Psalm 55:10
New International Version
Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it.

New Living Translation
Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders, but the real danger is wickedness within the city.

English Standard Version
Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it;

Berean Standard Bible
Day and night they encircle the walls, while malice and trouble lie within.

King James Bible
Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.

New King James Version
Day and night they go around it on its walls; Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it.

New American Standard Bible
Day and night they go around her upon her walls, And evil and harm are in her midst.

NASB 1995
Day and night they go around her upon her walls, And iniquity and mischief are in her midst.

NASB 1977
Day and night they go around her upon her walls; And iniquity and mischief are in her midst.

Legacy Standard Bible
Day and night they go around her upon her walls, And wickedness and mischief are in her midst.

Amplified Bible
Day and night they go around her walls; Wickedness and mischief are in her midst.

Christian Standard Bible
day and night they make the rounds on its walls. Crime and trouble are within it;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
day and night they make the rounds on its walls. Crime and trouble are within it;

American Standard Version
Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: Iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.

Contemporary English Version
and they are like guards on patrol day and night. The city is full of trouble, evil,

English Revised Version
Day and night they go about upon the walls thereof: iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Day and night they go around on [top of] the city walls. Trouble and misery are everywhere.

Good News Translation
surrounding it day and night, filling it with crime and trouble.

International Standard Version
Day and night they prowl around its walls; evil and iniquity are within it.

Majority Standard Bible
Day and night they encircle the walls, while malice and trouble lie within.

NET Bible
Day and night they walk around on its walls, while wickedness and destruction are within it.

New Heart English Bible
Day and night they prowl around on its walls. Malice and abuse are also within her.

Webster's Bible Translation
Day and night they go about it upon its walls: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.

World English Bible
Day and night they prowl around on its walls. Malice and abuse are also within her.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
By day and by night they go around it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness [are] in its midst,

Young's Literal Translation
By day and by night they go round it, on its walls. Both iniquity and perverseness are in its midst,

Smith's Literal Translation
Day and night they will surround it upon its walls: and vanity and trouble in her midst.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Day and night shall iniquity surround it upon its walls: and in the midst thereof are labour,

Catholic Public Domain Version
Day and night, iniquity will surround it upon its walls, and hardship is in its midst,

New American Bible
making rounds on its walls day and night. Within are mischief and trouble;

New Revised Standard Version
Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Day and night they go about it, around its walls; injustice and mischief are in the midst of it.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
By day and by night they go around its walls.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof; Iniquity also and mischief are in the midst of it.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Day and night he shall go round about it upon its walls: iniquity and sorrow and unrighteousness are in the midst of it;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Cast Your Burden upon the LORD
9O Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city. 10Day and night they encircle the walls, while malice and trouble lie within. 11Destruction is within; oppression and deceit never leave the streets.…

Cross References
Jeremiah 6:7
As a well gushes its water, so she pours out her evil. Violence and destruction resound in her; sickness and wounds are ever before Me.

Isaiah 59:7-8
Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake. / The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their tracks. They have turned them into crooked paths; no one who treads on them will know peace.

Micah 2:1
Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.

Habakkuk 1:3
Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds.

Proverbs 4:16-17
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall. / For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

Ezekiel 7:23
Forge the chain, for the land is full of crimes of bloodshed, and the city is full of violence.

Isaiah 48:22
“There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.”

Isaiah 57:20-21
But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, for it cannot be still, and its waves churn up mire and muck. / “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Luke 19:41-44
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it / and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. / For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. ...

Romans 3:15-17
“Their feet are swift to shed blood; / ruin and misery lie in their wake, / and the way of peace they have not known.”

James 4:1-2
What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? / You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.

2 Timothy 3:1-5
But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. / For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, / unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, ...

2 Peter 2:13-15
The harm they will suffer is the wages of their wickedness. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deception as they feast with you. / Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed. / They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.

Revelation 18:24
And there was found in her the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who had been slain on the earth.


Treasury of Scripture

Day and night they go about it on the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the middle of it.

