Psalms 55:20
in Psalms 55My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He hath put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him: He hath profaned his covenant.
KJV
He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
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This verse in Psalms 55
Commentary
8 notes on this verseHe hath put forth his hands,.... The psalmist returns and describes, in this verse Psa 55:3, the cruelty, perfidy, and hypocrisy of his false friend; who had stretched forth his hands against such as be at peace with him, or he pretended to be at peace with.
This site's exposition
My companion attacks his friends
on Psalms 55:20-21
The charge in verse 20 is a broken covenant, and the man attacked his own friends. Verse 21 sets two pairs against each other, speech smooth as butter over war in the heart, words softer than oil that are swords unsheathed. The weapon in this psalm is a man's speech.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
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, …
"He stretcheth forth His hand in requiting." "They have polluted His Testament." Read the testament which they have polluted: "In thy seed shall be blessed all nations." Thou against these words of the Testator sayest what? The Africa of holy Donatus hath alone deserved this grace, in him hath remained the Church of Christ. Say at least the Church of Donatus. Wherefore addest thou, of Christ? Of whom it is said, "In thy seed shall be blessed all nations." After Donatus wilt thou go? Set aside Christ, and then secede. See therefore what followeth: "They have polluted His Testament." What Testament? To Abraham have been spoken the promises, and to his seed. The Apostle saith, "Nevertheless, a man's testament confirmed no one maketh void, or super-addeth to: to Abraham have been spoken the promises, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as if in many; but as if in one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ." In this Christ, therefore, what Testament hath been promised? "In thy seed shall be blessed all nations." Thou that hast given up the unity of all nations, and in a part hast remained, hast polluted His Testament. ...
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He has put forth his hand against those whom he had given his hand to, and has broken his covenant both with God and man, has perfidiously violated his engagement to both," than which nothing makes men riper for ruin. [3.] They are base and hypocritical, pretending friendship while they design mischief (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
The psalmist cannot forget the traitor's conduct, and returns again to consider it. He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him. He smites those to whom he had given the hand of friendship, he breaks the bonds of alliance, he is perfidious to those who dwell at ease because of his friendly profession. He hath broken his covenant. The most solemn league he has profaned, he is regardless of oaths and promises.
He hath put forth his hands - A farther description of Ahithophel. He betrayed his friends, and he broke his covenant with his king. He had agreed to serve David for his own emolument, and a stipulation was made accordingly; but while receiving the king’s pay, he was endeavoring to subvert the kingdom, and destroy the life of his sovereign.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him - Against those who were his friends, or who had given him no occasion for war. The Septuagint and Vulgate render this, “He hath put forth his hands in recompensing;” that is, in taking vengeance. The Hebrew would bear this construction, but the more correct rendering is that in our common version. The “connection” here would seem to indicate that this is to be referred to God, as God is mentioned in the previous verse. But evidently the design is to refer to the enemies, or the principal enemy of the psalmist - the man whom he had particularly in his eye in the composition of the psalm; and the language is that of one who was “full” of the subject - who was thinking of one thing - and who did not deem it necessary to specify by name the man who had injured him, and whose conduct had so deeply pained him. He, therefore, begins the verse, “He hath put forth his hands,” etc.; showing that his mind was fixed on the base conduct of his enemy. The language is such as leads us to suppose that the psalmist had Ahithophel in view, as being eminently the man that had in this cruel and unexpected manner put forth his hands against one who was his friend, and who had always treated him with confidence. He hath broken his covenant - He, Ahithophel. The margin, as the Hebrew, is, “He hath profaned.” The idea is, that he had defiled, or polluted it; or he had treated it as a vile thing - a thing to be regarded with contempt and aversion, as a polluted object is. The “covenant” here referred to, according to the views expressed above, may be supposed to refer to the compact or agreement of Ahithophel with David as an officer of his realm - as an adviser and counselor - that he would be faithful to the interests of the king and to his cause. […]
The words behind it
5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שָׁלַ֣ח | shalach | he stretched out | H7971 → | 845 times |
| יָ֭דָיו | yadav | hands his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| בִּשְׁלֹמָ֗יו | bishlomav | on allies his | H7965 → | 236 times |
| חִלֵּ֥ל | chilel | he violated | H2490 → | 143 times |
| בְּרִיתֽוֹ׃ | berito | covenant his | H1285 → | 284 times |
שָׁלַ֣חhe stretched out
shalachH7971 →845 times
יָ֭דָיוhands his
yadavH3027 →1618 times
בִּשְׁלֹמָ֗יוon allies his
bishlomavH7965 →236 times
חִלֵּ֥לhe violated
chilelH2490 →143 times
בְּרִיתֽוֹ׃covenant his
beritoH1285 →284 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
Psalms 89:34I will not violate My covenant or alter the utterance of My lips.
it leads to
- Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?
- Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
- James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.
- Malachi 3:6
“Because I, the LORD, do not change, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.
- Romans 11:29
For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.
- Numbers 23:19
Through
Acts 12:1About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church.
it leads to
- Matthew 24:9
Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
- John 15:20
Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours…
- Matthew 10:17–18
But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
- Matthew 24:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Psalms
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 55; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3; Fulgentius of Ruspe, ON THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS 2:13.1; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.