Psalms 55:2

KJV

Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;

KJV (with Strong's)

Attend {H7181}{H8685)} unto me, and hear {H6030}{H8798)} me: I mourn {H7300}{H8686)} in my complaint {H7879}, and make a noise {H1949}{H8686)};

Complete Jewish Bible

Pay attention to me, and answer me! I am panic-stricken as I make my complaint, I shudder

Berean Standard Bible

Attend to me and answer me. I am restless in my complaint, and distraught

American Standard Version

Attend unto me, and answer me: I am restless in my complaint, and moan,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 55:2 presents a profound and urgent cry from the psalmist, likely King David, to God for immediate attention and intervention. Overwhelmed by deep distress and betrayal, the psalmist expresses his anguish through unrestrained lament, verbalizing a profound complaint and an audible, agitated outpouring of sorrow. This verse encapsulates the raw honesty permitted in prayer, revealing a heart that, despite its turmoil, firmly believes in God's willingness and ability to hear and respond to the most desperate human cries.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalms 55 is a classic psalm of individual lament, a genre characterized by an address to God, a complaint, a petition, and often an expression of trust. Verse 2 serves as the immediate and intense opening, establishing the psalmist's profound distress and setting the tone for the entire composition. This initial, desperate plea for God's attention precedes the detailed description of the psalmist's suffering, particularly the agonizing pain of betrayal by a close companion, which is revealed later in the psalm, notably in [Psalm 55:12-14](/psalms/55-12 "Psalm 55:12-14 - The Pain of Betrayal"). The raw "mourning" and "noise" of verse 2 are the emotional prelude to the psalmist's subsequent imprecations against his enemies and his ultimate resolve to cast his burden upon the Lord, as expressed in [Psalm 55:22](/psalms/55-22 "Psalm 55:22 - Casting Your Burden on the Lord").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** While the superscription attributes the psalm to David, the specific historical context is debated among scholars. However, many identify the backdrop as the rebellion of Absalom, where David faced not only external enemies but also the devastating betrayal of his trusted advisor, Ahithophel, as recounted in [2 Samuel 15-17](/2_samuel/15 "2 Samuel 15-17 - Absalom's Rebellion and Ahithophel's Betrayal"). In ancient Near Eastern cultures, lament was a recognized and legitimate form of expressing grief, injustice, and distress, often involving public displays of sorrow, tearing of clothes, and audible wailing. The psalmist's "noise" would have been a culturally understood manifestation of deep suffering, appealing to a God who was believed to be intimately involved in the lives of His people and responsive to their cries, particularly those of the afflicted and righteous.
* **Key Themes:** This verse immediately introduces several pivotal themes that resonate throughout the Psalms and the broader biblical narrative. First, it highlights the **accessibility and responsiveness of God**, portraying Him as one who "attends" and "hears" the cries of His people, even when those cries are filled with anguish. Second, it underscores the **legitimacy of honest and unrestrained lament** before God, demonstrating that faith does not require the suppression of painful emotions but rather invites their full and authentic expression. The psalmist's willingness to "mourn in my complaint, and make a noise" provides a divine sanction for bringing one's deepest sorrows and frustrations directly to the Creator. Finally, the verse subtly introduces the theme of **dependence on divine intervention**, as the psalmist's plea is an acknowledgment that only God can provide the deliverance and peace he desperately seeks from his overwhelming circumstances, a theme echoed in other psalms of trust like [Psalm 46:1](/psalms/46-1 "Psalm 46:1 - God Our Refuge and Strength").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Attend (Hebrew, _'āzan'_):** This verb means "to give ear," "to listen intently," or "to heed." It implies more than just hearing a sound; it conveys the idea of God inclining His ear, paying close attention, and being receptive to the psalmist's words. It suggests a desire for God not merely to perceive the sound of his distress but to truly comprehend its depth and respond actively.
* **Mourn (Hebrew, _'ahida'_):** Derived from a root meaning "to wander" or "to groan," this word vividly depicts a restless, agitated state of sorrow. It suggests a deep, internal anguish that manifests as a continuous groaning or complaining, perhaps even a pacing back and forth in distress. It is not a passive sadness but an active, consuming grief that permeates the psalmist's being.
* **Make a noise (Hebrew, _ve'ahima'_):** This powerful verb means "to moan," "to rage," "to make a commotion," or "to be in turmoil." It describes an audible, guttural sound of anguish, a stark and unrestrained expression of intense suffering that cannot be contained. This "noise" is a raw, unedited cry, signifying a burden so heavy that it compels a physical and vocal outpouring of pain.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Attend unto me, and hear me":** This opening imperative is a direct, urgent, and dual appeal to God. "Attend unto me" (אָזַן, _'āzan'_) emphasizes God's active listening and comprehension, while "hear me" (שָׁמַע, _shama'_) focuses on the reception of the message. Together, they form a desperate plea for God's full and undivided attention, underscoring the psalmist's conviction that his only hope lies in divine intervention.
* **"I mourn in my complaint":** This clause reveals the internal state of the psalmist. "I mourn" (אֶהִידָה, _'ahida'_) signifies a deep, restless sorrow that is not silent but finds expression in a "complaint" (שִׂיחַ, _siach_). This "complaint" is not mere grumbling but a meditation, a pouring out of one's thoughts and grievances, often accompanied by groaning or sighing. It highlights the psalmist's honest engagement with his pain before God.
* **"and make a noise":** This final phrase intensifies the expression of distress. "And make a noise" (וְאָהִימָה, _ve'ahima'_) describes an audible, even tumultuous, outpouring of anguish. It signifies a profound emotional and physical turmoil, a cry that is unrestrained and reflects the overwhelming nature of the psalmist's suffering, indicating that his pain is too great to be borne silently or calmly.

