or conceal himself, but would give free access to himself in prayer. The language is, of course, figurative, but it illustrates what often occurs when God seems to withdraw himself; when our prayers do not appear to be heard; when God is apparently unwilling to attend to us.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
In this first group sorrow prevails. David spreads forth his deep grief before God, and desires for himself some lonely spot in the wilderness far away from the home or lurking-place of the confederate band of those who are compassing his overthrow. "Veil not Thyself" here, where what is spoken of is something audible, not visible, is equivalent to "veil not Thine ear," Lam 3:56, which He designedly does, when the right state of heart leaves the praying one, and consequently that which makes it acceptable and capable of being answered is wanting to the prayer (cf. Isa 1:15). שׂיח signifies a shrub (Syriac shucho, Arabic šı̂ḥ), and also reflection and care (Arabic, carefulness, attention; Aramaic, סח, to babble, talk, discourse). The Hiph. חריד, 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 (IV to desire, will); raida, to shake (said of a soft bloated body); radda, to turn (whence taraddud, a moving to and fro, doubting); therefore: I wander hither and thither in my reflecting or meditating, turning restlessly from one thought to another. It is not necessary to read ואחמיה after Psa 77:4 instead of ועהימה, since the verb הוּם = המה, Psa 42:6, 12, is secured by the derivatives. Since these only exhibit הוּם, and not הים (in Arabic used more particularly of the raving of love), ואהימה, as also אריד, is Hiph., and in fact like this latter used with an inward object: I am obliged to raise a tumult or groan, break out into the dull murmuring sounds of pain. 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. In this restless state of mind he finds himself, and he is obliged to break forth into this cry of pain on account of the voice of the foe which he cannot but hear; by reason of the pressure or constraint (עקת) of the evil-doer which he is compelled to feel. The conjecture צעקת (Olshausen and Hupfeld) is superfluous. עקה is a more elegant Aramaizing word instead of צרה. The second strophe begins with a more precise statement of that which justifies his pain. The Hiph. חמיט signifies here, as in Psa 140:11 (Chethb), declinare: they cast or roll down evil (calamity) upon him and maliciously lay snares for him בּאף, breathing anger against him who is conscious of having manifested only love towards them. His heart turns about in his body, it writhes (יהיל); cf. on this, Psa 38:11. Fear and trembling take possession of his inward parts; יבא in the expression יבא בי, as is always the case when followed by a tone syllable, is a so-called נסוג אחור, i.e., it has the tone that has retreated to the penult. (Deu 1:38; Isa 7:24; Isa 60:20), although this is only with difficulty discernible in our printed copies, and is therefore (vid., Accentsystem, vi. 2) noted with Mercha. The fut. consec. which follows introduces the heightened state of terror which proceeds from this crowding on of fear and trembling. Moreover, the wish that is thereby urged from him, which David uttered to himself, is introduced in the third strophe by a fut. consec. (Note: That beautiful old song of the church concerning Jesus has grown out of this strophe: - Ecquis binas columbinas Alas dabit animae? Et in almam crucis palmam Evolat citissime, etc.) "Who will give me?" is equivalent to "Oh that I had!" Ges. 136, 1. In ואשׁכּנה is involved the self-satisfying signification of settling down (Eze 31:13), of coming to rest and remaining in a place (Sa2 7:10). Without going out of our way, a sense perfectly in accordance with the matter in hand may be obtained for אחישׁה מפלט לי, if אחישׁה is taken not as Kal (Psa 71:12), but after Isa 5:19; Isa 60:12, as Hiph.: I would hasten, i.e., quickly find for myself a place which might serve me as a shelter from the raging wind, from the storm. רוּח סעה is equivalent to the Arabic rihin sâijat-in, inasmuch as Arab. s‛â, "to move one's self quickly, to go or run swiftly," can be said both of light (Koran, 66:8) and of water-brooks (vid., Jones, Comm. Poes. Asiat., ed. Lipsiae, p. 358), and also of strong currents of air, of winds, and such like. The correction סערה, proposed by Hupfeld, produces a disfiguring tautology. Among those about David there is a wild movement going on which is specially aimed at his overthrow. From this he would gladly flee and hide himself, like a dove taking refuge in a cleft of the rock from the approaching storm, or from the talons of the bird of prey, fleeing with its noiseless but persevering flight. (Note: Kimchi observes that the dove, when she becomes tired, draws in one wing and flies with the other, and thus the more surely escapes. Aben-Ezra finds an allusion here to the carrier-pigeon.)

