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Selected Verse: Psalms 55:9 - Strong Concordance
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Ps 55:9 |
Strong Concordance |
Destroy [01104], O Lord [0136], and divide [06385] their tongues [03956]: for I have seen [07200] violence [02555] and strife [07379] in the city [05892]. |
|
King James |
Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Destroy--literally, "swallow" (Psa 21:9).
divide their tongues--or, "confound their speech," and hence their counsels (Gen 11:7).
the city--perhaps Jerusalem, the scene of anarchy. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Destroy, O Lord - The word rendered "destroy," properly means to "swallow up;" to "devour" with the idea of greediness. Isa 28:4; Exo 7:12; Jon 1:17; Jer 51:34. Then it is used in the sense of "destroy," Job 20:18; Pro 1:12. The reference here is to the persons who had conspired against David. It is a prayer that they, and their counsels, might be destroyed: such a prayer as people always offer who pray for victory in battle. It is a prayer that the may be successful in what they regard as a righteous cause; but this implies a prayer that their enemies may be defeated and overcome. That is, they pray for success in what they have undertaken; and if it is right for them to attempt to do the thing, it is not wrong to pray that they may be succesful.
And divide their tongues - There is evident allusion here to the confusion of tongues at Babel Gen 11:1-9; and as the language of those who undertook to build that tower was confounded so that they could not understand each other, so the psalmist prays that the counsels of those engaged against him might be confounded, or that they might be divided and distracted in their plans, so that they could not act in harmony. It is very probable that there is an allusion here to the prayer which David offered when he learned that Ahithophel was among the conspirators Sa2 15:31; "And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness." This would tend to divide and distract; the purposes of Absalom, and secure his defeat.
For I have seen violence and strife in the city - In Jerusalem. Perhaps he had learned that among the conspirators there was not entire harmony, but that there were elements of "strife" and discord which led him to hope that their counsels would be confounded. There was little homogeneoushess of aim and purpose among the followers of Absalom; and perhaps David knew enough of Ahithophel to see that his views, though he might be enlisted in the cause of the rebellion, would not be likely to harmonize with the views of the masses of those who were engaged in the revolt. |
Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
In the second group anger is the prevailing feeling. In the city all kinds of party passions have broken loose; even his bosom friend has taken a part in this hostile rising. The retrospective reference to the confusion of tongues at Babel which is contained in the word פּלּג (cf. Gen 10:25), also in remembrance of בּלל (Gen 11:1-9), involves the choice of the word בּלּע, which here, after Isa 19:3, denotes a swallowing up, i.e., annihilation by means of confounding and rendering utterly futile. לשׁונם is the object to both imperatives, the second of which is פּלּג (like the pointing usual in connection with a final guttural) for the sake of similarity of sound. Instead of חמס וריב, the pointing is חמס וריב, which is perfectly regular, because the וריב with a conjunctive accent logically hurries on to בּעיר as its supplement.
(Note: Certain exceptions, however, exist, inasmuch as ו sometimes remains even in connection with a disjunctive accent, Isa 49:4; Jer 40:10; Jer 41:16; and it is pointed ו in connection with a conjunctive in Gen 45:23; Gen 46:12; Lev 9:3; Mic 2:11; Job 4:16; Ecc 4:8.)
The subjects to Psa 55:11 are not violence and strife (Hengstenberg, Hitzig), for it is rather a comical idea to make these personified run round about upon the city walls; but (cf. Psa 59:7, Psa 59:15) the Absalomites, and in fact the spies who incessantly watch the movements of David and his followers, and who to this end roam about upon the heights of the city. The narrative in 2 Sam. 15 shows how passively David looked on at this movement, until he abandoned the palace of his own free will and quitted Jerusalem The espionage in the circuit of the city is contrasted with the movements going on within the city itself by the word בּקרב. We are acquainted with but few details of the affair; but we can easily fill in the details for ourselves in accordance with the ambitious, base, and craftily malicious character of Absalom. The assertion that deceit (מרמה) and the extremest madness had taken possession of the city is confirmed in Psa 55:13 by כּי. It is not open enemies who might have had cause for it that are opposed to him, but faithless friends, and among them that Ahithophel of Giloh, the scum of perfidious ingratitude. The futures ואשּׂא and ואסּתר are used as subjunctives, and ו is equivalent to alioqui, as in Psa 51:18, cf. Job 6:14. He tells him to his face, to his shame, the relationship in which he had stood to him whom he now betrays. Psa 55:14 is not to be rendered: and thou art, etc., but: and thou (who dost act thus) wast, etc.; for it is only because the principal clause has a retrospective meaning that the futures נמתּיק and נהלּך describe what was a custom in the past. The expression is designedly אנושׁ כּערכּי and not אישׁ כערכי; David does not make him feel his kingly eminence, but places himself in the relation to him of man to man, putting him on the same level with himself and treating him as his equal. The suffix of כערכי is in this instance not subjective as in the כערכך of the law respecting the asham or trespass-offering: according to my estimation, but objectively: equal to the worth at which I am estimated, that is to say, equally valued with myself. What heart-piercing significance this word obtains when found in the mouth of the second David, who, although the Son of God and peerless King, nevertheless entered into the most intimate human relationship as the Son of man to His disciples, and among them to that Iscariot! אלּוּף from אלף, Arabic alifa, to be accustomed to anything, assuescere, signifies one attached to or devoted to any one; and מידּא, according to the Hebrew meaning of the verb ידע, an intimate acquaintance. The first of the relative clauses in Psa 55:15 describes their confidential private intercourse; the second the unrestrained manifestation of it in public. סוד here, as in Job 19:19 (vid., supra on Psa 25:14). המתּיק סוד, to make friendly intercourse sweet, is equivalent to cherishing it. רגשׁ stands over against סוד, just like סוד, secret counsel, and רגשׁה, loud tumult, in Psa 64:3. Here רגשׁ is just the same as that which the Korahitic poet calls המון חוגג in Psa 42:5.
In the face of the faithless friends who has become the head of the Absalomite faction David now breaks out, in Psa 55:16, into fearful imprecations. The Chethb is ישׁימות, desolationes (super eos); but this word occurs only in the name of a place ("House of desolations"), and does not well suit such direct reference to persons. On the other hand, the Ker ישּׁיאמות, let death ensnare or impose upon them, gives a sense that is not to be objected to; it is a pregnant expression, equivalent to: let death come upon them unexpectedly. To this ישּׁיא corresponds the חיּים of the second imprecation: let them go down alive into Hades (שׁאול, perhaps originally שׁאולה, the ה of which may have been lost beside the ח that follows), i.e., like the company of Korah, while their life is yet vigorous, that is to say, let them die a sudden, violent death. The drawing together of the decipiat (opprimat) mors into one word is the result of the ancient scriptio continua and of the defective mode of writing, ישּׁי, like יני, Psa 141:5, אבי, Kg1 21:29. Bttcher renders it differently: let death crash in upon them; but the future form ישּׁי = ישׁאה from שׁאה = שׁאי is an imaginary one, which cannot be supported by Num 21:30. Hitzig renders it: let death benumb them (ישּׁים); but this gives an inconceivable figure, with the turgidity of which the trepidantes Manes in Virgil, Aenid viii. 246, do not admit of comparison. In the confirmation, Psa 55:16, בּמגוּרם, together with the בּקרבּם which follows, does not pretend to be any advance in the thought, whether מגור be rendered a settlement, dwelling, παροικία (lxx, Targum), or an assembly (Aquila, Symmachus, Jerome). Hence Hitzig's rendering: in their shrine, in their breast (= ἐν τῷ θησαυρῷ τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν, Luk 6:45), מגוּרם being short for מגוּרתם in accordance with the love of contraction which prevails in poetry (on Psa 25:5). But had the poet intended to use this figure he would have written בּמגוּרת קרבם, and is not the assertion that wickedness is among them, that it is at home in them, really a climax? The change of the names of God in Psa 55:17 is significant. He calls upon Him who is exalted above the world, and He who mercifully interposes in the history of the world helps him. |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
Destroy - Destroy them by dividing. Tongues - Their speech, as thou didst at Babel, Gen 11:9, their votes, and opinions, and counsels. Which was eminently done among Absalom's followers, Sa2 17:23. Strife - Injustice and fraud, oppression and contention rule here, instead of that public justice and peace which I established. City - In Jerusalem; which in Absalom's time was a sink of all sins. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Destroy, O lord - Swallow them up - confound them.
Divide their tongues - Let his counsellors give opposite advice. Let them never agree, and let their devices be confounded. And the prayer was heard. Hushai and Ahithophel gave opposite counsel. Absalom followed that of Hushai; and Ahithophel, knowing that the steps advised by Hushai would bring Absalom's affairs to ruin, went and hanged himself. See 2 Samuel 15, 16, and 17.
