the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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New Living Translation
Psalms 55:23
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
But You, O God, will bring them down to the pit of corruption;Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days.But I will trust in You.
But You, O God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.
[And as for] them: thou O Lorde wylt hurle headlong into the pit of destruction. The bloodthirstie and deceiptfull men shal not liue out halfe their dayes: neuerthelesse I wyll put my full trust in thee.
And thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. But as for me, I will confide in thee.
But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in You.
But You, O God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; men of blood and deceit will not live out half their days; but I will trust in You.
But, God, you will send those liars and murderers to the grave. They will die before their life is half finished! As for me, I will put my trust in you.
But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, But I will trust in you.
But thou, O God, shalt bring them downe into the pit of destruction: Bloody and deceitfull men shall not liue out halfe their dayes, but I will trust in thee.
But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.
The bloudthurstie and disceatfull shal not lyue out half their daies. Neuerthelesse my trust is in the.
But You, O God, will bring down the wicked to the pit of destruction; Men of blood and treachery will not live out half their days. But I will [boldly and unwaveringly] trust in You.
But thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in thee.
But you, O God, will send them down into the underworld; the cruel and the false will be cut off before half their days are ended; but I will have faith in you.
But you, O God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction: Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in you.
But thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.
But you, O God, will bring them down to the deep Pit. Violent and deceitful people will not live even half a normal lifespan. But as for me, I trust in you.
But what about those people who are cruel and brutal? You will throw them down into the deepest pit long before their time. I trust you, Lord !
Unload your burden on Adonai , and he will sustain you. He will never permit the righteous to be moved. But you will bring them down, God, into the deepest pit. Those men, so bloodthirsty and treacherous, will not live out half their days. But for my part, [ Adonai ,] I put my trust in you.
And thou, O God, shalt bring them downe into the pitte of corruption: the bloudie, and deceitfull men shall not liue halfe their dayes: but I will trust in thee.
But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction; bloody and deceitful men shall not live out their days; but I will trust in thee.
But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, But I will trust in you.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain thee; But Thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the nethermost pit; {N}but as for me, I will trust in Thee.
But You, O God, will bring the sinful down into the hole that destroys. Men who kill and lie will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.
But thou, O God, shalt bring them down to the pit of destruction; bloody and crafty men shall not live out half their days; but I will hope in thee, O Lord.
But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.
But You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.
But you, O God, will cast them down into the lowest pit; the bloodthirsty and treacherous shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.
But, thou, O God, wilt bring them down to the pit of destruction, Men of bloodshed and deceit, shall not live out half their days; But, I, will trust in thee.
(54-24) But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee, O Lord.
But you, O God, you will bring them down to the pit of corruption. The men of bloodshed and deceit will not live half their days, but I will trust you.
But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.
But You, God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.
But, God, you will bring down the wicked to the grave. Murderers and liars will live only half a lifetime. But I will trust in you.
But you, O God, will bring those murderers and liars to their graves before half their life is over. As for me, I will trust in you.
God, You will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and treachery will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.
But thou, God, schalt lede hem forth; in to the pit of deth. Menquelleris and gilours schulen not haue half her daies; but, Lord, Y schal hope in thee.
And Thou, O God, dost bring them down To a pit of destruction, Men of blood and deceit reach not to half their days, And I -- I do trust in Thee!
But thou, O God, wilt cast them down into the lowest pit; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in thee.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
O God: Psalms 7:15, Psalms 7:16, Psalms 58:9, Psalms 59:12, Psalms 59:13
pit: Proverbs 15:11, Proverbs 27:20, Isaiah 38:17
bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days: Heb. men of bloods and deceit shall not halve their days. Psalms 5:6, 2 Samuel 3:27, 2 Samuel 20:9, 2 Samuel 20:10, 1 Kings 2:5, 1 Kings 2:6, 2 Samuel 3:27, 2 Samuel 20:9, 2 Samuel 20:10, 1 Kings 2:5, 1 Kings 2:6, Job 15:32, Proverbs 10:27, Ecclesiastes 7:17, Matthew 27:4, Matthew 27:5