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

In this first group sorrow prevails. David spreads forth his deep grief before God, and desires for himself some lonely spot in the wilderness far away from the home or lurking-place of the confederate band of those who are compassing his overthrow. "Veil not Thyself" here, where what is spoken of is something audible, not visible, is equivalent to "veil not Thine ear," Lam 3:56, which He designedly does, when the right state of heart leaves the praying one, and consequently that which makes it acceptable and capable of being answered is wanting to the prayer (cf. Isa 1:15). שׂיח signifies a shrub (Syriac shucho, Arabic šı̂ḥ), and also reflection and care (Arabic, carefulness, attention; Aramaic, סח, to babble, talk, discourse). The Hiph. חריד, 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 (IV to desire, will); raida, to shake (said of a soft bloated body); radda, to turn (whence taraddud, a moving to and fro, doubting); therefore: I wander hither and thither in my reflecting or meditating, turning restlessly from one thought to another. It is not necessary to read ואחמיה after Psa 77:4 instead of ועהימה, since the verb הוּם = המה, Psa 42:6, 12, is secured by the derivatives. Since these only exhibit הוּם, and not הים (in Arabic used more particularly of the raving of love), ואהימה, as also אריד, is Hiph., and in fact like this latter used with an inward object: I am obliged to raise a tumult or groan, break out into the dull murmuring sounds of pain. 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. In this restless state of mind he finds himself, and he is obliged to break forth into this cry of pain on account of the voice of the foe which he cannot but hear; by reason of the pressure or constraint (עקת) of the evil-doer which he is compelled to feel. The conjecture צעקת (Olshausen and Hupfeld) is superfluous. עקה is a more elegant Aramaizing word instead of צרה.

The second strophe begins with a more precise statement of that which justifies his pain. The Hiph. חמיט signifies here, as in Psa 140:11 (Chethb), declinare: they cast or roll down evil (calamity) upon him and maliciously lay snares for him בּאף, breathing anger against him who is conscious of having manifested only love towards them. His heart turns about in his body, it writhes (יהיל); cf. on this, Psa 38:11. Fear and trembling take possession of his inward parts; יבא in the expression יבא בי, as is always the case when followed by a tone syllable, is a so-called נסוג אחור, i.e., it has the tone that has retreated to the penult. (Deu 1:38; Isa 7:24; Isa 60:20), although this is only with difficulty discernible in our printed copies, and is therefore (vid., Accentsystem, vi. 2) noted with Mercha. The fut. consec. which follows introduces the heightened state of terror which proceeds from this crowding on of fear and trembling. Moreover, the wish that is thereby urged from him, which David uttered to himself, is introduced in the third strophe by a fut. consec.

(Note: That beautiful old song of the church concerning Jesus has grown out of this strophe: -

Ecquis binas columbinas

Alas dabit animae?

Et in almam crucis palmam

Evolat citissime, etc.)

"Who will give me?" is equivalent to "Oh that I had!" Ges. 136, 1. In ואשׁכּנה is involved the self-satisfying signification of settling down (Eze 31:13), of coming to rest and remaining in a place (Sa2 7:10). Without going out of our way, a sense perfectly in accordance with the matter in hand may be obtained for אחישׁה מפלט לי, if אחישׁה is taken not as Kal (Psa 71:12), but after Isa 5:19; Isa 60:12, as Hiph.: I would hasten, i.e., quickly find for myself a place which might serve me as a shelter from the raging wind, from the storm. רוּח סעה is equivalent to the Arabic rihin sâijat-in, inasmuch as Arab. s‛â, "to move one's self quickly, to go or run swiftly," can be said both of light (Koran, 66:8) and of water-brooks (vid., Jones, Comm. Poes. Asiat., ed. Lipsiae, p. 358), and also of strong currents of air, of winds, and such like. The correction סערה, proposed by Hupfeld, produces a disfiguring tautology. Among those about David there is a wild movement going on which is specially aimed at his overthrow. From this he would gladly flee and hide himself, like a dove taking refuge in a cleft of the rock from the approaching storm, or from the talons of the bird of prey, fleeing with its noiseless but persevering flight.

(Note: Kimchi observes that the dove, when she becomes tired, draws in one wing and flies with the other, and thus the more surely escapes. Aben-Ezra finds an allusion here to the carrier-pigeon.)

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Give ear to my prayer - The frequency of such petitions shows the great earnestness of David's soul. If God did not hear and help, he knew he could not succeed elsewhere; therefore he continues to knock at the gate of God's mercy.

Top

⁹ Hide [05641] not thy face [06440] far from me; put [05186] not thy servant [05650] away [05186] in anger [0639]: thou hast been my help [05833]; leave [05203] me not, neither forsake [05800] me, O God [0430] of my salvation [03468].

¹ To the chief Musician [05329], A Psalm [04210] of David [01732]. How long wilt thou forget [07911] me, O LORD [03068]? for ever [05331]? how long wilt thou hide [05641] thy face [06440] from me?

