The Meaning of Psalms 55:17 Explained

Psalms 55:17

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

YLT: Evening, and morning, and noon, I meditate, and make a noise, and He heareth my voice,

Darby: Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and moan aloud; and he will hear my voice.

ASV: Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain, and moan; And he will hear my voice.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 55:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 55:12-23 - Friends May Forsake, But God Abideth
The streets and open spaces of the city were filled with conspirators. Violence, strife, deceit, and oppression trampled the virtuous and helpless under foot. The treachery of Ahithophel was worse than all. How different the hot anger of David from our Lord's treatment of Judas, when He washed Judas' feet, expostulated with him in the garden, and bade him pause to think to what he had come! Blessed is the soul that retires from the hubbub of the street-as David, Daniel, and all devout Israelites were wont to do-three times a day. Compare Psalms 55:17 with Daniel 6:10 and Acts 10:9. He will cover our heads in the day of battle and redeem our souls in peace, if only we will trust Him.
As the r.v. marginal rendering of Psalms 55:22 suggests, thy burden is that which God has given thee to carry. It did not come by chance nor from the evil intent of men. He cast it on thee; cast it back on Him. We cannot do our work so long as we stoop beneath the exhausting waste of anxiety and care. Hand all over to thy Father's care. Let no burdens break the Sabbath-keeping of thy heart! Nehemiah 13:19. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 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

What do the individual words in Psalms 55:17 mean?

Evening and morning and at noon I will pray and cry aloud and He shall hear my voice
עֶ֤רֶב וָבֹ֣קֶר וְ֭צָהֳרַיִם אָשִׂ֣יחָה וְאֶהֱמֶ֑ה וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע קוֹלִֽי

עֶ֤רֶב  Evening 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶרֶב  
Sense: evening, night, sunset.
וָבֹ֣קֶר  and  morning 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.
וְ֭צָהֳרַיִם  and  at  noon 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: צֹהַר 
Sense: noon, midday.
אָשִׂ֣יחָה  I  will  pray 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common singular
Root: שִׂיחַ  
Sense: to put forth, mediate, muse, commune, speak, complain, ponder, sing.
וְאֶהֱמֶ֑ה  and  cry  aloud 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual, first person common singular
Root: הָמָה  
Sense: to murmur, growl, roar, cry aloud, mourn, rage, sound, make noise, tumult, be clamorous, be disquieted, be loud, be moved, be troubled, be in an uproar.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע  and  He  shall  hear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
קוֹלִֽי  my  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.