A picture of corrupt city life and private life, and a denunciation of God's judgments upon them.
I. CORRUPT CITY LIFE. (Psalms 55:10, Psalms 55:11.)
1. Corrupt in every part, on the walls and in the interior. Violence and strife reign unchecked universally.
2. Falsehood and deceit ruled in the market-place. (Psalms 55:11.) In the square, or market-place, near the gates, where was the general place of concourse, men cheated and deceived each other in their ordinary intercourse.
II. PICTURE OF CORRUPT PRIVATE LIFE. The sanctities of friendship were openly violated and renounced. The offence was aggravated by two things.
1. That he who had become the psalmist's enemy had been a closely intimate friend. Love had turned to hate, because of the triumph of evil designs or passions, or of "the whispering tongues that can poison truth."
2. Their friendship had been consecrated by religious associations. (Psalms 55:14.) A depraved life can sweep out of the mind the tenderest memories and the most holy associations, human and Divine.
III. THE PSALMIST PRAYS FOR GOD'S JUDGMENTS UPON THIS CORRUPT LIFE. The two forms of judgment which he imprecates are:
1. The judgment that fell upon the builders of Babel. (Psalms 55:9.) Discord among themselves and their counsels, so that they might destroy one another.
2. That they might go down to the grave alive. (Psalms 55:15.) Like Korah and his company, let them be carried away by death in the fulness of life and strength. The psalmist knew of none but violent means and temporal judgments by which such wickedness could be removed.—S.