Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 55:10
Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow [are] in the midst of it.
10. they go about it upon the walls thereof ] A metaphor from watchmen going their rounds on the city walls. But who are meant by they? Perhaps the party hostile to the Psalmist, who are ever patrolling the city, on the alert for mischief. Cp. Isa 29:20. But perhaps rather Violence and Strife personified. These he implies with a bitter irony are the watchmen who are now in charge of order and safety in the city. This explanation agrees well with the following lines:
Iniquity also and Mischief are in the midst of it,
Destruction is in the midst thereof:
Oppression and Deceit depart not from her streets.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Day and night they go about it, upon the walls thereof – That is, continually. The word they in this place probably refers to the violence and strife mentioned in the preceding verse. They are here personified, and they seem to surround the city; to be everywhere moving, even on the very walls. They are like a besieging army. Inside and outside; in the midst of the city and on the walls, there was nothing but violence and strife – conspiracy, rebellion, and crime.
Mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it – Crime abounded, and the result was anguish or sorrow. This language would well describe the scenes when Absalom rebelled; when the city was filled with conspirators and rebels; and when crime and anguish seemed to prevail in every part of it.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. Day and night they go about] This and the following verse show the state of Jerusalem at this time. Indeed, they exhibit a fair view of the state of any city in the beginning of an insurrection. The leaders are plotting continually; going about to strengthen their party, and to sow new dissensions by misrepresentation, hypocrisy, calumny, and lies.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They, i.e. the violence and strife last mentioned, Psa 55:9, go about it; do encompass it, and are as it were the garrison by which they design to defend it.
Upon the walls thereof; in the more outward parts, as also in the very midst of it, as it follows. So that all parts were horribly corrupted.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10, 11. which is described indetail (compare Ps7:14-16).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Day and night they go about it, upon the walls thereof,…. That is, “violence” and “strife” go about the walls of it continually; men of violence and contention are the only watchmen of it: a city must be sadly guarded that has no better watch than this;
mischief also and sorrow [are] in the midst of it; it was full of wickedness within and without; the city, as Aben Ezra observes, was like a circle; violence and strife were as a line round about it, and mischief and sorrow the centre of it: and these two commonly go together; where mischief is, sorrow follows.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(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 Psa. 5:9, Note), deceit, and guile are personified. Comp. Virgils
ubique
Luctus, ubique Pavor, et plurima mortis imago.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. They go about it upon the walls That is, the conspirators, or their spies, mentioned Psa 55:3. A strict watch was kept against the friends and emissaries of David, but little attention was given to the public order and peace.
Sorrow Rather, iniquity, wrong doing, as the word more commonly denotes, (Psa 55:10-11,) describe the misrule of the city during the whirl of revolution. In the midst contrasts with “upon the walls” of the city. Sharp espionage and confusion were everywhere.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 55:10. Sorrow Injury.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 55:10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow [are] in the midst of it.
Ver. 10. Day and night they go about it, upon the walls thereof ] The ruffian soldiers do, as in garrisons is usual; or violence and strife do; so that in no place are good men in safety from rapines and robberies.
Mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mischief. Hebrew. ‘aven. App-44.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Day: Psa 59:6, Psa 59:14, Psa 59:15, 1Sa 19:11, 2Sa 17:1, 2Sa 17:2, Hos 7:6, Mic 2:1, Mic 2:2, Joh 18:3, Joh 18:28, Act 9:24
mischief: 2Sa 16:21, 2Sa 16:22, Isa 59:6-15, Eze 9:4, Zep 3:1-3
Reciprocal: Psa 31:13 – I have
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 55:10-11. Day and night they That is, the violence and strife, last mentioned; go about Do encompass it, as it were a garrison. Upon the walls thereof In the outward parts, as also in the very midst of it So that all parts were horribly corrupted. Deceit and guile depart not from her streets The places of buying and selling, and of public commerce. So their sins were both universal and impudent.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
55:10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: {h} mischief also and sorrow [are] in the midst of it.
(h) All laws and good orders are broken and only vice and dissolution reigns under Saul.