Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 55

I mourn. —This verb is found in this form in only three other passages, always with the idea of restlessness — e.g.,Genesis 27:40, of the roving life of a Bedouin; Jeremiah 2:31, of moral restlessness; Hosea 12:1, of political instability. Here it may indicate either the bodily restlessness that often serves as an outlet for grief:

“Hard mechanic exercise,
Like dull narcotics, numbing pain,”

or the distracted state of the mind itself.

And make a noise. —Better, and must roar; the form of the verb expressing the compulsion that the sufferer feels to give vent to his feelings in groans and murmurs. (See Note on Psalms 42:5.)

Oppressor. —This meaning of a rare word is confirmed by Amos 2:13.

Cast iniquity. —A better translation is roll mischief. The image seems to be drawn from the practice of rolling stones down on an enemy from a height. In Psalms 140:10, the same verb is used for rolling burning coals on a foe.

Hate me. —A better translation is persecute me.

(4) Is sore pained. —Better, writhes with pain.

Terrors of death — i.e., terrors caused by death, a horror of death.

Oh that I had. —Literally, who will give me? —The bird that was in the psalmist’s thought was doubtless the Rock Pigeon (Columba livia), which selects for its nesting the lofty cliffs and deep ravines far from the neighborhood of man. (Compare to Song of Solomon 2:14, Note.)

Be at rest. —So the Septuagint and Vulgate, and the reading is consecrated by long use; but the parallelism seems to require the more literal dwell or abide.

Remain. —Better, lodge.