Psalm 55

Cast Your Burden on the Lord

1 Give ear to my prayer, O God,
And do not hide Yourself from my supplication. 2 Attend to me, and hear me;
I a am 1 restless in my complaint, and moan noisily, 3 Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the oppression of the wicked;
b For they bring down trouble upon me,
And in wrath they hate me.

4 c My heart is severely pained within me,
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 5 Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,
And horror has overwhelmed me. 6 So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest. 7 Indeed, I would wander far off,
And remain in the wilderness. Selah 8 I would hasten my escape
From the windy storm and tempest."

9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their 2 tongues,
For I have seen d violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they go around it on its walls;
e Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it. 11 Destruction is in its midst;
f Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.

12 g For it is not an enemy who reproaches me;
Then I could bear it.
Nor is it one who hates me who has h exalted himself against me;
Then I could hide from him. 13 But it was you, a man my equal,
i My companion and my acquaintance. 14 We took sweet counsel together,
And j walked to the house of God in the throng. 15 Let death seize them;
Let them k go down alive into 3 hell,
For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.

16 As for me, I will call upon God,
And the LORD shall save me. 17 l Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice. 18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
For m there were many against me. 19 God will hear, and afflict them,
n Even He who abides from of old. Selah
Because they do not change,
Therefore they do not fear God.

20 He has o put forth his hands against those who p were at peace with him;
He has broken his 4 covenant. 21 q The words of his mouth were smoother than butter,
But war was in his heart;
His words were softer than oil,
Yet they were drawn swords.

22 r Cast your burden on the LORD,
And s He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be 5 moved.

23 But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction;
t Bloodthirsty and deceitful men u shall not live out half their days;
But I will trust in You.

  1. Cross References
    Isaiah 38:14
    Like a crane or a swallow, so I chattered; I mourned like a dove; My eyes fail from looking upward. O LORD, I am oppressed; Undertake for me!
    Isaiah 59:11
    We all growl like bears, And moan sadly like doves; We look for justice, but there is none; For salvation, but it is far from us.
    Ezekiel 7:16
    Those who survive will escape and be on the mountains Like doves of the valleys, All of them mourning, Each for his iniquity.
  2. Cross References
    2 Samuel 16:7
    Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: "Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue!
    2 Samuel 16:8
    "The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!"
  3. Cross References
    Psalms 116:3
    The pains of death surrounded me, And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow.
  4. Cross References
    Jeremiah 6:7
    As a fountain wells up with water, So she wells up with her wickedness. Violence and plundering are heard in her. Before Me continually are grief and wounds.
  5. Cross References
    Psalms 10:7
    His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.
  6. Cross References
    Psalms 10:7
    His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity.
  7. Cross References
    Psalms 41:9
    Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.
  8. Cross References
    Psalms 35:26
    Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion Who rejoice at my hurt; Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor Who exalt themselves against me.
    Psalms 38:16
    For I said, "Hear me, lest they rejoice over me, Lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.
  9. Cross References
    2 Samuel 15:12
    Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city - from Giloh - while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.
  10. Cross References
    Psalms 42:4
    When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.
  11. Cross References
    Numbers 16:30
    "But if the LORD creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the LORD."
    Numbers 16:33
    So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly.
  12. Cross References
    Daniel 6:10
    Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
    Luke 18:1
    Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.
    Acts 3:1
    Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
    Acts 10:3
    About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!
    Acts 10:30
    So Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing.
  13. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 32:7
    Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him.
    2 Chronicles 32:8
    With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
  14. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 33:27
    The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, 'Destroy!
  15. Cross References
    Acts 12:1
    Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.
  16. Cross References
    Psalms 7:4
    If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me, Or have plundered my enemy without cause.
  17. Cross References
    Psalms 28:3
    Do not take me away with the wicked And with the workers of iniquity, Who speak peace to their neighbors, But evil is in their hearts.
    Psalms 57:4
    My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men Who are set on fire, Whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword.
    Proverbs 5:3
    For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil.
    Proverbs 5:4
    But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.
    Proverbs 12:18
    There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
  18. Cross References
    Psalms 37:5
    Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.
    Matthew 6:25 - 34
    Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
    Luke 12:22 - 31
    Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.
    1 Peter 5:7
    Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
  19. Cross References
    Psalms 37:24
    Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.
  20. Cross References
    Psalms 5:6
    You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
  21. Cross References
    Proverbs 10:27
    The fear of the LORD prolongs days, But the years of the wicked will be shortened.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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