Reciprocal: Genesis 38:7 - and the Exodus 23:26 - the number Numbers 16:33 - into the 2 Samuel 4:12 - slew them 2 Samuel 17:23 - and hanged 2 Samuel 20:12 - General 2 Kings 15:13 - a full month 2 Chronicles 23:15 - they slew her there 2 Chronicles 33:24 - General Job 21:21 - the number Job 22:16 - cut down Job 31:3 - destruction Job 33:28 - will deliver Job 36:6 - preserveth Job 36:14 - They die Psalms 26:9 - bloody men Psalms 36:12 - There Psalms 37:9 - evildoers Psalms 51:14 - Deliver Psalms 52:5 - God Psalms 56:7 - in thine Psalms 59:2 - save Psalms 63:9 - go Psalms 68:21 - the hairy Psalms 73:18 - thou castedst Psalms 88:11 - in destruction Psalms 94:13 - until the pit Psalms 94:23 - And he Psalms 109:8 - his days Psalms 139:19 - Surely Psalms 140:10 - into deep Psalms 143:12 - of thy mercy Psalms 147:6 - he casteth Proverbs 1:18 - General Ecclesiastes 8:13 - neither Jeremiah 17:11 - shall leave Jeremiah 41:7 - slew Ezekiel 17:15 - or shall Daniel 11:7 - and shall prevail Jonah 2:6 - corruption Habakkuk 2:17 - because Matthew 26:24 - but Matthew 26:52 - they Acts 1:18 - and falling
Gill's Notes on the Bible
But thou, O God, shall bring them down,.... Ahithophel and his accomplices in the conspiracy against David, Judas and the wicked Jews concerned in Christ's death; and did not believe in him;
into the pit of destruction, or "corruption" i; either the grave, where bodies being put corrupt and putrefy; or hell, where the wicked are punished with everlasting destruction; see Psalms 55:15;
bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; such as Ahithophel and Absalom, Judas, and the murderers of our Lord: or, "do not halve their days" k; do not come up to the half of the ordinary term of man's life, which is threescore years and ten. The Jews say l, that all the years of Doeg were but thirty four, and of Ahithophel thirty three; and probably Judas might be about the same age. Or the sense is, that, generally speaking, such sort of men die in the prime of their days, and do not live half the time that, according to the course of nature, they might live; and which they promise themselves they should, and their friends hoped and expected they would:
but I will trust in thee; the Lord, that he would hear and save him, support him under his burden, supply him with his grace, and every thing needful, and not suffer him to be moved; and that he should live to fill up the measure of his days, do the will and work of God, and then be received to glory.
i שחת "corruptionis", Vatablus, Musculus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator so Ainsworth; approved by Gussetius, p. 850. k יחצו "dividiabunt", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, &c. l T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 69. 2. & 106. 2. & Gloss. in Pirke Abot, c. 5. s. 19.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction - The word “them,” here evidently refers to the enemies of the psalmist; the wicked people who were arrayed against him, and who sought his life. The “pit of destruction” refers here to the grave, or to death, considered with reference to the fact that they would be “destroyed” or “cut off,” or would not die in the usual course of nature. The meaning is, that God would come forth in his displeasure, and cut them down for their crimes. The word “pit” usually denotes “a well,” or “cavern” Genesis 14:10; Genesis 37:20; Exodus 21:34, but is often used to denote the grave (Job 17:16; Job 33:18, Job 33:24; Psalms 9:15; Psalms 28:1; Psalms 30:3, Psalms 30:9, et al.); and the idea here is that they would be cut off for their sins. The word “destruction” is added to denote that this would be by some direct act, or by punishment inflicted by the hand of God.
Bloody and deceitful men - Margin, as in Hebrew, “Men of bloods and deceit.” The allusion is to people of violence; people who live by plunder and rapine; and especially to such people considered as false, unfaithful, and treacherous - as they commonly are. The special allusion here is to the enemies of David, and particularly to such as Ahithophel - men who not only sought his life, but who had proved themselves to be treacherous and false to him.
Shall not live out half their days - Margin, as in Hebrew, “shall not halve their days.” So the Septuagint, and the Latin Vulgate. The statement is general, not universal. The meaning is, that they do not live half as long as they might do, and would do, if they were “not” bloody and deceitful. Beyond all question this is true. Such people are either cut off in strife and conflict, in personal affrays in duels, or in battle; or they are arrested for their crimes, and punished by an ignominious death. Thousands and tens of thousands thus die every year, who, “but” for their evil deeds, might have doubled the actual length of their lives; who might have passed onward to old age respected, beloved, happy, useful. There is to all, indeed, an outer limit of life. There is a bound which we cannot pass. That natural limit, however, is one that in numerous cases is much “beyond” what people actually reach, though one to which they “might” have come by a course of temperance, prudence, virtue, and piety.
God has fixed a limit beyond which we cannot pass; but, wherever that may be, as arranged in his providence, it is our duty not to cut off our lives “before” that natural limit is reached; or, in other words, it is our duty to live on the earth just as long as we can. Whatever makes us come short of this is self-murder, for there is no difference in principle between a man’s cutting off his life by the pistol, by poison, or by the halter, and cutting it off by vice, by crime, by dissipation, by the neglect of health, or by those habits of indolence and self-indulgence which undermine the constitution, and bring the body down to the grave. Thousands die each year whose proper record on their graves would be “self-murderers.” Thousands of young people are indulging in habits which, unless arrested, “must” have such a result, and who are destined to an early grave - who will not live out half their days - unless their mode of life is changed, and they become temperate, chaste, and virtuous. One of the ablest lawyers that I have ever known - an example of what often occurs - was cut down in middle life by the use of tobacco. How many thousands perish each year, in a similar manner, by indulgence in intoxicating drinks!
