Psalms 55:19
in Psalms 55God will hear and humiliate them— the One enthroned for the ages— Selah because they do not change and they have no fear of God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
God will hear, and answer them, Even he that abideth of old, [Selah The men who have no changes, And who fear not God.
KJV
God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.
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This verse in Psalms 55
Commentary
5 notes on this verseon Psalms 55:19-20
Just as the most holy David blames the stubbornness of miserable and unhappy people who decline to be changed from evil to good during the course of this life, so he announces the coming punishment of divine retribution, saying, "For them there is no change, …
This site's exposition
But I call to God
on Psalms 55:16-19
The psalm turns to prayer at three fixed times, morning, noon and night, and He hears the voice. Verse 18 has God redeeming the soul in peace from the battle, with many opposing him. Verse 19 says they do not change and never fear God.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
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.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
God shall hear, and afflict them. They make a noise as well as I, and God will hear them. The voice of slander, malice, and pride, is not alone heard by those whom it grieves, it reaches to heaven, it penetrates the divine ear, it demands vengeance, and shall have it. God hears and delivers his people, he hears and destroys the wicked. Their cruel jests, their base falsehoods, their cowardly insults, their daring blasphemies are heard, and shall be repaid to them by the eternal judge. Even he that abideth of old.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Because . . . no changes--Prosperity hardens them (Ps 73:5). The treachery is aggravated by hypocrisy. The changes of number, Ps 55:15, 23, and here, enliven the picture, and imply that the chief traitor and his accomplices are in view together.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יִשְׁמַ֤ע׀ | yishma' | he will hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֵ֨ל׀ | ʾel | God | H410 → | 241 times |
| וְֽיַעֲנֵם֮ | veyaanem | and he will answer them | H6031 → | 82 times |
| וְיֹ֤שֵׁ֥ב | veyoshev | and [the one who] sits | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| קֶ֗דֶם | kedem | antiquity | H6924 → | 87 times |
| סֶ֥לָה | selah | Selah | H5542 → | 74 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר | ʾasher | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֵ֣ין | ʾein | not | H369 → | 789 times |
| חֲלִיפ֣וֹת | chalifot | changes | H2487 → | |
| לָ֑מוֹ | lamo | [belong] to <the> them | ||
| וְלֹ֖א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָרְא֣וּ | yareu | they fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
| אֱלֹהִֽים׃ | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
יִשְׁמַ֤ע׀he will hear
yishma'H8085 →1159 times
אֵ֨ל׀God
ʾelH410 →241 times
וְֽיַעֲנֵם֮and he will answer them
veyaanemH6031 →82 times
וְיֹ֤שֵׁ֥בand [the one who] sits
veyoshevH3427 →1079 times
קֶ֗דֶםantiquity
kedemH6924 →87 times
סֶ֥לָהSelah
selahH5542 →74 times
אֲשֶׁ֤רwhom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אֵ֣יןnot
ʾeinH369 →789 times
חֲלִיפ֣וֹתchanges
chalifotH2487 →
לָ֑מוֹ[belong] to <the> them
lamo
וְלֹ֖אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
יָרְא֣וּthey fear
yareuH3372 →315 times
אֱלֹהִֽים׃God
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Micah 5:2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days…
it leads to
- Matthew 2:6
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people…
- John 7:42
Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
- Matthew 2:6
Through
Ecclesiastes 8:11When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil.
it leads to
- Isaiah 26:10
Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD.
- Psalms 50:21–22
You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
- Romans 2:4–5
Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
- Isaiah 26:10
Through
Deuteronomy 33:27The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He drives out the enemy before you, giving the command, ‘Destroy him!’
it leads to
- Psalms 90:1–2
Lord, You have been our dwelling place through all generations.
- Psalms 18:2
The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
- Psalms 91:1–2
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
- Psalms 90:1–2
About Psalms
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3; Fulgentius of Ruspe, ON THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS 2:13.1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.