#### Literary Devices
Psalms 55:2 employs several potent literary devices to convey the depth of the psalmist's anguish. The most prominent is **Lament**, which is the overarching genre and emotional posture of the verse, characterized by a direct address to God, a description of suffering, and a plea for help. The psalmist uses **Imperative Mood** ("Attend unto me, and hear me") to convey the urgency and directness of his plea, creating a sense of immediate crisis. The verse also utilizes **Vivid Imagery** through the verbs "mourn" and "make a noise," which evoke a visceral sense of the psalmist's internal turmoil and its audible manifestation. The progression from an internal "mourning" to an external "noise" demonstrates a form of **Climax**, intensifying the expression of distress. Furthermore, there is an element of **Anthropomorphism** in attributing human actions like "attending" and "hearing" to God, which serves to make God relatable and approachable in the midst of human suffering.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse profoundly shapes our understanding of prayer and God's character. It teaches that God is not a distant, unfeeling deity but one who invites and indeed welcomes the raw, unedited expressions of human suffering. The psalmist's uninhibited "mourning" and "noise" validate the full spectrum of human emotion in the presence of the divine, affirming that even our most desperate and agitated cries are heard and acknowledged by a compassionate God. This passage underscores the theological truth that God's attentiveness is not conditional on our composure or eloquence; rather, His grace extends to our brokenness, inviting us to bring our burdens, complaints, and even our turmoil directly to Him. It establishes a precedent for radical honesty in our spiritual lives, fostering a deeper, more authentic relationship with the Creator.

* [Psalm 102:1](/psalms/102-1 "Psalm 102:1 - A Prayer of the Afflicted")
* [Psalm 130:1-2](/psalms/130-1 "Psalm 130:1-2 - A Cry from the Depths")
* [Psalm 34:17](/psalms/34-17 "Psalm 34:17 - The Lord Hears the Righteous")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 55:2 offers profound liberation and encouragement for believers navigating the complexities of life and faith. It dismantles the misconception that prayer must always be serene or composed, instead validating the full spectrum of human emotion, including grief, anger, frustration, and profound distress, as legitimate expressions before God. This verse grants us "permission to lament," assuring us that God not only tolerates but actively invites our "complaints" and "noise." It reminds us that our Creator is not intimidated or repulsed by our rawest cries; rather, He is a compassionate Father who inclines His ear to the genuine anguish of His children. In a world that often pressures us to suppress pain or present a facade of strength, this passage encourages radical honesty in our prayer lives, fostering a deeper, more authentic relationship with the One who truly understands and sympathizes with our weaknesses. It cultivates an unwavering trust in God's accessibility and His promise to hear, even when our circumstances feel overwhelming and our voices are broken by sorrow.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life are you holding back your true "complaints" or "noise" from God, perhaps out of fear or a sense of impropriety?**
* **How does the psalmist's raw honesty in this verse challenge or affirm your current prayer habits?**
* **What does it mean for you personally to "attend unto" God, and how does this verse encourage you to believe that God "attends unto" you?**
* **How can embracing the practice of lament, as exemplified in this verse, deepen your trust in God's compassionate presence and responsiveness?**