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Psalms 55:23. But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction — The Chaldee is emphatic: "And thou, O Lord, by thy WORD (במימרך bemeymerach) shalt thrust them into the deep gehenna, the bottomless pit, whence they shall never come out; the pit of destruction, where all is amazement, horror, anguish, dismay, ruin, endless loss, and endless suffering."
Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days — So we find, if there be an appointed time to man upon earth, beyond which he cannot pass; yet he may so live as to provoke the justice of God to cut him off before he arrives at that period; yea, before he has reached half way to that limit. According to the decree of God, he might have lived the other half; but he has not done it.
But I will trust in thee. — Therefore I shall not be moved, and shall live out all the days of my appointed time.
The fathers in general apply the principal passages of this Psalm to our Lord's sufferings, the treason of Judas, and the wickedness of the Jews; but these things do not appear to me fairly deducible from the text. It seems to refer plainly enough to the rebellion of Absalom. "The consternation and distress expressed in Psalms 55:4-8, describe the king's state of mind when he fled from Jerusalem, and marched up the mount of Olives, weeping. The iniquity cast upon the psalmist answers to the complaints artfully laid against the king by his son of a negligent administration of justice: and to the reproach of cruelty cast upon him by Shimei, 2 Samuel 15:2; 2 Samuel 15:4; 2 Samuel 16:7-8. The equal, the guide, and the familiar friend, we find in Ahithophel, the confidential counsellor, first of David, afterwards of his son Absalom. The buttery mouth and oily words describe the insidious character of Absalom, as it is delineated, 2 Samuel 15:5-9. Still the believer, accustomed to the double edge of the prophetic style, in reading this Psalm, notwithstanding its agreement with the occurrences of David's life, will be led to think of David's great descendant, who endured a bitter agony, and was the victim of a baser treachery, in the same spot where David is supposed to have uttered these complaints." - Bishop Horsley.
ANALYSIS OF THE FIFTY-FIFTH PSALM
There are five general parts in this Psalm: -
I. The psalmist entreats God to hear his prayer, Psalms 55:1-2.
II. He complains of his trouble, Psalms 55:3-8.
II. He prays against his enemies, and shows the causes, Psalms 55:8-15.
IV. He takes courage upon assurance of God's help, and his enemies' overthrow, Psalms 55:15-21.
V. An epilogue, in which he exhorts all men to rely upon God, Psalms 55:22-23.
I. He begs audience.
1. "Give ear - hide not thyself - attend - hear me."
2. "My prayer - supplication - that I mourn - complain - make a noise." Affected he was with the sense of what he prayed for, and he was therefore earnest in it.
II. This in general; but next, in particular, he mentions the causes of his complaint, and earnestness to God, that he might be heard both in regard of his enemies, and the condition he was now in. The danger he was in was very great; escape he could not without God's help, for his enemies persecuted him very sore.
1. They slandered and calumniated him, and threatened him: "Because of the voice," c.
2. They vexed, pressed upon him, and oppressed him: "Because of the oppression of the wicked."
3. They plotted his ruin, devolved, and cast iniquity upon him - charged him home.
4. They were implacable, angry, and hated him: "In wrath they hate me."
Then, as to his own person, he was in a sad, heavy, doleful condition.
1. "My heart is sore pained within me." His grief was inward.
2. "The terrors of death are fallen upon me." He saw nothing but death before him.
3. "Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me." Which are the outward effects of fear.
4. "And a horrible dread within hath overwhelmed me." Amazement followed his fear.
And he illustrates this his condition by the counsel he took with his own heart. Upon the deliberation the result was, that he would speedily fly away, fly into the wilderness, as if he might be safer among beasts than such men.
1. "And I said." That was the result upon his debate with himself.
2. "O that I had wings like a dove!" It is a fearful creature of a swift wing. In fear he was, and he would fly as fast and as far as the dove from the eagle.
3. As far, even to some remote land, where I should have rest from these wicked men.
And he amplifies and explains himself again: -
1. That he would fly far away, even to some desolate place out of their reach: "Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness."
2. That he would do it with speed: "I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest." Such turbulent and impetuous creatures his enemies were that threw down all before them, as a wind, storm, and tempest.
III. To his prayer he adds an imprecation: -
1. "Destroy them, O Lord destroy them in their own counsels."
2. Or else, "divide their tongue." Let them not agree in their counsels.
Of this he gives the reason in the following words: viz., that they were a band of violent, contentious, ungodly, troublesome, crafty, and fraudulent people.
