Psalm 55:12-15

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 55:15

Let death seize upon them - This would be more correctly rendered, “Desolations (are) upon them!” That is, Desolation, or destruction will certainly come upon them. There is in the original no necessary expression of a wish or prayer that this might be, but it is rather the language of certain assurance - the expression of a fact - that such base conduct - such wickedness - would make their destruction certain; that as God is just, they must be overwhelmed with ruin. Injury is sometimes done in... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Psalms 55:12-14

Psalms 55:12-14. It was not an enemy Not an open and professed enemy, or, not an old and inveterate enemy, (as appears from the following description to be his meaning,) that reproached me That misrepresented me, and my government, as if I either abused my power, or neglected the proper use of it, and who industriously spread other similar accusations to incense the people against me; then I could have borne it With more patience, because I could have expected nothing better from such... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Psalms 55:15

Psalms 55:15. Let death seize upon them Hebrew, ישׁי מות עלימו , jashi maveth gnaleemo, which Cocceius renders, death will exact the debt with usury, a version which, as Dr. Chandler well remarks, preserves the propriety of the original verb, and greatly adds to the force of the expression. The verb is in the future tense, and therefore should not be rendered as an execration; for it only points out what would be the punishment of such perfidy and wickedness. And let them go down, ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Psalms 55:1-23

Psalms 55:0 Betrayed by a friendDavid is worried and uncertain. He has found that so-called friends have been plotting against him (e.g. Ahithophel; 2 Samuel 15:12,2 Samuel 15:31; 2 Samuel 17:1-3) and he knows not which way to turn. He remembers things he saw certain people do and realizes now that they were treacherously aimed at his downfall (1-3).Overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness, David fears that death is upon him (4-5). He wishes that he could escape from it all. He would like to fly... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Psalms 55:13

a man = a mortal. Hebrew. 'enosh. App-14 . mine equal = as mine equal: i.e. esteemed by David as such; refers to Ahithophel. My guide: or counselor. Compare 2 Samuel 16:23 and Acts 1:17 . read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Psalms 55:14

in company = with the multitude. Hebrew. regesh. Occurs only here. read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Psalms 55:15

quick = alive. Compare Numbers 16:30-33 . hell. Hebrew. Sheol. App-35 . wickedness. Hebrew. raa (plural) read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Psalms 55:12

PARENTHETICAL MENTION OF A TREACHEROUS FRIEND"For it was not an enemy which reproached me;Then I could have borne it:Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me;Then would I have hid myself from him:But it was thou, a man mine equal, my companion, and my familiar friend,We took sweet counsel together;We walked in the house of God with the throng."Leupold referred to this paragraph as "a parenthesis,"[13] inserted here for the purpose of explaining that among the enemies... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Psalms 55:15

THE PRAYER RESUMED"Let death come suddenly upon them,Let them go down alive into Sheol;For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them."The very first part of the resumed prayer petitions God to bring the enemies down into Sheol alive, to their "sudden death." One may well ignore all of the "too bad, too bad" comments on verses like this, which speak of personal vindictiveness and horrible private vengeance upon enemies.David's situation here was exactly that of Moses the great... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Psalms 55:12-14

Psalms 55:12-14. For it was not an enemy, &c.— Among other persons who joined in this conspiracy against David, there was one from whom he expected a quite different conduct, and whose infidelity and treachery were aggravated by the highest ingratitude. He was reproached by one whom he never suspected as an enemy; that would have been tolerable, and what might have been expected. It was not one who had ever expressed any hatred to him, that magnified himself against him; from such a one he... read more

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