Psalms 55:3

Psa 55:3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

Ver. 3. Because of the voice of the enemy] He may very well intend Shimei’s bitter revilings, 2Sa 16:5, &c.

For they cast iniquity upon me] They tumble it on me, as men do stones or anything else upon their besiegers, to endamage them; so did these, sin, shame, anything, upon innocent David, to make him odious.

And in wrath they hate me] Heb. they Satanically hate me.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. (Psa 55:3). From the voice of the enemy, from before the persecution of the wicked; for they will shake over me iniquity, and in wrath will oppose me. He now declares from what his distress arises. The preposition, in Hebrew as in English, has a causal meaning, or at lest suggests a relation of cause and effect. From the voice, i.e. because of it. From before or from the face conveys the same idea still more strongly, by a kind of personification of the evil dreaded. Persecution of the wicked: compare the oppression of the enemy, in Psa 42:9. Shake over me, or cause to slide upon me, a striking figure for the wilful infliction of evil on another. Iniquity may here be put, as it sometimes is, for active wickedness towards others, the cause of suffering rather than suffering itself. With this clause compare Psa 41:8. Oppose me, be my adversaries, whether in the way of resistance or assault. The Hebrew verb is a cognate form to that from which comes Satan or the Adversary.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For the threatnings of Saul and his adherents.

They have defamed me as a wicked person, or they have imagined my destruction.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

oppression--literally, "persecution."

they . . . iniquity--literally, "they make evil doings slide upon me."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 3. They cast iniquity upon me] To give a colourable pretense to their rebellion, they charge me with horrible crimes; as if they had said: Down with such a wretch; he is not fit to reign. Clamour against the person of the sovereign is always the watch-word of insurrection, in reference to rebellion.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(3) Oppressor.—This meaning of a rare word is secured from Amo_2:13.

Cast iniquity.—Better, roll mischief. The figure seems to be drawn from the practice of rolling stones down on an enemy from a height. In Psa_140:10 the same verb is used of rolling burning coals on a foe.

Hate me.—Better, persecute me.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. the voice of the enemy] Insulting, calumniating, threatening.

oppression] A peculiar word, found here only, meaning that his enemies hem him in or crush him down. Cp. the cognate verb in Amo_2:13.

3 b–5. He describes the nature of the persecution from which he is suffering, and its effect upon his spirits.

3 b. they cast iniquity upon me] Not, they charge me with crimes of which I am innocent: but, they hurl or roll mischief down upon me, a metaphor from the practice of rolling stones down upon an enemy. Cp. Psa_140:10 (of hot coals), and similar phrases in Psa_21:11; 2Sa_15:14.

and in wrath &c.] And in anger are they hostile unto me: (R.V. persecute me).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Because of the voice of the enemy,.... Of Absalom, as Arama; or of Ahithophel, who gave out he would smite the king only, Sa2 17:2; and so of any spiritual enemy, as sin, Satan, and the world, when they threaten dominion and tyranny; and of the Scribes and Pharisees reproaching Christ, as being a Samaritan, and having a devil, and doing his miracles by his assistance; menacing, insulting, and triumphing over him, when on the cross;

because of the oppression of the wicked; of Absalom or Ahithophel, as Arama; who conspired against David, and obliged him to quit his palace, and the city of Jerusalem; and is applicable to the troubles which surround the people of God, from every quarter, by wicked men, and to our Lord's being enclosed by them at the time of his Crucifixion, Psa 22:12;

for they cast iniquity upon me; laid things to his charge he knew not: so wicked men falsely accuse the good conversation of the saints; and so the Jews imputed crimes to Christ he was innocent of; as immorality, sedition, blasphemy, &c.

and in wrath they hate me; as they do all the people of God, because chosen and called, and separated from them: and so they did Christ, and with a mortal hatred, though without a cause.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Because of the voice of the enemy - He now states the cause of his troubles. He had been, and was, unjustly treated by others. The particular idea in the word “voice” here is, that he was suffering from slanderous reproaches; from assaults which had been made on his character. He was charged with evil conduct, and the charge was made in such a manner that he could not meet it. The result was, that a series of calamities had come upon him which was quite overwhelming.

