# Psalms 55.12-14 **Book:** [Psalms](/codex/psalms/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 10. Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: Iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it. 11. Wickedness is in the midst thereof: Oppression and guile depart not from its streets. > > **12. For it was not an enemy that reproached me; Then I could have borne it: Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; Then I would have hid myself from him: 13. But it was thou, a man mine equal, My companion, and my familiar friend. 14. We took sweet counsel together; We walked in the house of God with the throng.** > > 15. Let death come suddenly upon them, Let them go down alive into Sheol; For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them. 16. As for me, I will call upon God; And Jehovah will save me. (Psalms 55:10-16, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 10. Day and night they prowl around on its walls. Malice and abuse are also within her. 11. Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets. > > **12. For it was not an enemy who insulted me, then I could have endured it. Neither was it he who hated me who raised himself up against me, then I would have hidden myself from him. 13. But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend. 14. We took sweet fellowship together. We walked in God’s house with company.** > > 15. Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is among them, in their dwelling. 16. As for me, I will call on God. Yahweh will save me. (Psalms 55:10-16, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 10. Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. 11. Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. > > **12. For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: 13. But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. mine equal: Heb. according to my rank 14. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. We: Heb. Who sweetened counsel** > > 15. Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. hell: or, the grave 16. As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. (Psalms 55:10-16, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 10. By day and by night they go round it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness [are] in its midst, 11. Mischiefs [are] in its midst. Fraud and deceit depart not from its street. > > **12. For an enemy reproacheth me not, or I bear [it], He who is hating me Hath not magnified himself against me, Or I hide from him. 13. But thou, a man, as mine equal, My familiar friend, and mine acquaintance. 14. When together we sweeten counsel, Into the house of God we walk in company.** > > 15. Desolations [are] upon them, They go down [to] Sheol, alive, For wickedness [is] in their dwelling, in their midst. 16. I, to God I call, and Jehovah saveth me. (Psalms 55:10-16, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** various (David majority; Asaph, Korah, Moses, Solomon, anonymous) - **Audience:** worshipping Israel (corporate + individual devotion) - **Location:** Israel, various periods - **Time period:** composition spans c. 1400 BC (Moses, Ps 90), c. 400 BC; principal Davidic composition c. 1000 BC ## Theological reading ## Key words - [H0430 - elohim](/codex/h0430-elohim/), *elohim* (Strong's H430). Also appears in: [Genesis 1.1](/codex/genesis-1-1/), [Genesis 1.2](/codex/genesis-1-2/), [Genesis 1.14-19](/codex/genesis-1-14-19/). - [H3045 - yada](/codex/h3045-yada/), *yada* (Strong's H3045). Also appears in: [Genesis 3](/codex/genesis-3/), [Genesis 12](/codex/genesis-12/), [Genesis 19](/codex/genesis-19/). ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.