Psalm 56

Complete Jewish Bible

56 ⁽⁰⁾For the leader. Set to “The Silent Dove in the Distance.” By David; a mikhtam, when the P’lishtim captured him in Gat:

²⁽¹⁾Show me favor, God;
for people are trampling me down —
all day they fight and press on me.
³⁽²⁾Those who are lying in wait for me
would trample on me all day.
For those fighting against me are many.

Most High, ⁴⁽³⁾when I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
⁵⁽⁴⁾In God — I praise his word —
in God I trust; I have no fear;
what can human power do to me?
⁶⁽⁵⁾All day long they twist my words;
their only thought is to harm me.
⁷⁽⁶⁾They gather together and hide themselves,
spying on my movements, hoping to kill me.
⁸⁽⁷⁾Because of their crime, they cannot escape;
in anger, God, strike down the peoples.
⁹⁽⁸⁾You have kept count of my wanderings;
store my tears in your water-skin —
aren’t they already recorded in your book?
¹⁰⁽⁹⁾Then my enemies will turn back
on the day when I call;
this I know: that God is for me.

¹¹⁽¹⁰⁾In God — I praise his word —
in Adonai — I praise his word —
¹²⁽¹¹⁾in God I trust; I have no fear;
what can mere humans do to me?

¹³⁽¹²⁾God, I have made vows to you;
I will fulfill them with thank offerings to you.
¹⁴⁽¹³⁾For you rescued me from death,
you kept my feet from stumbling,
so that I can walk in God’s presence,
in the light of life.

Psalm 56

New King James Version

Prayer for Relief from Tormentors

To the Chief Musician. Set to ^[a]“The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A Michtam of David when the ^(A)Philistines captured him in Gath.

56 Be ^(B)merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up;
Fighting all day he oppresses me.
²My enemies would ^(C)hound me all day,
For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.

³Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
⁴In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
^(D)I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?

⁵All day they twist my words;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
⁶They gather together,
They hide, they mark my steps,
When they lie in wait for my life.
⁷Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, O God!

⁸You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
^(E)Are they not in Your book?
⁹When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because ^(F)God is for me.
¹⁰In God (I will praise His word),
In the Lord (I will praise His word),
¹¹In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

¹²Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God;
I will render praises to You,
¹³^(G)For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God
In the ^(H)light of the living?

Footnotes

Psalm 56:1 Heb. Jonath Elem Rechokim

Psalm 56

New International Version

Psalm 56^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam.^[b] When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

¹Be merciful to me,^(A) my God,
    for my enemies are in hot pursuit;^(B)
    all day long they press their attack.^(C)
²My adversaries pursue me all day long;^(D)
    in their pride many are attacking me.^(E)

³When I am afraid,^(F) I put my trust in you.^(G)
⁴ In God, whose word I praise—^(H)
in God I trust and am not afraid.^(I)
What can mere mortals do to me?^(J)

⁵All day long they twist my words;^(K)
    all their schemes are for my ruin.
⁶They conspire,^(L) they lurk,
    they watch my steps,^(M)
    hoping to take my life.^(N)
⁷Because of their wickedness do not^[c] let them escape;^(O)
    in your anger, God, bring the nations down.^(P)

⁸Record my misery;
    list my tears on your scroll^[d]^(Q)—
    are they not in your record?^(R)
⁹Then my enemies will turn back^(S)
    when I call for help.^(T)
    By this I will know that God is for me.^(U)

¹⁰In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise—
¹¹in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?

¹²I am under vows^(V) to you, my God;
    I will present my thank offerings to you.
¹³For you have delivered me from death^(W)
    and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
    in the light of life.^(X)

Footnotes

Psalm 56:1 In Hebrew texts 56:1-13 is numbered 56:2-14.
Psalm 56:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 56:7 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text does not have do not.
Psalm 56:8 Or misery; / put my tears in your wineskin

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

New King James Version (NKJV)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 56

Complete Jewish Bible

Psalm 56

New King James Version

Prayer for Relief from Tormentors

To the Chief Musician. Set to ^[a]“The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A Michtam of David when the ^(A)Philistines captured him in Gath.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 56

New International Version

Psalm 56^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam.^[b] When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 56 Complete Jewish Bible

Psalm 56 New King James Version

Prayer for Relief from Tormentors

To the Chief Musician. Set to [a]“The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A Michtam of David when the (A)Philistines captured him in Gath.

Footnotes

Cross references

Psalm 56 New International Version

Psalm 56[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 56

Complete Jewish Bible

Psalm 56

New King James Version

To the Chief Musician. Set to ^[a]“The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A Michtam of David when the ^(A)Philistines captured him in Gath.

Psalm 56

New International Version

Psalm 56^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam.^[b] When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.