Twelve verses on friends: the good ones, the ones who turn, and the ones who keep their distance.
The psalms are frank about friends. Psalm 55 describes a companion who walked to worship alongside the writer and then turned on him. Psalm 88 says lover and friend have been put far away. Against that, Psalm 133 praises brothers who live together in unity, and Psalm 119 says I am a friend of all those who fear you. The verses below cover all three: good friends, betrayal and absence.
The verses are grouped in three parts: good friends and unity, a friend who betrays you, and friends who stay away. Tick the ones you want and print them for yourself or to give to a friend.
Verses about good company, peace among companions and closeness with God.
See how good and how pleasant it isfor brothers to live together in unity!
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity. The psalm goes on to compare that unity to oil running down and dew falling on the hills.
I am a friend of all those who fear you,of those who observe your precepts.
I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.
I am a friend of all those who fear you. The writer counts as friends everyone who fears God and keeps his precepts.
For my brothers’ and companions’ sakes,I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.
For my brothers' and companions' sakes, I will now say, peace be within you. The prayer for the city is made for the sake of friends.
As for the saints who are on the earth,they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.
But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
The saints on the earth are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight. The writer names God's people as the company he enjoys most.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him.He will show them his covenant.
The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him. The King James Version reads the secret of the LORD, so the idea is closeness and shared confidence.
The psalms name betrayal by someone close without softening it.
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:
It was not an enemy who insulted me, then I could have endured it. The psalm says the hurt is worse because it did not come from an enemy.
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.
We took sweet fellowship together, and walked in God's house with company. The friend who turned had shared worship with the writer.
Yes, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted,who ate bread with me,has lifted up his heel against me.
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
My own familiar friend, who ate bread with me, has lifted up his heel against me. In John 13:18 Jesus quotes this verse about the one who would betray him.
I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother.I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.
I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
The writer says he mourned for these people when they were sick, as for a friend or a brother. Two verses earlier he says they repaid him evil for good.
For illness, trouble or loneliness, when the people you counted on keep their distance.
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague.My kinsmen stand far away.
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my plague. The writer is ill, and the people closest to him keep away.
You have put lover and friend far from me,and my friends into darkness.
Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.
You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness. Psalm 88 ends on this line, with no turn to comfort.
Look on my right, and see;for there is no one who is concerned for me.Refuge has fled from me.No one cares for my soul.
I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
Look on my right, and see, for there is no one who is concerned for me. The next verse turns to God and calls him my refuge.
Psalm 133 is the psalm of unity, and it is only three verses long. It says it is good and pleasant for brothers to live together in unity. It compares that unity to the precious oil running down Aaron's beard and to the dew of Hermon falling on the hills of Zion. It ends where the LORD gives the blessing, life forever more. Psalm 122 prays for peace within Jerusalem for the sake of brothers and companions.
Psalm 133 comes closest, praising brothers who live together in unity. Psalm 55:12 to 14 describes a close friendship that went wrong.
Psalm 55 and Psalm 41:9 both describe a trusted friend turning. Jesus quotes Psalm 41:9 in John 13:18.
Psalm 133, which opens: how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity.
Psalm 25:14 in the World English Bible reads the friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him. The King James Version has the secret of the LORD.
Psalm 38:11 and Psalm 88:18 both describe friends keeping their distance, and Psalm 142:4 says no one cares for my soul. Psalm 142 then turns to God as refuge.
Psalms for LonelinessPsalms for a Broken HeartPsalms for Family and HomePsalms for Marriage and LovePsalms for Enemies and People Who Are Against YouPsalms About Giving