Psalm 55: My companion and my close friend

These verses of Psalm 55 are the prayer of someone hurt by a close friend rather than an enemy. Its answer is to cast the burden on the LORD.

Picture: Rembrandt, Saint Paul in Prison, 1627

Plain English

Listen to my prayer, O God;do not hide Yourself from my plea.Hear me and answer me.I am restless as I make my complaint, and I groan.

My heart is in anguish within me;the terrors of death have fallen on me.Fear and trembling come over me,and horror overwhelms me.

I said, “If only I had wings like a dove!I would fly away and be at rest.I would wander far awayand stay in the wilderness.I would hurry to a shelterfrom the raging wind and the storm.”

If an enemy were taunting me,I could bear it.If someone who hates me were rising up against me,I could hide from him.But it is you, my equal,my companion and my close friend.Together we enjoyed sweet friendship;we walked with the crowd in the house of God.

As for me, I call to God,and the LORD will save me.Evening, morning and noonI make my complaint and groan,and He hears my voice.

Against his friends he raised his hand;he broke his covenant.His talk was smoother than butter,but there was war in his heart.His words were softer than oil,yet they were drawn swords.

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

Traditional wording, 1906

Hear my prayer, O God, and hide not Thyself from my petition.Take heed unto me, and hear me, how I mourn in my prayer, and am vexed.

My heart is disquieted within me, and the fear of death is fallen upon me.Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me.

And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I flee away, and be at rest.Lo, then would I get me away far off, and remain in the wilderness.I would make haste to escape, because of the stormy wind and tempest.

For it is not an open enemy that hath done me this dishonour; for then I could have borne it:neither was it mine adversary that did magnify himself against me; for then peradventure I would have hid myself from him:but it was even thou, my companion, my guide, and mine own familiar friend.We took sweet counsel together, and walked in the house of God as friends.

As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me.In the evening, and morning, and at noon-day will I pray, and that instantly; and He shall hear my voice.

He laid his hands upon such as be at peace with him, and he brake his covenant.The words of his mouth were softer than butter, having war in his heart;his words were smoother than oil, and yet be they very swords.

O cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall nourish thee,and shall not suffer the righteous to fall forever.

Plain English by Wiser Walk, from the Hebrew (verses 1 to 2, 4 to 8, 12 to 14, 16 to 17 and 20 to 22), with Hapgood’s Service Book beside it. How the wording is made. Traditional wording: Isabel F. Hapgood, Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic Church, 1906.

When it is said

Pray it when someone close to you has turned against you, while the hurt is still fresh.

In the Church it is one of the three psalms of the Sixth Hour, the midday service that remembers the Crucifixion of Christ.

Where it comes from

Author by tradition

What St Athanasius advised

St Athanasius of Alexandria wrote a letter on praying the Psalms. He gives this one to anyone whose enemies taunt them while people who seemed to be friends spread lies about them. He grants that this may grieve them for a while. His answer is to find comfort by praising God in the words of this psalm.

St Athanasius, Letter to Marcellinus on the Psalms (the Greek, from the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae)

Cast your cares on Him

In the Greek Septuagint the prayer’s last verse reads “Cast thy care upon the Lord”, in the English of the translator Lancelot Brenton. His margin sends the reader to St Peter’s first letter, where the same thought comes back in the words “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Brenton’s English of the Septuagint, with his margin

The Scripture in it

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

Psalm 55:1-2 Quoted The psalmist begs God to hear him.

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.”

Psalm 55:4-8 Quoted He longs for the wings of a dove to fly away from his anguish.

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.

Psalm 55:12-14 Quoted The one who hurt him was a close friend, not an enemy.

But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.

Psalm 55:16-17 Quoted He calls on God evening, morning and noon.

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

Psalm 55:20-22 Quoted After his friend’s smooth words, he casts his burden on the LORD.

Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.

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