1. Violent they were, and litigious: "I have seen violence and strife in the city."
2. Ungodly, and workers of iniquity they were; and incessant in it: "Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it."
3. Crafty and fraudulent also: "Deceit and guile depart not from her streets." It was then a city, a corporation, a society of evil doers.
And of this he produces an instance, which whether it were some bosom friend of David who stole out of the city of Keilah, and betrayed his counsels to Saul; or else Ahithophel, who, being formerly his great favourite and counsellor, fell to Absalom, it is uncertain. Whoever it was, such a treacherous person there was, and of him he complains: and well he might; for ουδεν μειζον ελκος η φιλος αδικων, "there is not a greater sore than a treacherous friend." This treachery he exaggerates most eloquently by an incrementum and apostrophe, drawing his aggravation from the laws of friendship, which he had broken. Had it been an enemy, he could have borne it; but that it was a friend was intolerable, and also inexcusable. Thus the climax stands: -
1. "For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it."
2. "Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself," that is, arise and insult me; "then I would have hid myself from him," never admitted him to my bosom.
But mark this emphatic adversative, for now he turns his speech to the man: -
1. "It was thou," emphatically thou, principally and beyond all others. None but thou.
2. "A man," according to my own rank, mine equal; my guide or counsellor; my acquaintance, my own familiar friend.
3. "We took sweet counsel together." One to whom I communicated my secrets.
4. "And walked unto the house of God in company." Professors we were of the same religion.
Now all these circumstances much heighten and aggravate the treachery: that thou, my equal, my director, my familiar friend, one whom I made the master of all my secrets, one who was a great professor of the same religion with me, that thou shouldst betray me, even break my heart. συ τεκνον; Judas - betrayest thou?
Being thus much wronged and moved, as he had just reason, he begins again with an imprecation, not only on him, but on all who believed him, even upon the whole faction: "Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell," have Korah, Dathan, and Abiram's wages. And he adds the reason. They are signally and incorrigibly wicked: "For wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them."
IV. Hitherto hath David prayed, complained, imprecated; but now he shows how he recovered courage again, being certain of God's help, and a revenge to be taken on his enemies.
1. "As for me, I will call upon God fervently, and the Lord shall save me."
2. "Evening, and morning, and at noon-day," incessantly, "will I pray and cry aloud; and he shall hear me."
3. And I pray in faith; experience I have of his deliverance; he hath done it, and he will do it again. "He hath redeemed my soul in peace from the battle which was against me.'' Even in the midst of the battle, I was as safe as in a time of peace; miraculously delivered, as if there had been no danger.
4. "For there were many with me." Many enemies, say some; others, many angels. Those refer it to the danger; these, to the protection. Many enemies round about me, and then it is a wonder I should be delivered. Many angels press to help me, and then it was no wonder that my life was saved. But as for the ungodly, it was not so with them; for this verse is opposed to the former.
1. "God shall hear," viz., me and my prayers, and the wrongs they do me.
2. "And shall afflict them," i.e., my enemies.
3. "Even he that abideth of old. Selah." Mark that, for He is immutable. His power and strength is the same, and his care and love to his people; therefore, he will afflict them.
And, besides, there are those who will provoke him to it, -
1. Because "they have no changes." Obstinate they are, impertinent, and change not their ways. Or else they prosper, they have perpetual success, and meet with no alteration; this makes them secure and proud.
2. "They fear not God." They ask, "Who is the Lord, that we should let Israel go?"
3. They are truce-breakers, violators of oaths, leagues, covenants, articles of war. "He (that is, some chief commander among them) hath put forth his hands, made war, imbrued his hands in blood, against such as are at peace with him." He hath broken and profaned his covenant - his oath.
4. He is a gross hypocrite; his deeds answer not to his words: "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."
V. In the epilogue of the Psalm he exhorts good men to rely upon God: "Cast thy burden (the cares, troubles, c., with which thou art loaded) on the Lord" and he fits it to his present purpose, both as it concerns the godly and the ungodly.
1. To the godly he gives this comfort: 1. "He (that is, God) shall sustain thee." He will uphold thee, and give thee strength under the heaviest burdens. "Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden." 2. "He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." With the temptation he will also give the issue; pressed they may be, but not oppressed so as finally to be overthrown.
2. To the ungodly. 1. Overthrown they shall be, and utterly destroyed: "Thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction;" the grave - hell. 2. "Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days." They come commonly to some untimely death, as Absalom and Ahithophel, concerning whom the Psalm was composed.
He concludes with the use he would make of it; as if he had said: Let these bloody and deceitful men repose their confidence in their armies, in their violence, in their crafty and subtle ways; I will take another course: "But I will trust in thee."
