God’s Word Translation
Psalms 55:20
20⌞My best friend⌟ has betrayed his friends. He has broken his solemn promise.
Psalms 55:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
- New International Version (NIV)My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.
- English Standard Version (ESV)My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has broken his covenant.
Context of Psalms 55:20
18With ⌞his⌟ peace, he will rescue my soul from the war waged against me, because there are many ⌞soldiers fighting⌟ against me. 19God will listen. The one who has sat enthroned from the beginning will deal with them. Selah They never change. They never fear God. ⌞My best friend⌟ has betrayed his friends. He has broken his solemn promise. 21His speech is smoother than butter, but there is war in his heart. His words are more soothing than oil, but they are like swords ready to attack. 22Turn your burdens over to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will never let the righteous person stumble.
Read all of Psalms 55Psalms 55:20 word by word
שָׁלַ֣ח יָ֭דָיו בִּשְׁלֹמָ֗יו חִלֵּ֥ל בְּרִיתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 55:20
- 1 Samuel 22:17“Turn and kill the Lord’s priests because they support David,” the king said to the runners standing around him. “When they knew David was fleeing, they didn’t inform me.” But the king’s men refused to attack the Lord’s priests.
- 1 Samuel 24:10Today you saw how the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Although I was told to kill you, I spared you, saying, ‘I will not raise my hand against Your Majesty because you are the Lord’s anointed.’
- 2 Samuel 18:12But the man told Joab, “Even if I felt the weight of 25 pounds of silver in my hand, I wouldn’t raise my hand against the king’s son. We heard the order the king gave you, Abishai, and Ittai: ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’
- Acts 12:1About that time King Herod devoted his attention to mistreating certain members of the church.
- Psalms 7:4if I have paid back my friend with evil or rescued someone who has no reason to attack me—
- Psalms 109:5They reward me with evil instead of good and with hatred instead of love.
- Psalms 120:6I have lived too long with those who hate peace.
- Psalms 89:28My mercy will stay with him forever. My promise to him is unbreakable.
- 2 Samuel 2:4Then the people of Judah came to Hebron and anointed David to be king over the tribe of Judah. They told David, “The people of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.”
- 2 Samuel 5:3All the leaders of Israel had come to Hebron. King David made an agreement with them at Hebron in front of the Lord. So they anointed David king of Israel.
- 2 Samuel 14:32Absalom answered Joab, “I sent someone to tell you to come here because I wanted to send you to the king to ask him why I had to come from Geshur. It would be better for me if I were still there. Let me see the king now! If I’m guilty of a sin, he should kill me.”
- 2 Samuel 15:10But Absalom sent his loyal supporters to all the tribes of Israel and said, “When you hear the sound of the ram’s horn, say, ‘Absalom has become king in Hebron.’ ”
- Ecclesiastes 8:2I ⌞advise⌟ you to obey the king’s commands because of the oath you took in God’s presence.
- Ezekiel 17:16“ ‘As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, the king of Judah will die in Babylonia. He will die in the country of the king who appointed him king of Judah. The king of Judah broke his promise and his treaty with the king of Babylon.
Commentaries on Psalms 55:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20He hath put forth his hands - A farther description of Ahithophel. He betrayed his friends, and he broke his covenant with his king. He had agreed to serve David for his own emolument, and a stipulation was made accordingly; but while receiving the king's pay, he was endeavoring to subvert the kingdom, and destroy the life of his sovereign.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him - Against those who were his friends, or who had given him no occasion for war. The Septuagint and Vulgate render this, “He hath put forth his hands in recompensing;” that is, in taking vengeance. The Hebrew would bear this construction, but the more correct rendering is that in our common version. The “connection” here would seem to indicate that this is to be referred to God, as God is…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-23Verses 16-23 In every trial let us call upon the Lord, and he will save us. He shall hear us, and not blame us for coming too often; the oftener the more welcome. David had thought all were against him; but now he sees there were many with him, more than he supposed; and the glory of this he gives to God, for it is he that raises us up friends, and makes them faithful to us. There are more true Christians, and believers have more real friends, than in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-21God is good and faithful, but the psalmist’s enemies and so-called friend are deceitful and wicked.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2120-21. The treachery is aggravated by hypocrisy. The changes of number, Psa 55:15, 23, and here, enliven the picture, and imply that the chief traitor and his accomplices are in view together.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 55:20
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries