Psalm 55 - The Contemplative Bible Meditation Series

Psalm 55 is a psalm of deep distress and an honest outpouring of the heart.

It is the cry of one who has been betrayed by a close friend,

Yet through the pain finds solace in God's steadfast love.

As we journey through this psalm,

We explore its timeless relevance for modern readers who grapple with emotional turbulence,

Betrayal,

Anxiety,

And the longing for peace.

This meditation offers a space to reflect on how this ancient prayer can speak directly into the depths of our own lives and remind us to cast our burdens on the one who sustains us.

Psalm 55 Give ear to my prayer,

O God,

And do not hide yourself from my supplication.

Attend to me and hear me.

I am restless in my complaint and moan noisily,

Because of the voice of the enemy,

Because of the oppression of the wicked.

For they bring down trouble upon me,

And in wrath they hate me.

My heart is severely pained within me,

And the tethers of death have fallen upon me.

Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,

And horror has overwhelmed me.

So I said,

O that I had wings like a dove,

I would fly away and be at rest.

Indeed I would wander far off and remain in the wilderness,

Sela.

I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.

Destroy,

O Lord,

And divide their tongues,

For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

Day and night they go around it on its walls.

Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it.

Destruction is in its midst.

Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.

For it is not an enemy who reproaches me,

Then I could bear it,

Nor is it one who hates me,

Who has exalted himself against me,

Then I could hide from him.

But it was you,

O man,

My equal,

My companion and my acquaintance.

We took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in the throng.

Let death seize them.

Let them go down alive into hell,

For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.

As for me,

I will call upon God,

And the Lord shall save me.

Evening and morning and at noon I will pray and cry aloud,

And he shall hear my voice.

He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me.

For there were many against me.

God will hear and afflict them,

Even he who abides from of old,

Salah,

Because they do not change,

Therefore they do not fear God.

He has put forth his hands against those who are at peace with him.

He has broken his covenant.

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.

Cast your burden on the Lord,

And he shall sustain you.

He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

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.

Verses 1 and 2 Give ear to my prayer,

O God,

And do not hide yourself from my supplication.

Attend to me and hear me.

I am restless in my complaint,

And moan noisily.

We begin with an earnest cry,

A cry that resonates with our need to be heard when our souls are burdened.

In this moment,

Imagine the restlessness within your heart,

The swirling thoughts,

The heavy weight of unspoken pain.

When we bring this before God,

We are not met with silence,

But with divine attention.

As we vocalize our fears and worries,

There is a deep spiritual release.

We are invited to trust that no cry goes unheard.

In these verses,

Allow yourself to rest in the knowledge that God listens,

Even when the world seems indifferent.

Verses 3-5 Because of the voice of the enemy,

Because of the oppression of the wicked,

For they bring down trouble upon me,

And in wrath they hate me.

My heart is severely pained within me,

And the tethers of death have fallen upon me.

Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me,

And horror has overwhelmed me.

Here the Samhishd expresses the rawness of inner turmoil,

Fear,

Anxiety,

And even dread.

These emotions are not foreign to us,

They arise when we are confronted with uncertainty or betrayal.

The psalm gives us permission to feel deeply and to name our pain.

As we meditate on this,

Let us reflect on our own fears,

Acknowledging them without judgment.

Invite a sense of divine compassion to wash over you.

Remember,

Fear is not a sign of weakness,

But an opportunity to invite God into the depths of our suffering,

Where he holds us gently.

Verses 6-8 So I said,

O that I had wings like a dove!

I would fly away and be at rest.

Indeed I would wander far off and remain in the wilderness.

I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and temptest.

The longing to escape is universal.

We all have moments when we desire to flee from the pressures and chaos of life.

The psalmist yearns for the peaceful simplicity of the wilderness,

Where one can find rest from life's storms.

In your own life,

Consider where you might be seeking rest,

Both physically and spiritually.

Perhaps the wilderness for you is a moment of silence,

A moment of stillness,

A quiet prayer,

Or a retreat into nature.

Reflect on how you can create space in your life for peace,

Allowing your soul to breathe amidst the noise of the world.

