The Book of Psalms

⭑ Catholic Public Domain Version 2009 ⭑

- Chapter 55 -

Cast your burden on the Lord

(2 Samuel 17:15-29)

Unto the end. In verses, the understanding of David.

Listen to my prayer, O God, and despise not my supplication.

Be attentive to me, and heed me. I have been grieved in my training, and I have been disturbed

at the voice of the adversary and at the tribulation of the sinner. For they have diverted iniquities toward me, and they have been harassing me with rage.

My heart has become disturbed within me, and the dread of death has fallen over me.

Fear and trembling have overwhelmed me, and darkness has buried me.

And I said, “Who will give me wings like the dove, so that I may fly away and take rest?”

Behold, I have fled far away, and I linger in solitude.

I waited for him who saved me from a weak-minded spirit and from a tempest.(a)

Cast them down, O Lord, and divide their tongues. For I have seen iniquity and contradiction in the city.

Day and night, iniquity will surround it upon its walls, and hardship is in its midst,

with injustice. And usury and deceit have not fallen away from its streets.

For if my enemy had spoken evil about me, certainly, I would have sustained it. And if he who hated me had been speaking great things against me, I would perhaps have hidden myself from him.

Truly, you are a man of one mind: my leader and my acquaintance,

who took sweet food together with me. In the house of God, we walked side-by-side.(b)

Let death come upon them, and let them descend alive into Hellfire. For there is wickedness in their dwellings, in their midst.(c)

(d)

But I have cried out to God, and the Lord will save me.

Evening and morning and midday, I will discourse and announce, and he will heed my voice.

He will redeem my soul in peace from those who draw near to me. For, among the many, they were with me.(e)

God will hear, and He who is before time will humble them. For there is no change with them, and they have not feared God.

He has stretched forth his hand in retribution. They have contaminated his covenant.

They were divided by the wrath of his countenance, and his heart has drawn near. His words are smoother than oil, and they are arrows.(f)

Cast your cares upon the Lord, and he will nurture you. He will not allow the just to be tossed about forever.

Truly, O God, you will lead them away into the well of death. Bloody and deceitful men will not divide their days in half. But I will hope in you, O Lord.

Footnotes

(a)54:9 The word ‘pusillanimitate’ is actually two Latin words put together. The first refers to a very young animal, but is used to express the idea of weakness. The second word refers to the mind, or soul, or spirit. The effect of putting the two words together results in an expression of the idea of a weak soul or a weak mind. Thus, ‘pusillanimitate spiritus’ refers to a weak-minded soul. The last word, ‘tempestate,’ in this context, refers not to a literal wind-storm, but to a tempest of the mind and soul, i.e. to inner turmoil. It can also be taken to refer to a storm of words or of various kinds of opposition to truth and justice.(Conte)

(b)54:15 The expression ‘ambulavimus cum consensu’ means to agree to walk together, much like the English expression, ‘we walked side-by-side.’(Conte)

(c)54:16 The Book of Revelation teaches that the Antichrist and the false prophet will be thrown alive into the fires of Hell. Those who are still alive on earth at the time of the general Resurrection, and who are unrepentant evil-doers, will also be sent alive into the fires of Hell, with a resurrected body and soul.(Conte)

(d)54:16 Let death, etc:This, and such like imprecations which occur in the psalms, are delivered prophetically; that is, by way of foretelling the punishments which shall fall upon the wicked from divine justice, and approving the righteous ways of God: but not by way of ill will, or uncharitable curses, which the law of God disallows.(Challoner)

(e)54:19 Among many, etc:That is, they that drew near to attack me were many in company all combined to fight against me.(Challoner)

(f)54:22 They are divided, etc:Dispersed, scattered, and brought to nothing, by the wrath of God; who looks with indignation on their wicked and deceitful ways.(Challoner)