### FAQ
**Is it truly acceptable to express intense, even "noisy" or agitated, emotions to God in prayer?**

Answer: Absolutely. Psalms 55:2, along with numerous other psalms of lament (e.g., [Psalm 6](/psalms/6 "Psalm 6 - A Prayer for Mercy in Distress"), [Psalm 13](/psalms/13 "Psalm 13 - A Lament and a Plea for Help")), provides clear biblical precedent for expressing the full spectrum of human emotion, including profound distress, anger, and even despair, directly and unreservedly to God. The psalmist's "mourning in my complaint, and make a noise" is not rebuked but presented as a legitimate act of prayer. God is not intimidated by our raw emotions; rather, He invites us to bring our authentic selves, our brokenness, and our deepest anguish before Him, trusting in His compassion and understanding.

**Does God truly hear and respond to such desperate and raw prayers?**

Answer: Yes, the very act of the psalmist crying out in this manner demonstrates an underlying faith in God's attentiveness and responsiveness. The plea "Attend unto me, and hear me" is rooted in the conviction that God is not deaf to the cries of His people. Throughout Scripture, God is consistently portrayed as one who hears the cries of the afflicted and responds in His perfect timing and wisdom (e.g., [Psalm 34:17](/psalms/34-17 "Psalm 34:17 - The Lord Hears the Righteous"), [Psalm 116:1-2](/psalms/116-1-2 "Psalm 116:1-2 - The Lord Heard My Voice")). While His response may not always align with our immediate desires, His promise to hear and be present with us in our suffering is unwavering.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The raw, agonizing lament of Psalms 55:2 finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest resonance in the person of Jesus Christ. While the psalmist cries out in personal distress, Jesus, the Son of God, perfectly embodied and transcended such human suffering. In the Garden of Gethsemane, facing the crushing weight of the world's sin and the impending crucifixion, Jesus's prayer was not calm or composed, but a profound and agonizing "noise." He "prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground" ([Luke 22:44](/luke/22-44 "Luke 22:44 - Jesus' Anguish in Gethsemane")), a visceral manifestation of His internal turmoil. On the cross, His cry "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")) echoed the deepest lament, demonstrating that even the Son of God experienced the profoundest anguish and abandonment, crying out to the Father. Through His own experience of raw, unvarnished suffering and prayer, Jesus sanctifies our laments, showing us that God Himself entered into the depths of human pain. He is our sympathetic High Priest, who "in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin," and therefore can "sympathize with our weaknesses" ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Our Sympathetic High Priest")). Because He Himself "offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears" ([Hebrews 5:7](/hebrews/5-7 "Hebrews 5:7 - Christ's Prayers and Supplications")), we can confidently "draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" ([Hebrews 4:16](/hebrews/4-16 "Hebrews 4:16 - Approach the Throne of Grace")). Christ's perfect lament provides the ultimate access and assurance that our "noise" is heard, understood, and ultimately redeemed.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Isaiah 38:14

Like a crane [or] a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail [with looking] upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.

Psalms 66:19

[But] verily God hath heard [me]; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

Psalms 64:1

¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

Psalms 77:3

I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

Psalms 43:2

For thou [art] the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

Isaiah 59:11

We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but [there is] none; for salvation, [but] it is far off from us.

Psalms 102:9

For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,