Psalms 55:9

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

7Look, I will escape to a distant place; I will stay in the wilderness. (Selah) 8I will hurry off to a place that is safe from the strong wind and the gale.” Confuse them, O Lord! Frustrate their plans! For I see violence and conflict in the city. 10Day and night they walk around on its walls, while wickedness and destruction are within it. 11Disaster is within it; violence and deceit do not depart from its public square.

Psalms 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 11:7Come, let’s go down and confuse their language so they won’t be able to understand each other.”
• 2 Samuel 15:31Now David had been told, “Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed, “Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord!”
• 2 Samuel 17:1Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me pick out twelve thousand men. Then I will go and pursue David this very night.
• John 7:45Then the officers returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him back with you?”
• Acts 23:6Then when Paul noticed that part of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, he shouted out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead!”
• Jeremiah 6:7As a well continually pours out fresh water so it continually pours out wicked deeds. Sounds of violence and destruction echo throughout it. All I see are sick and wounded people.’
• Jeremiah 23:14But I see the prophets of Jerusalem doing something just as shocking. They are unfaithful to me and continually prophesy lies. So they give encouragement to people who are doing evil, with the result that they do not stop their evildoing. I consider all of them as bad as the people of Sodom, and the citizens of Jerusalem as bad as the people of Gomorrah.
• Matthew 23:37“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it!

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

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Prayer
• Strife

In the dictionaries

• Counsel
• Equal
• Escape
• Hasted
• Neginoth
• Psalms
• Psalms, Book of
• Tongue
• Maschil
• strife, disputes, quarrel, arguing, conflict

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