Psalms

Psalm 55:16–22

¹⁶But I call to God,

and the LORD saves me.

¹⁷Morning, noon, and night, I cry out in distress,

and He hears my voice.

¹⁸He redeems my soul in peace

from the battle waged against me,

even though many oppose me.

¹⁹God will hear and humiliate them —

the One enthroned for the ages —

Selah

because they do not change

and they have no fear of God.

²⁰My companion attacks his friends;

he violates his covenant.

²¹His speech is smooth as butter,

but war is in his heart.

His words are softer than oil,

yet they are swords unsheathed.

²²Cast your burden upon the LORD

and He will sustain you;

He will never let the righteous be shaken.

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
But I	אֲ֭נִי	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
call	אֶקְרָ֑א	’eq·rā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
God	אֱלֹהִ֣ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
and the LORD	וַ֝יהוָ֗ה	Yah·weh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
saves me	יוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃	yō·wō·šî·‘ê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H3467 deliver

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Morning	וָבֹ֣קֶר	wā·ḇō·qer	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H1242 morning
noon	וְ֭צָהֳרַיִם	wə·ṣā·ho·ra·yim	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H6672 midday, noon
and night	עֶ֤רֶב	‘e·reḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H6153 (sun)set, evening
I cry out	וְאֶהֱמֶ֑ה	wə·’e·hĕ·meh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular	H1993 murmur, growl, roar, be boisterous
in distress	אָשִׂ֣יחָה	’ā·śî·ḥāh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H7878 muse, complain
and He hears	וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע	way·yiš·ma‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
my voice	קוֹלִֽי׃	qō·w·lî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6963 sound, voice

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He redeems	פָּ֘דָ֤ה	pā·ḏāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6299 ransom
my soul	נַ֭פְשִׁי	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
in peace	בְשָׁל֣וֹם	ḇə·šā·lō·wm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H7965 completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
from the battle	מִקֲּרָב־	miq·qă·rāḇ-	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7128 battle, war
against me	לִ֑י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
even though	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
many	בְ֝רַבִּ֗ים	ḇə·rab·bîm	Preposition-b; Adjective - masculine plural	H7227 much, many, great
oppose	הָי֥וּ	hā·yū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
me	עִמָּדִֽי׃	‘im·mā·ḏî	Preposition; first person common singular	H5978 along with

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
God	אֵ֨ל׀	’êl	Noun - masculine singular	H410 god
will hear	יִשְׁמַ֤ע׀	yiš·ma‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
and humiliate them	וְֽיַעֲנֵם֮	wə·ya·‘ă·nêm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H6031 be occupied, busied with
the One enthroned	וְיֹ֤שֵׁ֥ב	wə·yō·šêḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
for the ages	קֶ֗דֶם	qe·ḏem	Noun - masculine singular	H6924 front, east, aforetime
Selah	סֶ֥לָה	se·lāh	Interjection	H5542 lift up
because	אֲשֶׁ֤ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
they do not	אֵ֣ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
change	חֲלִיפ֣וֹת	ḥă·lî·p̄ō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H2487 a change
and they have no	וְלֹ֖א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
fear	יָרְא֣וּ	yā·rə·’ū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H3372 fear
of God	אֱלֹהִֽים׃	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
My companion attacks	שָׁלַ֣ח	šā·laḥ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
his friends	בִּשְׁלֹמָ֗יו	biš·lō·māw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H7965 completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
he violates	חִלֵּ֥ל	ḥil·lêl	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2490 bore, pierce
his covenant	בְּרִיתֽוֹ׃	bə·rî·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1285 covenant

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
His speech	פִּיו֮	pîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
is smooth	חָלְק֤וּ׀	ḥā·lə·qū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2505 divide, share
as butter	מַחְמָאֹ֣ת	maḥ·mā·’ōṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H4260 buttery, flattery
but war	וּֽקֲרָב־	ū·qă·rāḇ-	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7128 battle, war
is in his heart	לִ֫בּ֥וֹ	lib·bōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
His words	דְבָרָ֥יו	ḏə·ḇā·rāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
are softer	רַכּ֖וּ	rak·kū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H7401 be tender, weak, soft
than oil	מִשֶּׁ֗מֶן	miš·še·men	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H8081 fat, oil
yet they are	וְהֵ֣מָּה	wə·hêm·māh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
swords unsheathed	פְתִחֽוֹת׃	p̄ə·ṯi·ḥō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H6609 drawn sword

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Cast	הַשְׁלֵ֤ךְ	haš·lêḵ	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular	H7993 throw, fling, cast
your burden	יְהָבְךָ֮	yə·hā·ḇə·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3053 lot
upon	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the LORD	יְהוָ֨ה׀	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
and He	וְה֪וּא	wə·hū	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
will sustain you	יְכַ֫לְכְּלֶ֥ךָ	yə·ḵal·kə·le·ḵā	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; second person masculine singular	H3557 comprehend, contain
He will never	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
let	יִתֵּ֖ן	yit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
the righteous	לַצַּדִּֽיק׃	laṣ·ṣad·dîq	Preposition-l, Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H6662 just, righteous
be shaken	מ֗וֹט	mō·wṭ	Noun - masculine singular	H4131 totter, shake, slip