Psalms 55

“Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.” Naming Give keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;” Naming Attend keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.” The line’s distinctive content terms include death, fallen, heart. Its relationship to verses 3 and 5 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.” Naming Fearfulness keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.” The line’s distinctive content terms include dove, rest, wings. Its relationship to verses 5 and 7 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.” Naming Selah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.” The line’s distinctive content terms include escape, hasten, storm. Its relationship to verses 7 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.” Naming Destroy keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.” Naming Day keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.” Naming Wickedness keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.” The line’s distinctive content terms include acquaintance, equal, guide. Its relationship to verses 12 and 14 shows what work it does in this passage.

“We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.” The line’s distinctive content terms include death, dwellings, hell. Its relationship to verses 14 and 16 shows what work it does in this passage.

“As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.” The line’s distinctive content terms include battle, delivered, peace. Its relationship to verses 17 and 19 shows what work it does in this passage.

“God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were…” The line’s distinctive content terms include words, butter, drawn. Its relationship to verses 20 and 22 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Cast thy burden upon the LORD , and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.