Because of the oppression of the wicked - The word here rendered “oppression” occurs nowhere else. The verb from which it is derived occurs twice, Amo 2:13 : “Behold, I am “pressed” under you as a cart is “pressed” that is full of sheaves.” The idea is that of crushing by a heavy weight; and hence, of crushing by affliction. The “wicked” alluded to here, if the supposition referred to in the Introduction about the occasion of the psalm is correct, were Absalom and those who were associated with him in the rebellion, particularly Ahithophel, who had showed himself false to David, and had united with his enemies in their purpose to drive him from his throne.

For they cast iniquity upon me - That is, they charge me with sin; they attempt to justify themselves in their treatment of me by accusing me of wrong-doing, or by endeavoring to satisfy themselves that I deserve to be treated in this manner. If this refers to the time of the rebellion of Absalom, the allusion would be to the charges, brought by him against his father, of severity and injustice in his administration, 2Sa 15:2-6.

And in wrath they hate me - In their indignation, in their excitement, they are full of hatred against me. This was manifested by driving him froth his throne and his home.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The voice of the enemy, i.e. their clamours, and threats, and slanders, and insolent boastings; all which are hateful to thee, as well as injurious to me.

They cast iniquity upon me: the sense is, either,

1. They make me the great object of their wicked, and injurious, and mischievous practices; or,

2. They lay many crimes to my charge falsely, as if by my wickedness I was the cause of all my calamities.

They hate me; their anger and rage against me is no sudden and transitory passion, but is boiled up into malice and hatred.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 3. Because of the voice of the enemy. The enemy was vocal and voluble enough, and found a voice where his godly victim had nothing better than a "noise." Slander is seldom short of expression, it prates and prattles evermore. Neither David, nor our Lord, nor any of the saints were allowed to escape the attacks of venomous tongues, and this evil was in every case the cause of acute anguish.

Because of the oppression of the wicked: the unjust pressed and oppressed the righteous; like an intolerable burden they crushed them down, and brought them to their knees before the Lord. This is a thrice told story, and to the end of time it will be true; he that is born after the flesh will persecute him that is born after the Spirit. The great seed of the woman suffered from a bruised heel.

For they cast iniquity upon me, they black me with their soot bags, throw the dust of their lying over me, cast the vitriol of their calumny over me. They endeavour to trip me up, and if I do not fall they say I do.

And in wrath they hate me. With a hearty ill will they detested the holy man. It was no sleeping animosity, but a moral rancour which reigned in their bosoms. The reader needs not that we show how applicable this is to our Lord.

Ver. 3. Because of the voice of the enemy, there is their railing; because of the oppression of the wicked, there is their violent robbing him of his estate; they cast iniquity upon me, there are their slanderous traducings of him, and charging him with faults falsely; in wrath they hate me, there is their cruel seeking to kill. David Dickson.

Ver. 3. For they cast iniquity upon me. They tumble it on me, as men do stones or anything else upon their besiegers, to endamage them; so did these sin, shame, anything, upon innocent David, to make him odious. John Trapp.

None.

Psalms 55:4*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

3. They cast iniquity upon me—The figure is borrowed from setting in motion, or casting down from a height, weighty stones, or other instruments of death, upon an enemy, as Psa_140:10. They had hurled iniquity upon him by false accusations, threats, and dark conspiracies. See 2Sa_15:7-8; 2Sa_19:19

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Because of the voles of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. Professor Cheyne says that by "the wicked" heathen men are primarily intended. But vr the word used is" the wicked man," in the simplest and widest sense. (see Psa_1:1, Psa_1:4, Psa_1:5, 6 7:9 9:16, etc.) For they cast iniquity upon me; or, "hurl wickedness at me" (Cheyne). And in wrath they hats me; rather, they persecute me (Hengstenberg, Kay, Cheyne, Revised Version).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Voice - Their clamours and threats, and slanders. Cast - They lay many crimes to my charge.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

I lament in my speech Heb. אריד, I will lament of my pain, as (Lam. 3:19): “Remember my affliction and my misery (ומרודי).” Also (Jud. 11:37): “and wail (וירדתי) upon the mountains.” Menachem (p. 162) interpreted אריד as an expression of ruling, as (Gen. 1:28): “and rule (ורדו) over the fish of the sea.” שּׂיחי is an expression of speech (Prov. 23:29): “He who talks too much (שיח).”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.