Wings Like a Dove

Listen to my prayer, God.Don’t hide yourself from my supplication.

Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.

The psalm opens with two requests: listen to my prayer, and do not hide yourself. The fear behind it is that God might turn away while the writer is pleading.

Also read Psalm 64:1, Psalm 54:1-2, Lamentations 3:8, Psalm 80:4

Attend to me, and answer me.I am restless in my complaint,and moan

Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;

The writer asks to be answered and admits he is restless in his complaint. He is not composed, and he moans as he prays.

Also read Isaiah 38:14, Psalm 13:1-2, Psalm 77:3, Psalm 38:6

because of the voice of the enemy,because of the oppression of the wicked.For they bring suffering on me.In anger they hold a grudge against me.

Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

The complaint begins with a sound: the voice of the enemy. The speaker is under oppression from the wicked, who bring suffering on him and hold a grudge in anger. The KJV reads they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me, and this is the pressure the rest of the psalm wants to escape.

Also read 2 Samuel 16:7-8, Psalm 54:3, Psalm 71:11, Psalm 12:5

My heart is severely pained within me.The terrors of death have fallen on me.

My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

Also read Psalm 116:3, Hebrews 5:7, John 12:27, Psalm 6:3

Fearfulness and trembling have come on me.Horror has overwhelmed me.

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

Fear is described through the body: fearfulness, trembling and a horror that overwhelms. The verse names the feeling plainly rather than hiding it.

Also read Psalm 42:6, Ezekiel 7:18, Job 21:6, Luke 22:44

I said, “Oh that I had wings like a dove!Then I would fly away, and be at rest.

And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.

The writer turns his fear into a wish. He longs for wings like a dove so he could fly away and be at rest, a picture of wanting escape rather than victory.

Also read Psalm 139:9, Revelation 12:14, Psalm 11:1

Behold, then I would wander far off.I would lodge in the wilderness.” Selah.

Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.

Also read 2 Samuel 15:14, 1 Samuel 27:1, 2 Samuel 17:21-22, Proverbs 6:4-5

“I would hurry to a shelter from the stormy wind and storm.”

I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.

Also read Isaiah 4:6, Psalm 18:4, Isaiah 17:12-13, Matthew 7:25-27

Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language,for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.

Also read Jeremiah 23:14, John 7:45-53, 2 Samuel 15:31, Genesis 11:7-9

Day and night they prowl around on its walls.Malice and abuse are also within her.

Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.

Also read Micah 2:1-2, Acts 9:24, Psalm 59:6, Psalm 59:14-15

Destructive forces are within her.Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets.

Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.

The city is described as a place where destructive forces live and where threats and lies never leave the streets. The danger is inside the walls, not only outside them.

Also read Jeremiah 5:26-27, Acts 7:51-52, Ezekiel 22:1-12, Matthew 26:4

For it was not an enemy who insulted me,then I could have endured it.Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me,then I would have hidden myself from him.

For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

Here the psalm explains why this attack is so hard. An open enemy could have been endured or avoided, but verse 13 names the attacker as a man like me, my companion and my familiar friend.

Also read Psalm 35:26, Psalm 41:9, Psalm 38:16, Matthew 26:21-23

But it was you, a man like me,my companion, and my familiar friend.

But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.

This is the turn that makes Psalm 55 so hard to read. The attacker is not a stranger but a man like me, my companion, my familiar friend. The KJV has a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. The verse gives words to being hurt by someone close.

Also read Micah 7:5, Psalm 41:9, Jeremiah 9:4, Luke 22:47-48

We took sweet fellowship together.We walked in God’s house with company.

We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

Also read Psalm 42:4, Psalm 122:1, Ezekiel 33:31, Isaiah 2:3

Let death come suddenly on them.Let them go down alive into Sheol.For wickedness is among them, in their dwelling.

Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

The writer asks for death to come suddenly on his attackers and for them to go down alive into Sheol. The reason given is that wickedness lives among them.

Also read Acts 1:18-20, Psalm 109:6-20, Psalm 59:13, Acts 1:25

As for me, I will call on God.The LORD will save me.

As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

After the anger comes a turn. The writer says he will call on God, and states that the LORD will save him.

Also read Psalm 91:15, Psalm 109:4, Psalm 50:15, Luke 6:11-12

Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress.He will hear my voice.

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

Prayer is set at three times of day: evening, morning and noon. The writer cries out in distress each time and is confident God will hear his voice.

Also read Psalm 5:2-3, Daniel 6:10, Acts 10:3, Psalm 119:147-148

He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,although there are many who oppose me.

He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.

The writer speaks of rescue as already done. God has redeemed his soul in peace from the battle against him, even though many still oppose him.

Also read Psalm 57:3, 1 John 4:4, Psalm 3:6-7, 2 Samuel 22:1

God, who is enthroned forever,will hear and answer them. Selah.They never changeand don’t fear God.

God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

Also read Proverbs 1:32, Zephaniah 1:12, Psalm 73:5-6, Ecclesiastes 8:11

He raises his hands against his friends.He has violated his covenant.

He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.

The friend of verse 13 returns, now described from a distance. He raises his hands against his friends and has violated his covenant, so the wrong is broken trust as well as violence. The KJV reads he hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.

Also read Psalm 7:4, 2 Samuel 5:3, Psalm 89:38, Psalm 89:28

His mouth was smooth as butter,but his heart was war.His words were softer than oil,yet they were drawn swords.

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

The betrayer's speech is described in contrasts. His mouth was smooth as butter and his words softer than oil, but his heart was war and his words were drawn swords.

Also read Proverbs 26:28, Matthew 26:25, Psalm 64:3, Psalm 62:4

Cast your burden on the LORD and he will sustain you.He will never allow the righteous to be moved.

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Here the psalm speaks to the reader directly. The reader is told to cast their burden on the LORD, with the promise that he will sustain them and never allow the righteous to be moved.

Also read Luke 12:22, Matthew 11:28, Psalm 37:5, Psalm 16:8

But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction.Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days,but I will trust in you.

But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.

The psalm ends with two statements side by side. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days, and the writer closes with his own choice: I will trust in you.

Also read Psalm 59:12-13, Matthew 27:4-5, Psalm 73:18, 2 Samuel 3:27