Psalms 55 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Voice — Their clamours and threats, and slanders. Cast — They lay many crimes to my charge.

The terrors — Deadly terrors; such as seize upon men in the agonies of death.

Tempest — From the force and fury of mine enemies.

Destroy — Destroy them by dividing. Tongues — Their speech, as thou didst at Babel, Genesis 11:9, their votes, and opinions, and counsels. Which was eminently done among Absalom's followers, 2 Samuel 17:23. Strife — Injustice and fraud, oppression and contention rule here, instead of that public justice and peace which I established. City — In Jerusalem; which in Absalom's time was a sink of all sins.

They — Violence and strife. Go about — Do encompass it, as it were a garrison. Walls — In the outward parts, as also in the very midst of it. So that all parts were horribly corrupted.

Streets — The places of buying and selling, and of public commerce.

Hated — With a manifest or old hatred.

Equal — Not in power, but in reputation, for wisdom, and influence upon my people. Guide — Whose counsel I highly prized, and constantly followed. All which agrees to Achitophel.

Them — All such as pretend to religion, and have manifestly apostatized both from the profession and practice of it. The grave — Cut off by a sudden and violent death. Among them — Heb. in their inwards. Wickedness is deeply rooted in their hearts.

Evening, &c. — The three stated times of prayer among the Jews.

He hath — He speaks of a future deliverance, as a thing done, because of the certainty of it. He hath restored me to my former peace and tranquility. For — For there were more with me than against me; even the holy angels whom God employed to defend and deliver me.

Hear — My prayers. Eternity — Who is eternal, and therefore unchangeable, and almighty. Because — They meet with no crosses nor disappointments. Therefore — Their success makes them go on securely, without any regard to God, or dread of his judgments.

He — They, the persons last mentioned.

Burden — All thy crosses, and cares, and fears, lay them upon the Almighty, by faith and prayer. He directs this speech to his own soul, and to all good men in like circumstances. Suffer — As he doth wicked men. Tho' he may for a season suffer them to be shaken, yet not to be overwhelmed.

Them — The wicked. Not live — But shall be cut off by an untimely and violent death. Trust in thee — And in this confidence I will quietly wait for deliverance.