Psalm 55:5 ESV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 55:1-8

In these verses we have, I. David praying. Prayer is a salve for every sore and a relief to the spirit under every burden: Give ear to my prayer, O God! Ps. 55:1, 2. He does not set down the petitions he offered up to God in his distress, but begs that God would hear the prayers which, at every period, his heart lifted up to God, and grant an answer of peace to them: Attend to me, hear me. Saul would not hear his petitions; his other enemies regarded not his pleas; but, ?Lord, be thou pleased... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 55:5

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me ,.... Fear and dread of mind, and trembling of body; and horror hath overwhelmed me ; or "covered me"; he was in the utmost consternation and surprise at what he apprehended would be the issue of things; so Christ in the garden is said to be "sore amazed", Mark 14:33 ; all which terror, fearfulness, trembling, and horror, arose from a sense of sin imputed to him, even of all the sins of his people, the faith of which must be nauseous to him,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 55:5

Fearfulness - How natural is this description! He is in distress; - he mourns; - makes a noise; - sobs and sighs; - his heart is wounded - he expects nothing but death; - this produces fear; - this produces tremor, which terminates in that deep apprehension of approaching and inevitable ruin that overwhelms him with horror. No man ever described a wounded heart like David. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 55:1-8

The true and the false way of encountering the difficulties of life. Sorrow, danger, and terror had come upon the psalmist with the force of a tempest. He thinks of two ways of escape—casting himself upon God and flight. Suggests the true and the false way of encountering the difficulties of life. I. TAKE THE FALSE FIRST . "Oh that I had wings," etc.! ( Psalms 55:6-8 ). W e must conquer difficulties , not fly from them : 1 . Because the post of difficulty is often... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 55:1-23

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 55:5

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. A graphic description of the feelings which the apprehension of death naturally excites in a man. Where the expectation of a life beyond the grave was so dim and shadowy as in Judaea at this time, the "horror" of death would be the greater. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 55:5

Fearfulness and trembling - Fear so great as to produce trembling. Compare the notes at Job 4:14. He knew not when these things would end. How far the spirit of rebellion had spread he knew not, and he had no means of ascertaining. It seemed as if he would be wholly overthrown; as if his power was wholly at an end; as if even his life was in the greatest peril.And horror hath overwhelmed me - Margin, as in Hebrew, “covered me.” That is; it had come upon him so as to cover or envelop him... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Psalms 55:1-23

Psalms 55:0 Betrayed by a friendDavid is worried and uncertain. He has found that so-called friends have been plotting against him (e.g. Ahithophel; 2 Samuel 15:12,2 Samuel 15:31; 2 Samuel 17:1-3) and he knows not which way to turn. He remembers things he saw certain people do and realizes now that they were treacherously aimed at his downfall (1-3).Overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness, David fears that death is upon him (4-5). He wishes that he could escape from it all. He would like to fly... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown