Psalms 55:5 (KJV)

Passage

Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

Nearby Context

Psalms 55:3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

Psalms 55:4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

Psalms 55:5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

Psalms 55:6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.

Psalms 55:7 Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "fearfulness", "trembling", "come", "upon", "horror", "hath", and "overwhelmed". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "fearfulness" and "trembling", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 4's "My heart is sore pained within me..." into verse 6's "And I said Oh that I had...", so "fearfulness" and "trembling" 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 "fearfulness" and "trembling" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.