⁵⁶ Thou hast heard [08085] my voice [06963]: hide [05956] not thine ear [0241] at my breathing [07309], at my cry [07775].

³ Behold, here I am: witness [06030] against me before the LORD [03068], and before his anointed [04899]: whose ox [07794] have I taken [03947]? or whose ass [02543] have I taken [03947]? or whom have I defrauded [06231]? whom have I oppressed [07533]? or of whose hand [03027] have I received any bribe [03724] to blind [05956] mine eyes [05869] therewith? and I will restore [07725] it you.

⁴ And if the people [05971] of the land [0776] do any ways [05956] hide [05956] their eyes [05869] from the man [0376], when he giveth [05414] of his seed [02233] unto Molech [04432], and kill [04191] him not [01115]:

²⁷ He that giveth [05414] unto the poor [07326] shall not lack [04270]: but he that hideth [05956] his eyes [05869] shall have many [07227] a curse [03994].

²⁶ Her priests [03548] have violated [02554] my law [08451], and have profaned [02490] mine holy things [06944]: they have put no difference [0914] between the holy [06944] and profane [02455], neither have they shewed [03045] difference between the unclean [02931] and the clean [02889], and have hid [05956] their eyes [05869] from my sabbaths [07676], and I am profaned [02490] among [08432] them.

¹⁵ And when ye spread forth [06566] your hands [03709], I will hide [05956] mine eyes [05869] from you: yea, when ye make many [07235] prayers [08605], I will not hear [08085]: your hands [03027] are full [04390] of blood [01818].

⁶ I have called [07121] upon thee, for thou wilt hear [06030] me, O God [0410]: incline [05186] thine ear [0241] unto me, and hear [08085] my speech [0565].

¹ To the chief Musician [05329] upon Nehiloth [05155], A Psalm [04210] of David [01732]. Give ear [0238] to my words [0561], O LORD [03068], consider [0995] my meditation [01901].

¹² For the nation [01471] and kingdom [04467] that will not serve [05647] thee shall perish [06]; yea, those nations [01471] shall be utterly [02717] wasted [02717].

¹⁹ That say [0559], Let him make speed [04116], and hasten [02363] his work [04639], that we may see [07200] it: and let the counsel [06098] of the Holy One [06918] of Israel [03478] draw nigh [07126] and come [0935], that we may know [03045] it!

¹² O God [0430], be not far [07368] from me: O my God [0430], make haste [02363] [02439] for my help [05833].

¹⁰ Moreover I will appoint [07760] a place [04725] for my people [05971] Israel [03478], and will plant [05193] them, that they may dwell [07931] in a place of their own, and move [07264] no more; neither shall the children [01121] of wickedness [05766] afflict [06031] them any more [03254], as beforetime [07223],

¹³ Upon his ruin [04658] shall all the fowls [05775] of the heaven [08064] remain [07931], and all the beasts [02416] of the field [07704] shall be upon his branches [06288]:

²⁰ Thy sun [08121] shall no more go down [0935]; neither shall thy moon [03391] withdraw [0622] itself: for the LORD [03068] shall be thine everlasting [05769] light [0216], and the days [03117] of thy mourning [060] shall be ended [07999].

²⁴ With arrows [02671] and with bows [07198] shall men come [0935] thither; because all the land [0776] shall become briers [08068] and thorns [07898].

³⁸ But Joshua [03091] the son [01121] of Nun [05126], which standeth [05975] before [06440] thee, he shall go in [0935] thither: encourage [02388] him: for he shall cause Israel [03478] to inherit [05157] it.

¹¹ My lovers [0157] and my friends [07453] stand [05975] aloof from [05048] my sore [05061]; and my kinsmen [07138] stand [05975] afar off [07350].

¹¹ Let not an evil speaker [0376] [03956] be established [03559] in the earth [0776]: evil [07451] shall hunt [06679] the violent [02555] man [0376] to overthrow [04073] him.

⁶ O my God [0430], my soul [05315] is cast down [07817] within me: therefore will I remember [02142] thee from the land [0776] of Jordan [03383], and of the Hermonites [02769], from the hill [02022] Mizar [04706].

⁴ Thou holdest [0270] mine eyes [05869] waking [08109]: I am so troubled [06470] that I cannot speak [01696].

⁴⁰ And by thy sword [02719] shalt thou live [02421], and shalt serve [05647] thy brother [0251]; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion [07300], that thou shalt break [06561] his yoke [05923] from off thy neck [06677].

⁵⁶ Thou hast heard [08085] my voice [06963]: hide [05956] not thine ear [0241] at my breathing [07309], at my cry [07775].