Psalms 55:15Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~1000 BC. David is likely in the palace, having discovered Absalom's conspiracy or Ahithophel's betrayal. His closest advisors have turned against him.
The emotion here: devastated by betrayal, calling for cosmic justice
The original word
sheol (שְׁאוֹל) — the grave, place of the dead, often premature death as divine judgment
Why it matters
Imprecatory psalms like this were public prayers read in temple worship, not private anger
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 55:15
This wasn't just anger - it was a formal legal appeal to God as the ultimate judge
Common misconceptionPeople think David is being unforgiving here, but he's actually giving his case to God instead of taking revenge himself. This is restraint, not hatred.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 55:15
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 55:15 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 55:15 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine judgment, imprecatory prayer, righteous anger. Notable phrases: Let death come suddenly; go down alive into Sheol. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Psalms 55:15 mean to you, today?
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