What Does Psalm 55:1 Mean in the King James?
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The plea asks God for two forms of nearness at once: to hear the words and not become hidden from the one speaking.
THE MEANING
Your need can take the form of a plain appeal for attention and presence: hear this plea, and do not withdraw from me. Here, the need is not only for a response; it is for the one being addressed to remain near enough to hear.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the idea that prayer is only a request for a result: the plea also names the fear of being hidden from God.
THE ROOT
תְּחִנָּה
teḥinnah
GROWS FROM
ח־נ־ן
to show favor, be gracious
The word for supplication grows from the root for showing favor: the speaker asks not only that the words be heard, but that favor be turned toward the one speaking. Beneath the English “supplication” is a plea for gracious regard.
ALSO GROWS
ḥen: favor
חֵן
This branch makes the link plain: the supplication is a plea for favor.
ḥannun: gracious, favor-giving
חַנּוּן
The plea addresses the possibility of gracious regard, not an outcome that can be demanded.
תְּפִלָּה
tefillah
GROWS FROM
פ־ל־ל
to intervene or interpose; in the reflexive form, to pray or intercede
The Hebrew word for prayer belongs to a root associated with interposing or intervening; its reflexive form means to pray or intercede. Prayer is therefore pictured as an appeal entering a relationship, not just words spoken into the air.
ALSO GROWS
hitpallel: to pray, appeal, or intercede
הִתְפַּלֵּל
This verbal form shows the same root as an act of appeal, illuminating the force of “my prayer.”
mitpallel: one who prays
מִתְפַּלֵּל
The participle names the one making the appeal, linking the prayer to a person seeking to be heard.
תִּתְעַלַּם
titʿallem
GROWS FROM
ע־ל־ם
to conceal, hide, or be unseen
“hide thyself” in this verse is titʿallem. The verb is reflexive: the plea is for God not to make himself hidden. The distress named here is not only whether an answer arrives, but whether the one addressed withdraws from view.
ALSO GROWS
heʿelim: to conceal or hide
הֶעֱלִים
This related form makes the sense of hiding explicit in the plea.
neʿlam: hidden, concealed
נֶעְלָם
This branch describes the state the speaker asks not to be left in: God as hidden from view.
THE PATTERN
A plea brings need into speech while asking that the hearer stay turned toward it.
Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.THE THREAD
A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.Both verses use תְּפִלָּה (tefillah, prayer), from פ־ל־ל (palal), the root associated with appeal and intercession. Psalm 102 makes the movement vivid: the prayer is a cry asked to come before God, while Psalm 55 pairs that appeal with the plea that God not become hidden.
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