Psalms

Psalm 55:1–5

¹For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil^a of David.

Listen to my prayer, O God,

and do not ignore my plea.

²Attend to me and answer me.

I am restless in my complaint,

and distraught ³at the voice of the enemy,

at the pressure of the wicked.

For they bring down disaster upon me

and resent me in their anger.

⁴My heart pounds within me,

and the terrors of death assail me.

⁵Fear and trembling grip me,

and horror has overwhelmed me.

Footnotes

a 55:1 Maskil is probably a musical or liturgical term; used for Psalms 32, 42, 44–45, 52–55, 74, 78, 88–89, and 142.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For the choirmaster	לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ	lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H5329 be pre-eminent, enduring
With stringed instruments	בִּנְגִינֹ֗ת	bin·ḡî·nōṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural	H5058 music
A Maskil	מַשְׂכִּ֥יל	maś·kîl	Noun - masculine singular	H4905 contemplative poem
of David	לְדָוִֽד׃	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
Listen	הַאֲזִ֣ינָה	ha·’ă·zî·nāh	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H238 give ear, listen, hear
to my prayer	תְּפִלָּתִ֑י	tə·p̄il·lā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H8605 prayer
O God	אֱ֭לֹהִים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
and do not	וְאַל־	wə·’al-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
ignore	תִּ֝תְעַלַּ֗ם	tiṯ·‘al·lam	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5956 conceal
my plea	מִתְּחִנָּתִֽי׃	mit·tə·ḥin·nā·ṯî	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H8467 favour, supplication for favour

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Attend	הַקְשִׁ֣יבָה	haq·šî·ḇāh	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H7181 incline, attend
to me	לִּ֣י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
and answer me	וַעֲנֵ֑נִי	wa·‘ă·nê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H6030 answer, respond
I am restless	אָרִ֖יד	’ā·rîḏ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H7300 wander restlessly, roam
in my complaint	בְּשִׂיחִ֣י	bə·śî·ḥî	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H7879 complaint, musing
and distraught	וְאָהִֽימָה׃	wə·’ā·hî·māh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H1949 murmur, roar, discomfit

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
at the voice	מִקּ֤וֹל	miq·qō·wl	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H6963 sound, voice
of the enemy	אוֹיֵ֗ב	’ō·w·yêḇ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H341 be hostile to
at	מִפְּנֵ֣י	mip·pə·nê	Preposition-m; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
the pressure	עָקַ֣ת	‘ā·qaṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H6125 pressure
of the wicked	רָשָׁ֑ע	rā·šā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7563 wicked, criminal
For	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they bring down	יָמִ֥יטוּ	yā·mî·ṭū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H4131 totter, shake, slip
disaster	אָ֝֗וֶן	’ā·wen	Noun - masculine singular	H205 trouble, sorrow, wickedness
upon me	עָלַ֥י	‘ā·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height
and resent me	יִשְׂטְמֽוּנִי׃	yiś·ṭə·mū·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural; first person common singular	H7852 bear a grudge, cherish animosity, against
in their anger	וּבְאַ֥ף	ū·ḇə·’ap̄	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H639 nostril, nose, face, anger

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
My heart	לִ֭בִּי	lib·bî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
pounds	יָחִ֣יל	yā·ḥîl	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2342 whirl, dance, writhe
within me	בְּקִרְבִּ֑י	bə·qir·bî	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H7130 inward part, midst
and the terrors	וְאֵימ֥וֹת	wə·’ê·mō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural construct	H367 terror, dread
of death	מָ֝֗וֶת	mā·weṯ	Noun - masculine singular	H4194 death
assail	נָפְל֥וּ	nā·p̄ə·lū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H5307 fall, lie
me	עָלָֽי׃	‘ā·lāy	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Fear	יִרְאָ֣ה	yir·’āh	Noun - feminine singular	H3374 fear
and trembling	וָ֭רַעַד	wā·ra·‘aḏ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H7461 trembling
grip	יָ֣בֹא	yā·ḇō	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
me	בִ֑י	ḇî	Preposition; first person common singular
and horror	פַּלָּצֽוּת׃	pal·lā·ṣūṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H6427 shuddering
has overwhelmed me	וַ֝תְּכַסֵּ֗נִי	wat·tə·ḵas·sê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular; first person common singular	H3680 cover