Day

Psalm 59:6,14,15
They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city…

1 Samuel 19:11
Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.

2 Samuel 17:1,2
Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: …

mischief

2 Samuel 16:21,22
And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong…

Isaiah 59:6-15
Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands…

Ezekiel 9:4
And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

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Abuse Heart Iniquity Malice Midst Mischief Night Perverseness Prowl Round Sorrow Thereof Trouble Walls Within
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Abuse Heart Iniquity Malice Midst Mischief Night Perverseness Prowl Round Sorrow Thereof Trouble Walls Within
Psalm 55
1. David in his prayer complains of his fearful case
9. He prays against his enemies, of whose wickedness and treachery he complains
16. He comforts himself in God's preservation oh him, and confusion of his enemies














Day and night
This phrase emphasizes the continuous and relentless nature of the turmoil described in the psalm. In the Hebrew context, "day and night" signifies an unending cycle, suggesting that the distress and conflict are pervasive and persistent. The psalmist is expressing a sense of being overwhelmed by the constant presence of trouble, which can be likened to the unceasing passage of time. This reflects the human experience of enduring trials that seem never-ending, reminding believers of the need for God's intervention and the hope that His presence brings even in the darkest times.

they encircle the walls
The imagery of encircling walls suggests a siege, a common occurrence in ancient times when cities were fortified against enemy attacks. Historically, cities like Jerusalem were often under threat, and the encircling of walls would have been a familiar and fearsome image to the original audience. This phrase conveys a sense of being besieged by enemies, both external and internal, and can be understood as a metaphor for the spiritual and emotional battles that believers face. It serves as a reminder of the need for vigilance and reliance on God's protection against the forces that seek to undermine faith and peace.

of this city
The reference to "this city" likely points to Jerusalem, the central place of worship and the heart of the Israelite nation. Jerusalem holds significant historical and spiritual importance as the city of David and the location of the Temple. In a broader sense, "this city" can symbolize the community of believers or the Church, which is often under spiritual attack. The psalmist's lament over the city's condition reflects a deep concern for the spiritual well-being of God's people and underscores the importance of communal faithfulness and prayer for divine safeguarding.

Trouble and iniquity
These words highlight the moral and ethical decay that the psalmist perceives within the city. "Trouble" suggests chaos and disorder, while "iniquity" points to sin and moral corruption. The Hebrew roots of these words convey a sense of wrongdoing and injustice that pervades society. This serves as a call to repentance and a return to righteousness, urging believers to examine their own lives and communities for areas where sin has taken root. It is a reminder of the need for God's cleansing and the transformative power of His grace to restore holiness and order.

are within it
The phrase "are within it" indicates that the source of the trouble and iniquity is internal rather than external. This internal corruption is often more dangerous because it can be hidden and insidious, eroding the foundations of faith and community from within. For the believer, this serves as a warning to guard against complacency and to be vigilant in maintaining personal and communal integrity. It underscores the importance of self-examination, accountability, and the pursuit of holiness in the life of the Church and the individual believer.

(10) They go.--It is quite in keeping with the Hebrew style to suppose mischief and strife personified here as the ancient versions do, and not only occupying the city as inhabitants, but prowling about its walls. So in the next verse corruption (see Psalm 5:9, Note), deceit, and guile are personified. Comp. Virgil's

"ubique

Luctus, ubique Pavor, et plurima mortis imago."

Verse 10. - Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof. "It is not a siege or blockade that is described; and the persons spoken of are not foreign, but native enemies. These are compared to watchmen on the walls; only, instead of keeping watch against the enemy, they 'watch for iniquity' "(Cheyne). Mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it; rather, iniquity also and trouble. Compare the "violence and strife" of ver. 9. Society is disorganized. It is not only that wickedness prevails, but throughout the city there is violence and contention.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Day
יוֹמָ֤ם (yō·w·mām)
Adverb
Strong's 3119: Daytime, by day

and night
וָלַ֗יְלָה (wā·lay·lāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3915: A twist, night, adversity

they encircle
יְסוֹבְבֻ֥הָ (yə·sō·wḇ·ḇu·hā)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5437: To turn about, go around, surround

the walls,
חוֹמֹתֶ֑יהָ (ḥō·w·mō·ṯe·hā)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

while malice
וְאָ֖וֶן (wə·’ā·wen)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 205: Strictly nothingness, trouble, vanity, wickedness, an idol

and trouble
וְעָמָ֣ל (wə·‘ā·māl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5999: Toil, wearing effort, worry, wheth, of body, mind

[lie] within.
בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃ (bə·qir·bāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7130: The nearest part, the center


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OT Poetry: Psalm 55:10 Day and night they prowl around (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 55:9
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