Violence and strife in the city - They have been concerting violent measures; and thus are full of contention. |
7 Go to [03051], let us go down [03381], and there confound [01101] their language [08193], that [0834] they may not understand [08085] one [0376] another's [07453] speech [08193].
9 Thou shalt make [07896] them as a fiery [0784] oven [08574] in the time [06256] of thine anger [06440]: the LORD [03068] shall swallow them up [01104] in his wrath [0639], and the fire [0784] shall devour [0398] them.
31 And one told [05046] David [01732], saying [0559], Ahithophel [0302] is among the conspirators [07194] with Absalom [053]. And David [01732] said [0559], O LORD [03068], I pray thee, turn the counsel [06098] of Ahithophel [0302] into foolishness [05528].
1 And the whole earth [0776] was of one [0259] language [08193], and of one [0259] speech [01697].
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed [05265] from the east [06924], that they found [04672] a plain [01237] in the land [0776] of Shinar [08152]; and they dwelt [03427] there.
3 And they said [0559] one [0376] to another [07453], Go to [03051], let us make [03835] brick [03843], and burn [08313] them throughly [08316]. And they had brick [03843] for stone [068], and slime [02564] had [01961] they for morter [02563].
4 And they said [0559], Go to [03051], let us build [01129] us a city [05892] and a tower [04026], whose top [07218] may reach unto heaven [08064]; and let us make [06213] us a name [08034], lest we be scattered abroad [06327] upon the face [06440] of the whole earth [0776].
5 And the LORD [03068] came down [03381] to see [07200] the city [05892] and the tower [04026], which the children [01121] of men [0120] builded [01129].
6 And the LORD [03068] said [0559], Behold, the people [05971] is one [0259], and they have all one [0259] language [08193]; and this they begin [02490] to do [06213]: and now nothing [03808] [03605] will be restrained [01219] from them, which they have imagined [02161] to do [06213].
7 Go to [03051], let us go down [03381], and there confound [01101] their language [08193], that [0834] they may not understand [08085] one [0376] another's [07453] speech [08193].
8 So the LORD [03068] scattered them abroad [06327] from thence [08033] upon the face [06440] of all the earth [0776]: and they left off [02308] to build [01129] the city [05892].
9 Therefore is the name of it [08034] called [07121] Babel [0894]; because the LORD [03068] did there confound [01101] the language [08193] of all the earth [0776]: and from thence did [06327] the LORD [03068] scatter them abroad [06327] upon the face [06440] of all the earth [0776].
12 Let us swallow them up [01104] alive [02416] as the grave [07585]; and whole [08549], as those that go down [03381] into the pit [0953]:
18 That which he laboured [03022] for shall he restore [07725], and shall not swallow it down [01104]: according to his substance [02428] shall the restitution [08545] be, and he shall not rejoice [05965] therein.
34 Nebuchadrezzar [05019] the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] hath devoured [0398] me, he hath crushed [02000] me, he hath made [03322] me an empty [07385] vessel [03627], he hath swallowed me up [01104] like a dragon [08577], he hath filled [04390] his belly [03770] with my delicates [05730], he hath cast me out [01740].
17 Now the LORD [03068] had prepared [04487] a great [01419] fish [01709] to swallow up [01104] Jonah [03124]. And Jonah [03124] was in the belly [04578] of the fish [01709] three [07969] days [03117] and three [07969] nights [03915].
12 For they cast down [07993] every man [0376] his rod [04294], and they became serpents [08577]: but Aaron's [0175] rod [04294] swallowed up [01104] their rods [04294].
4 And the glorious [06643] beauty [08597], which is on the head [07218] of the fat [08081] valley [01516], shall be a fading [05034] flower [06733], and as the hasty fruit [01061] before the summer [07019]; which when he that looketh [07200] upon it seeth [07200], while it is yet in his hand [03709] he eateth it up [01104].
17 Evening [06153], and morning [01242], and at noon [06672], will I pray [07878], and cry aloud [01993]: and he shall hear [08085] my voice [06963].
5 Lead [01869] me in thy truth [0571], and teach [03925] me: for thou art the God [0430] of my salvation [03468]; on thee do I wait [06960] all the day [03117].
