Psalm 55:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.

NIV: Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.

NASB: Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and moan, And He will hear my voice.

CSB: I complain and groan morning, noon, and night, and he hears my voice.

NLT: Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.

KJV: Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

NKJV: Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.

Though David faced danger (Psalm 55:2–5) and betrayal (Psalm 55:12–13), he did not lose all hope. Even in these dire circumstances, he trusted the Lord to keep him safe. This faith is not blind or baseless; David knew God would keep His promises about David's continued reign as king (2 Samuel 7:9, 11). This brought him back to trusting prayer, despite his own fear (Psalm 55:16). David knew his words were not falling on deaf ears; he fully relied on God to hear and to respond.

Here, David describes his approach using the expression "evening and morning and at noon." This most likely means "continually" or "all the time." Parallel English expressions say we are doing something "day and night" or "from sunrise to sunset." The New Testament does not specify precise times for Christians to pray, but 1 Thessalonians 5:17 instructs Christians to "pray without ceasing."

However, this might also mean David engaged in prayer according to a deliberate schedule. Devout Jews in the ancient world observed certain hours of prayer, typically morning, afternoon, and evening. Daniel 6:10 indicates that the prophet Daniel "got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God." As in the case of David, Daniel's habit of praying served him well in the face of peril. Acts 3:1 points out that Peter and John, Jews who became followers of Jesus, "were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour." They, too, practiced the habit of praying consistently even under severe circumstances.

David begins this song with a prayer for rescue, likely from his rebelling son, Absalom (2 Samuel 15:1–12). David is pained because of a close ally's betrayal; this would refer to Ahithophel, who sided with the rebels (2 Samuel 15:31). This situation creates intense fear. However, David is confident God will rescue him. He is fully assured that those who attack him will be humbled and judged by the Lord.

This is among the psalms recording David's plea for divine help in a time of persecution (Psalms 3; 6; 35). He was betrayed by a close friend, likely Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15:31). This was probably written in response to the rebellion of Absalom (2 Samuel 15:1–12). Despite his trouble, David was confident God would protect him and punish his enemies.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.