Psalms 55:1
in Psalms 55Listen to my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Give ear to my prayer, O God; And hide not thyself from my supplication.
KJV
Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
⋯
This verse in Psalms 55
Commentary
10 notes on this verseGive ear to my prayer, O God. The fact is so commonly before us, otherwise we should be surprised to observe how universally and constantly the saints resort to prayer in seasons of distress. From the Great Elder Brother down to the very least of the divine family, all of them delight in prayer. They run as naturally to the mercyseat in time of trouble as the little chickens to the hen in the hour of danger.
This site's exposition
Listen to my prayer, O God
on Psalms 55:1-3
The pressure at verse 3 is a voice, and speech stays the weapon through this psalm, in the words softer than oil at verse 21. Verse 2 gives the effect on the man, restless and distraught. The prayer asks only to be heard.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"Hear Thou, O God, my entreaty, and despise not my prayer: give heed unto me, and hearken unto me" [Psalm 55:1]. Of one earnest, anxious, of one set in tribulation, are these words. He is praying, suffering many things, from evil yearning to be delivered: it remains that we hear in what evil he is, and when he begins to speak, let us acknowledge there ourselves to be; in order that the tribulation being shared, we may conjoin prayer.
"Hear Thou, O God, my entreaty, and despise not my prayer: give heed unto me, and hearken unto me" [Psalm 55:1]. Of one earnest, anxious, of one set in tribulation, are these words. He is praying, suffering many things, from evil yearning to be delivered: it remains that we hear in what evil he is, and when he begins to speak, let us acknowledge there ourselves to be; in order that the tribulation being shared, we may conjoin prayer.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"Hear, O God, my prayer, and do not despise." Above, the Psalmist showed the assault of enemies against himself. Here he sets forth deliverance from them. And first he asks in general against all enemies. Second, he asks specifically against certain ones, at "Rescue me …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Hide not thyself from my supplication, either as one unconcerned and not regarding it, nor seeming to take any notice of it, or as one displeased, angry at me, and therefore at my prayer." If we, in our prayers, sincerely lay open ourselves, our case, our hearts, to God, we have reason to hope that he will not hide himself, his favours, his comforts, from us.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Give ear to my prayer, O God,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Give ear to my prayer, O God. The fact is so commonly before us, otherwise we should be surprised to observe how universally and constantly the saints resort to prayer in seasons of distress. From the Great Elder Brother down to the very least of the divine family, all of them delight in prayer. They run as naturally to the mercyseat in time of trouble as the little chickens to the hen in the hour of danger. But note well that it is never the bare act of prayer which satisfies the godly, they crave an audience with heaven, and an answer from the throne, and nothing less will content them. Hide not thyself from my supplication. Do not stop thine ear, or restrain thy hand. When a man saw his neighbour in distress, and deliberately passed him by, he was said to hide himself from him; and the psalmist begs that the Lord would not so treat him. In that dread hour when Jesus bore our sins upon the tree, his Father did hide himself, and this was the most dreadful part of all the Son of David's agony. Well may each of us deprecate such a calamity as that God should refuse to hear our cries.
Give ear to my prayer - The frequency of such petitions shows the great earnestness of David’s soul. If God did not hear and help, he knew he could not succeed elsewhere; therefore he continues to knock at the gate of God’s mercy.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Give ear to my prayer - See the notes at Psa 5:1; Psa 17:6. This is the language of earnestness. The psalmist was in deep affliction, and he pleaded, therefore, that God would not turn away from him in his troubles. And hide not thyself from my supplication - That is, Do not withdraw thyself, or render thyself inaccessible to my prayer. Do not so conceal thyself that I may not have the privilege of approaching thee. Compare the notes at Isa 1:15. See also Eze 22:26; Pro 28:27; Lev 20:4; 1Sa 12:3. The same word is used in all these places, and the general meaning is that of “shutting the eyes upon,” as implying neglect. So also in Lam 3:56, the phrase “to hide the ear” means to turn away so as not to hear. The earnest prayer of the psalmist here is, that God would not, as it were, withdraw or conceal himself, but would give free access to himself in prayer. The language is, of course, figurative, but it illustrates what often occurs when God seems to withdraw himself; when our prayers do not appear to be heard; when God is apparently unwilling to attend to us.
The words behind it
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַאֲזִ֣ינָה | haazinah | give ear to ! | H238 → | 41 times |
| אֱ֭לֹהִים | ʾelohim | O God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| תְּפִלָּתִ֑י | tefilati | prayer my | H8605 → | 72 times |
| וְאַל־ | veal- | and may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּ֝תְעַלַּ֗ם | titalam | you hide yourself | H5956 → | 28 times |
| מִתְּחִנָּתִֽי׃ | mitechinati | from supplication my | H8467 → | 25 times |
הַאֲזִ֣ינָהgive ear to !
haazinahH238 →41 times
אֱ֭לֹהִיםO God
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
תְּפִלָּתִ֑יprayer my
tefilatiH8605 →72 times
וְאַל־and may not
veal-H408 →724 times
תִּ֝תְעַלַּ֗םyou hide yourself
titalamH5956 →28 times
מִתְּחִנָּתִֽי׃from supplication my
mitechinatiH8467 →25 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
1 Peter 3:12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
it leads to
- Psalms 34:15–16
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.
- John 9:31
We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will.
- Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
- Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
- 2 Chronicles 7:15
Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
- Psalms 34:15–16
Through
Psalms 61:1Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer.
it leads to
- Philippians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
- Psalms 4:1
Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved my distress; show me grace and hear my prayer.
- Psalms 130:2
O Lord, hear my voice; let Your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Philippians 4:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Psalms
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; 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, Vol. 3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.