The Bible Says
Psalm 55:9—11 Meaning

In Psalm 55:9—11, David pleads for divine intervention in the opening part of this passage, saying Confuse, O Lord, divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city. (v. 9) In David’s time, around 1010—970 BC, he reigned as Israel’s king and often witnessed hostility both within and outside his kingdom. He calls upon the Lord to bring disorder to the plans of his enemies, recalling what occurred at the Tower of Babel when God confused their language. This direct request for the Lord to intervene in human affairs highlights David’s conviction that righteousness ultimately comes from God’s sovereign power rather than human strategies. David acknowledges the corruption in the heart of the city, grieving that the violence he sees is evidence that evil has permeated what should have been a place of harmony.

By asking that their tongues be divided, David seeks to disrupt the unity of those who seek harm. In other parts of Scripture, God intervenes supernaturally to scatter the plots of the wicked, allowing His people relief from oppression (Genesis 11:1—8). David trusts that God can unravel those destructive schemes and is aware that any enduring solution must come from the Lord’s intervention. The violence and strife he observes mirror the turmoil of a nation under attack, where peace can only be restored when God takes action.

It is significant that David laments the presence of these evils in a city that should belong to the covenant people. This lament parallels the times when Jesus later wept over Jerusalem’s lost condition (Luke 19:41—44), indicating that while people can dwell near holy places, their hearts can still be drawn away from God. David, many centuries prior, warns of the dire consequences that follow when a community fosters violence and strife instead of seeking and trusting the Lord.

Continuing his lament, David observes, Day and night they go around her upon her walls, And iniquity and mischief are in her midst. (v. 10) The city’s watchmen would traditionally guard the walls to protect against outside threats, yet here the imagery changes to malicious forces moving freely, demonstrating constant unrest. Rather than faithful watchers standing guard, those who mean harm prowl persistently, suggesting evil’s grip is strong and unyielding.

The phrase day and night underscores the ongoing nature of this wrongdoing. Evil does not rest; it searches for every opportunity to destabilize and harm those who rely on God’s protection. David casts the city walls as places where wrongdoing thrives, suggesting that the moral decay is not hidden but openly practiced. Such a setting, filled with mischief, shows how sin can penetrate daily life when left unchecked.

David’s heart must have been heavy with sorrow to see how widespread iniquity had become. Instead of a holy city reflecting God’s light, he beholds turmoil. This emphasis on the ever-present nature of evil calls each believer to be vigilant and prayerful, trusting that God’s power and persistent faith are needed to overcome the relentless ways of sin. Generations later, believers in Jesus see this same principle: where God’s righteousness is not faithfully upheld, darkness prevails (John 3:19—21).

Lastly, David describes even deeper corruption, declaring Destruction is in her midst; Oppression and deceit do not depart from her streets. (v. 11) This observation underscores the tragic downfall of the city. The terms destruction, oppression, and deceit paint a picture of human suffering and social deterioration. When evil goes unrestrained, it sows seeds of devastation among all people, especially the powerless and marginalized.

Oppression occurs when those in positions of authority or strength abuse their power. Deceit involves twisting truth for personal advantage, and both are condemned throughout Scripture as acts that bring ruin to any society lacking compassion and justice. David’s identification of these sins in his beloved city expresses his alarm over a moral decline that stands at odds with the covenant relationship God established with His people.

Yet woven through David’s lament is a cautious hope that God sees this suffering and will ultimately intervene. Even in the midst of destruction, trust in the Lord offers the promise of redemption and restoration. The psalmist’s cry anticipates how Jesus, centuries later, would confront hypocrisy and oppression, calling people to repentance and genuine transformation (Matthew 23:25—28). Although the city’s current condition is bleak, where the Lord reigns, truth and peace can flourish again.