But it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend.
Parallel translations
- WEB But it was you, a man like me, my companion, and my familiar friend.
- KJV But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.
- NKJV But it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance.
- NASB But it is you, a man my equal, My companion and my confidant;
- NLT Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The betrayer was David's own equal, companion, and close friend. It names the heartbreak of betrayal by an intimate.
Overview
David identifies the offender as a trusted peer and familiar friend, making the wound especially grievous. The verse captures the unique pain of broken fellowship. It powerfully foreshadows Jesus, betrayed by one who shared his table (Psalm 41:9; Luke 22:48).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Mic 7:5Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms.
- Jer 9:4“Let everyone guard against his neighbor; do not trust any brother, for every brother deals craftily, and every friend spreads slander.
- 2 Sam 15:12While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.
- Mark 14:44–45Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him and lead Him away securely.”
- Ps 41:9Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
- Luke 22:47–48While He was still speaking, a crowd arrived, led by the man called Judas, one of the Twelve. He approached Jesus to kiss Him.
- 2 Sam 16:23Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.
- Luke 22:21Look! The hand of My betrayer is with Mine on the table.
- John 19:13When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat on the judgment seat at a place called the Stone Pavement, which in Hebrew is Gabbatha.
- Matt 26:47–50While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 55:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.