Verses 9-11 Destroy,

O Lord,

And divide their tongues!

For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

Day and night they go around it on its walls.

Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it.

Destruction is in its midst.

Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.

These verses speak of the external chaos and injustice that often surrounds us.

In our world,

We too witness strife,

Deceit,

And oppression,

And it can weigh heavily on our hearts.

As we meditate here,

We are called to recognize that even in the midst of such turmoil,

There is hope in God's justice.

We are invited to release the burden of fixing everything ourselves and trust that God sees all and works in ways beyond our understanding.

Take a moment to release your frustrations with the world's injustices,

Knowing that divine wisdom is at work even when it is unseen.

Verses 12-14 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me,

Then I could bear it.

Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me,

Then I could hide from him.

But it was you,

A man my equal,

My companion,

And my acquaintance.

We took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in the throng.

Few things wound us more deeply than betrayal by someone we trust.

The psalmist laments the pain of being hurt by a friend,

And we too know the sting of such betrayal.

Yet in this grief,

There is a deeper invitation,

The invitation to forgiveness and healing.

Consider the relationships in your life which have caused you pain.

Breathe deeply,

And with each exhale,

Release the grip of bitterness.

Healing takes time,

And God walks with us in that journey.

We are never alone,

Even in our most isolating experiences of hurt.

Verses 15-17 Let death seize them,

Let them go down alive into hell,

For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.

As for me,

I will call upon God and the Lord shall save me,

Evening and morning,

And at noon I will pray and cry aloud,

And he shall hear my voice.

Here,

We see the psalmist's intense emotions,

Anger at injustice,

Yet a simultaneous turning towards God for deliverance.

When anger rises in us,

It is not to be ignored or suppressed,

But transformed.

By bringing our anger to God,

We allow him to transmute it into strength and compassion.

The psalmist reminds us to persist in prayer,

Morning,

Noon,

And night,

Trusting that God hears us even in our most turbulent emotions.

Let this inspire you to create a rhythm of prayer in your life,

Where you can meet God in every moment of need.

Verses 18-19 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,

For there were many against me.

God will hear and afflict them,

He who abides firm of old.

In the midst of life's battles,

There is peace for the soul that turns to God.

The promise of redemption and peace is a balm for the weary.

Reflect on where you have felt opposition or conflict in your life,

Bring those situations into the light of God's presence,

Trusting in his redeeming power.

Allow his peace to fill the spaces where anxiety once lived.

Know that even when it seems like the odds are against you,

God is for you,

And his peace is already at work within you.

Verses 20-21 He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him.

He has broken his covenant.

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.

The Psalmist describes the deceit of those who appear kind but harbour ill intentions.

In our own lives,

We too may encounter people whose words do not match their hearts,

Yet we are called to discern wisely,

To protect our peace,

And to release the need for revenge.

Reflect on any situations where you felt misled or deceived.

Invite clarity and wisdom from God in navigating these relationships.

In doing so,

You preserve the integrity of your spirit,

Trusting that God sees all.

Verses 22-23 Cast your burden on the Lord and he shall sustain you.

He shall never permit the righteous to be moved,

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.

Finally,

We are given a simple yet profound instruction.

Cast your burdens on the Lord.

We are not designed to carry the weight of the world alone.

As you sit with this verse,

Imagine yourself laying down your burdens.

Every worry,

Every fear,

Every unresolved tension into the hands of God.

Feel the lightness that follows.

In this,

You are sustained by divine strength and your spirit is anchored in a peace that cannot be shaken.

A closing prayer.

O God of peace,

In our moments of fear and restlessness,

We turn to you.

Grant us the courage to bring our burdens to you,

Knowing that you will sustain us.

Help us to trust in your justice,

Your wisdom,

And your unfailing love.

Even when the storms of life rage around us,

Let your peace fill our hearts and may we be a light of hope and compassion to others in their time of need.

We rest in you,

Knowing that you are ever-present and ever-faithful.

Amen.

I cast my burdens on the Lord and he sustains me.

Carry this mantra with you,

Repeating it whenever you feel overwhelmed,

And let it bring you into the calm presence of divine peace.

Amen.