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(For the music leader. To the tune “Don't Destroy.”[a] A special psalm by David when he was in the cave while running from Saul.)

Praise and Trust in Times of Trouble

(A) God Most High, have pity on me!
Have mercy. I run to you
    for safety.
In the shadow of your wings,
I seek protection
    till danger dies down.
I pray to you, my protector.
You will send help from heaven
    and save me,
but you will bring trouble
    on my attackers.
You are faithful,
    and you can be trusted.

My enemies are fierce,
    much worse than lions!
They have spears and arrows
    instead of teeth,
and they have sharp swords
    instead of tongues.

May you, my God, be honored
    above the heavens;
may your glory be seen
    everywhere on earth.

(B) Enemies set traps for my feet
    and struck me down.
They dug a pit in my path,
    but fell in it themselves.
I am faithful to you,
    and you can trust me.
I will sing and play music
    for you, my God.
I feel wide awake!
I will wake up my harp
    and wake up the sun.
I will praise you, Lord,
    for everyone to hear,
and I will sing hymns to you
    in every nation.
10 Your love reaches higher
    than the heavens;
your loyalty extends
    beyond the clouds.

11 May you, my God, be honored
    above the heavens;
may your glory be seen
    everywhere on earth.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 57 Don't Destroy: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

Prayer for Safety from Enemies(A)

To the Chief Musician. Set to [a]“Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David (B)when he fled from Saul into the cave.

57 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
(C)And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
(D)Until these calamities have passed by.

I will cry out to God Most High,
To God (E)who performs all things for me.
(F)He shall send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches the one who [b]would swallow me up. Selah
God (G)shall send forth His mercy and His truth.

My soul is among lions;
I lie among the sons of men
Who are set on fire,
(H)Whose teeth are spears and arrows,
And their tongue a sharp sword.
(I)Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

(J)They have prepared a net for my steps;
My soul is bowed down;
They have dug a pit before me;
Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah

(K)My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise.
Awake, (L)my glory!
Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.

(M)I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing to You among the [c]nations.
10 (N)For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens,
And Your truth unto the clouds.

11 (O)Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 57:1 Heb. Al Tashcheth
  2. Psalm 57:3 snaps at or hounds me, or crushes me
  3. Psalm 57:9 Gentiles

Let Your Glory Be Above All the Earth

For the choir director. [a]Al-tashheth. Of David. A [b]Mikhtam. [c]When he fled from Saul in the cave.

57 Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me,
For my soul (A)takes refuge in You;
And in the (B)shadow of Your wings I will take refuge
Until destruction (C)passes by.
I will call to God Most High,
To God who (D)accomplishes all things for me.
He will (E)send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches him who [d](F)tramples upon me. [e]Selah.
God will send His (G)lovingkindness and His [f]truth.

My soul is among (H)lions;
I am lying down among those who breathe forth fire,
Sons of men whose (I)teeth are spears and arrows
And their (J)tongue a sharp sword.
(K)Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.
They have [g]set a (L)net for my steps;
My soul is (M)bowed down;
They (N)dug a pit before me;
They themselves have (O)fallen into the midst of it. Selah.

(P)My (Q)heart is set, O God, my heart is set;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!
Awake, (R)my glory!
Awake, (S)harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
(T)I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the [h]nations.
10 For Your (U)lovingkindness is great to the heavens
And Your [i]truth to the skies.
11 (V)Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 57 Title Lit Do Not Destroy
  2. Psalm 57 Title Possibly Epigrammatic Poem, Atonement Psalm
  3. Psalm 57 Title 1 Sam 22:1; 24:3
  4. Psalm 57:3 Or snaps at
  5. Psalm 57:3 Selah may mean Pause, Crescendo, Musical Interlude
  6. Psalm 57:3 Or faithfulness
  7. Psalm 57:6 Or spread
  8. Psalm 57:9 Lit peoples
  9. Psalm 57:10 Or faithfulness