45 A good [18] man [444] out of [1537] the good [18] treasure [2344] of his [846] heart [2588] bringeth forth [4393] that which is good [18]; and [2532] an evil [4190] man [444] out of [1537] the evil [4190] treasure [2344] of his [846] heart [2588] bringeth forth [4393] that which is evil [4190]: for [1063] of [1537] the abundance [4051] of the heart [2588] his [846] mouth [4750] speaketh [2980].
16 As for me, I will call [07121] upon God [0430]; and the LORD [03068] shall save [03467] me.
30 We have shot [03384] at them; Heshbon [02809] is perished [06] even unto Dibon [01769], and we have laid them waste [08074] even unto Nophah [05302], which reacheth unto Medeba [04311].
29 Seest [07200] thou how Ahab [0256] humbleth [03665] himself before [06440] me? because [03282] he humbleth [03665] himself before [06440] me, I will not bring [0935] the evil [07451] in his days [03117]: but in his son's [01121] days [03117] will I bring [0935] the evil [07451] upon his house [01004].
5 Let the righteous [06662] smite [01986] me; it shall be a kindness [02617]: and let him reprove [03198] me; it shall be an excellent [07218] oil [08081], which shall not break [05106] my head [07218]: for yet my prayer [08605] also shall be in their calamities [07451].
16 As for me, I will call [07121] upon God [0430]; and the LORD [03068] shall save [03467] me.
5 Why art thou cast down [07817], O my soul [05315]? and why art thou disquieted [01993] in me? hope [03176] thou in God [0430]: for I shall yet praise [03034] him for the help [03444] of his countenance [06440].
3 Who whet [08150] their tongue [03956] like a sword [02719], and bend [01869] their bows to shoot their arrows [02671], even bitter [04751] words [01697]:
14 The secret [05475] of the LORD [03068] is with them that fear [03373] him; and he will shew [03045] them his covenant [01285].
19 All my inward [05475] friends [04962] abhorred [08581] me: and they whom I loved [0157] are turned [02015] against me.
15 Let death [04194] seize [05377] [03451] upon them, and let them go down [03381] quick [02416] into hell [07585]: for wickedness [07451] is in their dwellings [04033], and among [07130] them.
14 We took sweet [04985] counsel [05475] together [03162], and walked [01980] unto the house [01004] of God [0430] in company [07285].
14 To him that is afflicted [04523] pity [02617] should be shewed from his friend [07453]; but he forsaketh [05800] the fear [03374] of the Almighty [07706].
18 Do good [03190] in thy good pleasure [07522] unto Zion [06726]: build [01129] thou the walls [02346] of Jerusalem [03389].
13 But it was thou, a man [0582] mine equal [06187], my guide [0441], and mine acquaintance [03045].
15 Let them wander up and down [05128] [05128] for meat [0398], and grudge [03885] if they be not satisfied [07646].
7 Behold, they belch out [05042] with their mouth [06310]: swords [02719] are in their lips [08193]: for who, say they, doth hear [08085]?
11 Wickedness [01942] is in the midst [07130] thereof: deceit [08496] and guile [04820] depart [04185] not from her streets [07339].
8 There is [03426] one [0259] alone, and there is not a second [08145]; yea, he hath neither child [01121] nor brother [0251]: yet is there no end [07093] of all his labour [05999]; neither is his eye [05869] satisfied [07646] with riches [06239]; neither saith he, For whom do I labour [06001], and bereave [02637] my soul [05315] of good [02896]? This is also vanity [01892], yea, it is a sore [07451] travail [06045].
16 It stood still [05975], but I could not discern [05234] the form [04758] thereof: an image [08544] was before mine eyes [05869], there was silence [01827], and I heard [08085] a voice [06963], saying,
11 If [03863] a man [0376] walking [01980] in the spirit [07307] and falsehood [08267] do lie [03576], saying, I will prophesy [05197] unto thee of wine [03196] and of strong drink [07941]; he shall even be the prophet [05197] of this people [05971].
3 And unto the children [01121] of Israel [03478] thou shalt speak [01696], saying [0559], Take [03947] ye a kid [08163] of the goats [05795] for a sin offering [02403]; and a calf [05695] and a lamb [03532], both of the first [01121] year [08141], without blemish [08549], for a burnt offering [05930];
12 And the sons [01121] of Judah [03063]; Er [06147], and Onan [0209], and Shelah [07956], and Pharez [06557], and Zerah [02226]: but Er [06147] and Onan [0209] died [04191] in the land [0776] of Canaan [03667]. And the sons [01121] of Pharez [06557] were Hezron [02696] and Hamul [02538].
