A small walled hill town far below under one huge slate stormfront, and one gray dove flying away from it over dark hills.

Lament · David

Psalm 55

The worst of it came from a friend. If you have ever wanted to get on a bird and go, start here.

23 verses≈ 3 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

1–41Book IDavid's prayers: 'The LORD is my shepherd'
42–72Book II'As the deer pants'; the throne under pressurePsalm 55
73–89Book IIIAsaph and Korah: the kingdom falls
90–106Book IVBack to Moses: the LORD reigns
107–150Book VSongs of ascents, and the last Hallelujah

Cast Your Burden upon the LORD

For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.

Listen to my prayer, O God,

and do not ignore my plea.

Attend to me and answer me.

I am restless in my complaint,

and distraught

at the voice of the enemy,

at the pressure of the wicked.

For they bring down disaster upon me

and resent me in their anger.

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My heart pounds within me,

and the terrors of death assail me.

Fear and trembling grip me,

and horror has overwhelmed me.

I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!

I would fly away and find rest.

How far away I would flee!

In the wilderness I would remain.

Selah

I would hurry to my shelter,

far from this raging tempest.”

Reflect

Fly away

David doesn’t hide the wish to run. He says it to God. What would you fly from today? Tell Him, in plain words.

From behind, two middle-aged men walk side by side, one's hand on the other's shoulder, up a stony path in a festival crowd toward a plain tent on a ridge.

For it is not an enemy who insults me;

that I could endure.

It is not a foe who rises against me;

from him I could hide.

But it is you, a man like myself,

my companion and close friend.

We shared sweet fellowship together;

we walked with the crowd into the house of God.

0:19

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Let death seize them by surprise;

let them go down to Sheol alive,

for evil is with them in their homes.

But I call to God,

and the LORD saves me.

Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress,

and He hears my voice.

He redeems my soul in peace

from the battle waged against me,

even though many oppose me.

God will hear and humiliate them—

the One enthroned for the ages—

Selah

because they do not change

and they have no fear of God.

Pray

The one beside you

Pray for anyone hurt by someone they worshiped beside, and pray “Morning, noon, and night” if you are the one hurt. Ask for the courage not to keep the score yourself.

A low table by lamplight: a clay dish of soft curds, a small juglet of olive oil, and beside them a bronze sword half out of its leather sheath.

My companion attacks his friends;

he violates his covenant.

His speech is smooth as butter,

but war is in his heart.

His words are softer than oil,

yet they are swords unsheathed.

But You, O God, will bring them down

to the Pit of destruction;

men of bloodshed and deceit

will not live out half their days.

A gray rock dove settled in a shadowed cleft of a pale limestone cliff above a wadi, still, the air clear.

But I will trust in You.

You’ve experienced

Psalm 55

0 of 150 psalms read

A verse to carry with you

Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.

Psalm 55:22

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