Psalm 55 15

Psalm 55:15 kjv

Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

Psalm 55:15 nkjv

Let death seize them; Let them go down alive into hell, For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.

Psalm 55:15 niv

Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the realm of the dead, for evil finds lodging among them.

Psalm 55:15 esv

Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.

Psalm 55:15 nlt

Let death stalk my enemies;
let the grave swallow them alive,
for evil makes its home within them.

Psalm 55 verses

Psalm 55 15 Meaning

Psalm 55:15 is an imprecatory prayer, where the psalmist cries out to God for swift and complete divine judgment upon his enemies. Specifically, it calls for them to experience a sudden, unnatural death—a direct descent "alive into Sheol"—because their "wickedness is in their dwellings and in their midst," signifying pervasive internal and external depravity that warrants immediate and severe retribution. This prayer expresses a profound belief in God's active justice against the wicked, especially those who commit grave betrayals and treachery.

Psalm 55 15 Context

Psalm 55 falls within the category of individual lament psalms, particularly an imprecatory psalm. The psalmist, likely David, expresses deep anguish and distress (Ps 55:2-5), primarily due to betrayal by a trusted companion and the rampant wickedness and violence in his city (Ps 55:9-14). This betrayal, described as worse than that of an open enemy (Ps 55:12-14), causes David profound emotional and spiritual pain. His longing to flee (Ps 55:6-8) underscores the severity of the situation. Verse 15, therefore, is a desperate and fervent prayer for God to intervene with immediate, decisive, and even supernatural judgment upon these treacherous enemies who epitomize evil both outwardly and inwardly. Historically, many commentators link this psalm to Absalom's rebellion and Ahithophel's betrayal (2 Sam 15-17), providing a specific historical context for the personal anguish and desire for swift divine justice.

Psalm 55 15 Word analysis

• יַשִּׁיאוּ (yashiyu) - Root נש"ה (nashah), meaning "to seize," "to exact," "to delude." Here, in the Hiphil causative stem, it implies "let death come upon them suddenly" or "let death seize them." The active nature of death's arrival suggests a divinely appointed and forceful intervention rather than a natural demise.
• מָוֶת (mawet) - "death." Refers to the physical cessation of life. The psalmist is calling for a physical, irreversible end to his enemies.
• יֵרְדוּ (yerdu) - Root יר"ד (yarad), "to go down," "to descend." This verb directly evokes the action of descending into a lower place.
• שְׁאוֹל (Sheol) - The Hebrew term for the underworld, the realm of the dead, or the grave. It is the destination for all people upon death in the Old Testament understanding. Its mention signifies finality and removal from the living.
• חַיִּים (chayyim) - "alive," "living." This is the crucial modifier. The psalmist is not merely praying for their death and descent into Sheol, but specifically for them to go down "alive," while still living and breathing, as in the unparalleled judgment of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram in Numbers 16. This denotes a truly miraculous and terrifying act of God's immediate judgment, signifying that their sin is so heinous that even the natural process of death is bypassed for an immediate divine swallowing up.
• כִּי (ki) - "for," "because." This particle introduces the reason or justification for the prayer's severity, linking the requested judgment to the pervasive wickedness of the enemies.
• רָעוֹת (ra'ot) - "evils," "wickednesses," "calamities," "disasters." It denotes not just isolated evil acts, but a profound and pervasive condition of evil.
• בִּמְגוּרָם (bimeguram) - "in their dwelling place," "in their abode," "in their sojourning." This signifies that wickedness characterizes their living environment, their daily lives, and all that belongs to them. It suggests the external manifestation and pervasive nature of their sin, affecting their households and communal spaces.
• וּבְקִרְבָּם (uv'qirbam) - "and in their midst," "within them," "among them." This emphasizes the internal, core nature of their wickedness. It’s not just external acts or environmental corruption, but deep-seated evil residing at the very heart of their being, corrupting their character and motivations. It underscores that their depravity is total and complete, internally and externally.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Let death seize them, let them go down alive into Sheol": This is an intense, two-part imprecation. "Let death seize them" indicates a divinely inflicted, non-natural death. "Let them go down alive into Sheol" is a precise and potent allusion to the fate of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Num 16:30-33). It emphasizes an extraordinary, unprecedented act of divine wrath that removes the wicked suddenly from the realm of the living without warning or escape, swallowed by the earth into the pit of death. This prayer expresses a longing for the visible, irrefutable hand of God in judgment.
• "for wickedness is in their dwellings and in their midst": This phrase provides the divine rationale for such extreme judgment. The wicked's sin is not superficial; it permeates their very existence. "In their dwellings" (or habitations) points to their lifestyle, their actions, their household, and the influence they exert on their environment—all marked by corruption. "In their midst" (or within them) points to their inner being—their intentions, thoughts, character, and spirit—being saturated with evil. This duality emphasizes the total depravity and pervasive nature of the enemies' wickedness, making them deserving of the dire fate requested.

Psalm 55 15 Bonus section

The nature of imprecatory psalms, like Psalm 55:15, raises important theological considerations. They are inspired prayers found within God's Holy Word, reflecting the intense anguish of the righteous suffering under profound injustice and a longing for God's ultimate vindication. They do not advocate for personal, vigilante revenge but rather commit the judgment of the wicked entirely into God's hands. The psalmist trusts God to execute righteous judgment, aligning with the truth that vengeance belongs to the Lord (Deut 32:35, Rom 12:19). This prayer acknowledges human pain in the face of betrayal and affirms that God's character demands that sin not go unpunished. Furthermore, the strong link to the Korah rebellion serves as a potent reminder of specific and terrifying biblical precedents for God's swift and unusual judgments against direct affronts to His authority or severe betrayal.

Psalm 55 15 Commentary

Psalm 55:15 encapsulates a deep cry for divine justice in the face of egregious betrayal and pervasive evil. It's a striking example of an imprecatory psalm, not rooted in personal vindictiveness but in a profound trust that God is righteous and will judge wickedness. The psalmist's plea for death to "seize them" and for them to "go down alive into Sheol" is a direct invocation of the catastrophic judgment seen in Numbers 16 against Korah and his rebellious company. This specific language highlights the psalmist's belief that his enemies' wickedness is so profound and comprehensive—residing "in their dwellings" and "in their midst," indicating both external corruption and internal depravity—that it warrants a unique and immediate divine intervention, bypassing natural death processes. It is a testament to the righteous indignation that arises from the collision of God's perfect justice with flagrant sin, anticipating the ultimate truth that the Lord alone will render retribution against evil in His time.