Psalms 55 · Verse 1

Psalms 55:1

To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
Psalms 55:1, King James Version

Psalms 55:1 in other translations

BSBFor the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. Listen to my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea.
WEBFor the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David. Listen to my prayer, God. Don’t hide yourself from my supplication.
ASVFor the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; And hide not thyself from my supplication.
YLTTo the Overseer with stringed instruments. --An instruction, by David. Give ear, O God, to my prayer, And hide not from my supplication.
DARBYTo the chief Musician. On stringed instruments: an instruction. Of David. Give ear to my prayer, OGod; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
BBEGive hearing to my prayer, O God; and let not your ear be shut against my request.
WebsterTo the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.

What does Psalms 55:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Psa 55:1-23. In great terror on account of enemies, and grieved by the treachery of a friend, the Psalmist offers an earnest prayer for relief. He mingles confident assurances of divine favor to himself with invocations and predictions of God's avenging judgments on the wicked. The tone suits David's experience, both in the times of Saul and Absalom, though perhaps neither was exclusively before his mind.

1. hide not thyself, &c.--(compare Psa 13:1; 27:9), withhold not help.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

David, in great danger and distress from the implacable malice of his enemies, calls on God for mercy, Psa 55:1-5; wishes he had the wings of a dove, that he might flee away, and be at rest, Psa 55:6-8; prays against his enemies, and describes their wickedness, Psa 55:9-11; speaks of a false friend, who had been the principal cause of all his distresses, Psa 55:12-14; again prays against his enemies, Psa 55:15; expresses his confidence in God, Psa 55:16-18; gives a farther description of the deceitful friend, Psa 55:19-21; encourages himself in the Lord, and foretells the destruction of his foes, Psa 55:22, Psa 55:23. The title, "To the chief Musician upon Neginoth, A Psalm of David, giving instruction." This is the same as the preceding, Psa 54:1-7 (note), which see. Verse 1 Give ear to my prayer - The frequency of such petitions shows the great earnestness of David's soul. If God did not hear and help, he knew he could not succeed elsewhere; therefore he continues to knock at the gate of God's mercy.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 55:1-8
In these verses we have, 1. David praying. Prayer is a salve for every sore, and a relief to the spirit under every burden. 2. David weeping. Griefs are thus, in some measure, lessened, while those increase that have no vent given them. David in great alarm. We may well suppose him to be so, upon the breaking out of Absalom's conspiracy, and the falling away of the people. Horror overwhelmed him. Probably the remembrance of his sin in the matter of Uriah added much to the terror. When under a guilty conscience we must mourn in our complaint, and even strong believers have for a time been filled with horror. But none ever was so overwhelmed as the holy Jesus, when it pleased the Lord to put him to grief, and to make his soul an offering for our sins. In his agony he prayed more earnestly, and was heard and delivered; trusting in him, and following him, we shall be supported under, and carried through all trials. See how David was weary of the treachery and ingratitude of men, and the cares and disappointments of his high station: he longed to hide himself in some desert from the fury and fickleness of his people. He aimed not at victory, but rest; a barren wilderness, so that he might be quiet. The wisest and best of men most earnestly covet peace and quietness, and the more when vexed and wearied with noise and clamour. This makes death desirable to a child of God, that it is a final escape from all the storms and tempests of this world, to perfect and everlasting rest.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 55:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הַאֲזִ֣ינָהha.'a.Zi.nahgive ear to !H238
אֱ֭לֹהִים'E.lo.HimO GodH430
תְּפִלָּתִ֑יte.fi.la.Tiprayer myH8605
וְאַל\־ve.'al-and may notH408
תִּ֝תְעַלַּ֗םtit.'a.Lamyou hide yourselfH5956
מִתְּחִנָּתִֽי\׃mi.te.chi.na.Tifrom supplication myH8467

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 55:1

  • 1 Peter 3:12

    For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

  • Psalms 86:6

    Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.

  • Psalms 61:1

    To the chief Musician upon Neginah, A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

  • Psalms 27:9

    Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

  • Psalms 80:1

    To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim–Eduth, A Psalm of Asaph. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

  • Psalms 64:1

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

  • Psalms 143:7

    Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

  • Psalms 54:1-2

    To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us? Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.

  • Psalms 84:8

    O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.

  • Psalms 5:1

    To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.

  • Psalms 80:4

    O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?

  • Lamentations 3:8

    Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 David in his prayer complains of his fearful case.
9 He prays against his enemies, of whose wickedness and treachery he complains.
16 He comforts himself in God's preservation of him, and confusion of his enemies.

A.M. 2983. B.C. 1021. (Title.) Neginoth.
6:1; 54:1; *titles
Give.
5:1; 17:1; 64:1; 80:1; 84:8; 1Pe 3:12
hide.
28:1; 80:4; 143:7; La 3:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 55:1

    To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.

  • Psalms 55:2

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

Read all of Psalms 55

Psalms 55:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Al Músico principal: en Neginoth: Masquil de David. ESCUCHA, oh Dios, mi oración, y no te escondas de mi súplica.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Au chef de musique. Sur Neguinoth; pour instruire. De David.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Nimm zu Ohren, o Gott, mein Gebet, und verbirg dich nicht vor meinem Flehen!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		In finem, pro populo qui a sanctis longe factus est. David in tituli inscriptionem, cum tenuerunt eum Allophyli in Geth.