23 And to his father [01] he sent [07971] after this [02063] manner; ten [06235] asses [0860] laden [05375] with the good things [02898] of Egypt [04714], and ten [06235] she asses [02543] laden [05375] with corn [01250] and bread [03899] and meat [04202] for his father [01] by the way [01870].
16 Then took [03947] Johanan [03110] the son [01121] of Kareah [07143], and all the captains [08269] of the forces [02428] that were with him, all the remnant [07611] of the people [05971] whom he had recovered [07725] from Ishmael [03458] the son [01121] of Nethaniah [05418], from Mizpah [04709], after [0310] that he had slain [05221] Gedaliah [01436] the son [01121] of Ahikam [0296], even mighty [01397] men [0582] of war [04421], and the women [0802], and the children [02945], and the eunuchs [05631], whom he had brought again [07725] from Gibeon [01391]:
10 As for me, behold, I will dwell [03427] at Mizpah [04709] to serve [05975] [06440] the Chaldeans [03778], which will come [0935] unto us: but ye, gather [0622] ye wine [03196], and summer fruits [07019], and oil [08081], and put [07760] them in your vessels [03627], and dwell [03427] in your cities [05892] that ye have taken [08610].
4 Then I said [0559], I have laboured [03021] in vain [07385], I have spent [03615] my strength [03581] for nought [08414], and in vain [01892]: yet surely [0403] my judgment [04941] is with the LORD [03068], and my work [06468] with my God [0430].
3 And the spirit [07307] of Egypt [04714] shall fail [01238] in the midst [07130] thereof; and I will destroy [01104] the counsel [06098] thereof: and they shall seek [01875] to the idols [0457], and to the charmers [0328], and to them that have familiar spirits [0178], and to the wizards [03049].
1 And the whole earth [0776] was of one [0259] language [08193], and of one [0259] speech [01697].
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed [05265] from the east [06924], that they found [04672] a plain [01237] in the land [0776] of Shinar [08152]; and they dwelt [03427] there.
3 And they said [0559] one [0376] to another [07453], Go to [03051], let us make [03835] brick [03843], and burn [08313] them throughly [08316]. And they had brick [03843] for stone [068], and slime [02564] had [01961] they for morter [02563].
4 And they said [0559], Go to [03051], let us build [01129] us a city [05892] and a tower [04026], whose top [07218] may reach unto heaven [08064]; and let us make [06213] us a name [08034], lest we be scattered abroad [06327] upon the face [06440] of the whole earth [0776].
5 And the LORD [03068] came down [03381] to see [07200] the city [05892] and the tower [04026], which the children [01121] of men [0120] builded [01129].
6 And the LORD [03068] said [0559], Behold, the people [05971] is one [0259], and they have all one [0259] language [08193]; and this they begin [02490] to do [06213]: and now nothing [03808] [03605] will be restrained [01219] from them, which they have imagined [02161] to do [06213].
7 Go to [03051], let us go down [03381], and there confound [01101] their language [08193], that [0834] they may not understand [08085] one [0376] another's [07453] speech [08193].
8 So the LORD [03068] scattered them abroad [06327] from thence [08033] upon the face [06440] of all the earth [0776]: and they left off [02308] to build [01129] the city [05892].
9 Therefore is the name of it [08034] called [07121] Babel [0894]; because the LORD [03068] did there confound [01101] the language [08193] of all the earth [0776]: and from thence did [06327] the LORD [03068] scatter them abroad [06327] upon the face [06440] of all the earth [0776].
25 And unto Eber [05677] were born [03205] two [08147] sons [01121]: the name [08034] of one [0259] was Peleg [06389]; for in his days [03117] was the earth [0776] divided [06385]; and his brother's [0251] name [08034] was Joktan [03355].
23 And when Ahithophel [0302] saw [07200] that his counsel [06098] was not followed [06213], he saddled [02280] his ass [02543], and arose [06965], and gat him home [03212] to his house [01004], to his city [05892], and put his household [01004] in order [06680], and hanged [02614] himself, and died [04191], and was buried [06912] in the sepulchre [06913] of his father [01].
9 Therefore is the name of it [08034] called [07121] Babel [0894]; because the LORD [03068] did there confound [01101] the language [08193] of all the earth [0776]: and from thence did [06327] the LORD [03068] scatter them abroad [06327] upon the face [06440] of all the earth [0776].