Psalms 55:8 (DRB)

Passage

For nothing shalt thou save them: in thy anger thou shalt break the people in pieces. O God,

Nearby Context

Psalms 55:6 All the day long they detested my words: all their thoughts were against me unto evil.

Psalms 55:7 They will dwell and hide themselves: they will watch my heel. As they have waited for my soul,

Psalms 55:8 For nothing shalt thou save them: in thy anger thou shalt break the people in pieces. O God,

Psalms 55:9 I have declared to thee my life: thou hast set me tears in thy sight, As also in thy promise.

Psalms 55:10 Then shall my enemies be turned back. In what day soever I shall call upon thee, behold I know thou art my God.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "nothing", "shalt", "thou", "save", "anger", and "break". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "nothing" and "shalt", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "They will dwell and hide themselves they..." into verse 9's "I have declared to thee my life...", so "nothing" and "shalt" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "nothing" and "shalt" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.