ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Psalms 55.12-14

Book: Psalms · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV (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)

"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)

"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)

"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

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 (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • 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 for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.