EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Psalms 55:9
9My Lord, make my enemies confused! Stop them from doing what they want to do. Everywhere that I look in the city, I see that they do cruel things to attack people.
Psalms 55:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
- New International Version (NIV)Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city.
Context of Psalms 55:9
7Yes! I would go far away, and I would live in the wilderness. Selah. 8I would go quickly to a safe place. The strong winds and storms of my enemies would not reach me there!’ My Lord, make my enemies confused! Stop them from doing what they want to do. Everywhere that I look in the city, I see that they do cruel things to attack people. 10They walk on the city's walls in the day and at night. Inside the city they do evil things that bring trouble everywhere. 11They destroy everything! In all the city's streets, they move freely. They hurt people and they cheat them.
Read all of Psalms 55Psalms 55:9 word by word
בַּלַּ֣ע אֲ֭דֹנָי פַּלַּ֣ג לְשׁוֹנָ֑ם כִּֽי־רָאִ֨יתִי חָמָ֖ס וְרִ֣יב בָּעִֽיר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Destroyבָּלַעbâla‛ · to swallow upH1104
- O Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- divideפָּלַגpâlag · to divideH6385
- their tonguesלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongue: languageH3956
- for I have seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- violenceחָמָסchâmâs · violenceH2555
- and strifeרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
- in the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
Cross-references for Psalms 55:9
- Genesis 11:7Now we must go down to them. We must make their language become confused. Then they will not be able to understand each other.’
- 2 Samuel 15:31Someone told David that his advisor, Ahithophel, had now joined with Absalom and his men. So David prayed, ‘Lord, please cause Ahithophel to give them foolish advice.’
- 2 Samuel 17:1Ahithophel said to Absalom, ‘Please let me choose 12,000 men so that I can go and attack David tonight.
- John 7:45The officers returned to the leaders of the priests and the Pharisees. The leaders asked their officers, ‘Why did you not bring Jesus here?’
- Acts 23:6Then Paul saw that there were some Sadducees and also some Pharisees in the meeting. So he shouted out to the whole group of Jewish leaders, ‘My brothers, I am a Pharisee! My father was also a Pharisee. I believe that dead people will certainly rise and they will live again. That is the reason why you are judging me today.’
- Jeremiah 6:7They never stop doing wicked things, like water that pours out from a spring. It is full of the noise of violence and fights. Everywhere I see people who have disease and wounds.
- Jeremiah 23:14But now some prophets in Jerusalem do even worse things! They are not faithful to their wives. They always deceive people. They encourage people to do evil things. They do not try to stop them. They are as bad as the people of Sodom long ago. The people of Jerusalem are as bad as the people of Gomorrah.
- Matthew 23:37Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Your people have killed God's prophets. They have thrown stones to kill other people that God has sent to you. Many times, I have wanted to bring all of your people near to me. A female bird covers her babies with her body to make them safe. But you would not let me keep you from danger like that.
Commentaries on Psalms 55:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Destroy, 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Destroy, O Lord - The word rendered “destroy,” properly means to “swallow up;” to “devour” with the idea of greediness. Isaiah 28:4; Exodus 7:12; Jonah 1:17; Jeremiah 51:34. Then it is used in the sense of “destroy,” Job 20:18; Proverbs 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…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-15Verses 9-15 No wickedness so distresses the believer, as that which he witnesses in those who profess to be of the church of God. Let us not be surprised at the corruptions and disorders of the church on earth, but long to see the New Jerusalem. He complains of one that had been very industrious against him. God often destroys the enemies of the church by dividing them. And an interest divided against itself cannot long stand. The true Christian must…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-23The psalmist faces enemies led by a former friend (Psalm 55:12–14). This causes him great distress. He prays to the Lord and trusts him for justice (Psalm 55:22–23). Jesus went through similar pain when Judas, his friend, betrayed him. He also experienced the psalmist’s prayer being answered: by taking the place of the wicked and receiving their punishment (Isaiah 53:7–9), and by trusting the Father, who saved (Luke 23:46) and rewarded him (Isaiah…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Destroy--literally, "swallow" (Psa 21:9). divide their tongues--or, "confound their speech," and hence their counsels (Ge 11:7). the city--perhaps Jerusalem, the scene of anarchy.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 55:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 55
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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