Psalms

Psalm 55:4–8

⁴My heart pounds within me,

and the terrors of death assail me.

⁵Fear and trembling grip me,

and horror has overwhelmed me.

⁶I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!

I would fly away and find rest.

⁷How far away I would flee!

In the wilderness I would remain.

Selah

⁸I would hurry to my shelter,

far from this raging tempest.”

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
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

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I said	וָאֹמַ֗ר	wā·’ō·mar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H559 utter, say
Oh	מִֽי־	mî-	Interjection	H4310 who?
that	יִתֶּן־	yit·ten-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
I had	לִּ֣י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
wings	אֵ֭בֶר	’ê·ḇer	Noun - masculine singular	H83 pinions
like a dove	כַּיּוֹנָ֗ה	kay·yō·w·nāh	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H3123 dove
I would fly away	אָע֥וּפָה	’ā·‘ū·p̄āh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H5774 fly
and find rest	וְאֶשְׁכֹּֽנָה׃	wə·’eš·kō·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H7931 settle down, abide, dwell

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
How	הִ֭נֵּה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
far away	אַרְחִ֣יק	’ar·ḥîq	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular	H7368 be, or become, far, distant
I would flee	נְדֹ֑ד	nə·ḏōḏ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5074 retreat, flee, depart, stray, wander, flutter
In the wilderness	בַּמִּדְבָּ֣ר	bam·miḏ·bār	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4057 mouth
I would remain	אָלִ֖ין	’ā·lîn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular	H3885 lodge, pass the night
Selah	סֶֽלָה׃	se·lāh	Interjection	H5542 lift up

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I would hurry	אָחִ֣ישָׁה	’ā·ḥî·šāh	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H2363 haste, make haste
to my shelter	מִפְלָ֣ט	mip̄·lāṭ	Noun - masculine singular	H4655 escape
far from	לִ֑י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
this raging	מֵר֖וּחַ	mê·rū·aḥ	Preposition-m; Noun - common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
tempest	מִסָּֽעַר׃	mis·sā·‘ar	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H5591 tempest