Psalm 56
New American Standard Bible
Pleading for Help and Grateful Trust in God.
For the music director; according to [a]Jonath elem rehokim. A [b]Mikhtam of David, [c]when the Philistines seized him in Gath.
56 Be gracious to me, God, for a man has [d](A)trampled upon me;
[e]Fighting all day long he (B)oppresses me.
2 My enemies have (C)trampled upon me all day long,
For [f]they are many who (D)fight proudly against me.
3 [g]When I am (E)afraid,
[h]I will (F)put my trust in You.
4 (G)In God, whose word I praise,
In God I have put my trust;
I shall not be afraid.
(H)What can mere [i]mortals do to me?
5 All day long they (I)distort my words;
All their [j](J)thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They [k](K)attack, they lurk,
They (L)watch my [l]steps,
As they have (M)waited to take my [m]life.
7 Because of their wickedness, will there be an (N)escape for them?
In anger (O)make the peoples fall down, God!
8 You (P)have taken account of my [n]miseries;
Put my (Q)tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in (R)Your book?
9 Then my enemies will (S)turn back (T)on the day when I call;
This I know, [o]that (U)God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
In the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 In God I have put my [p]trust, I shall not be afraid.
What can mankind do to me?
12 Your (V)vows are binding upon me, God;
I will render thanksgiving offerings to You.
13 For You have (W)saved my soul from death,
[q]Indeed (X)my feet from stumbling,
So that I may (Y)walk before God
In the (Z)light of the [r]living.
Footnotes
- Psalm 56 Title Or The silent dove of those who are far off; or The dove of the distant terebinths
- Psalm 56 Title Possibly Epigrammatic Poem; or Atonement Psalm
- Psalm 56 Title 1 Sam 21:10, 11
- Psalm 56:1 Or snapped at
- Psalm 56:1 Or A fighting man
- Psalm 56:2 Or many are fighting
- Psalm 56:3 Lit The day
- Psalm 56:3 Or I am one who puts
- Psalm 56:4 Lit flesh
- Psalm 56:5 Or purposes
- Psalm 56:6 Or stir up strife
- Psalm 56:6 Lit heels
- Psalm 56:6 Lit soul
- Psalm 56:8 Or wanderings
- Psalm 56:9 Or because
- Psalm 56:11 Or trust without fear
- Psalm 56:13 Or Have You not delivered
- Psalm 56:13 Or life
Psalm 56
International Standard Version
To the Director: A special Davidic psalm[a] to the tune of[b] “A Silent Dove Far Away,” when the Philistines seized him in Gath.
A Prayer about Trust in God
56 Have mercy on me, God,
because men have harassed me.
Those who oppress me have fought against me all day long.
2 Those who watch me all day have harassed me,
for there are many who fight against me out of conceit.
3 On days when I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I put my trust.
I will not fear what mortal man[c] can do to me.
5 All day long people[d] distort what I say;
all their schemes against me are for evil purposes.
6 They gather together
and hide in ambush.
They watch my every step
as they lie in wait for my life.
7 Cast them away because of their wickedness.
In wrath, God, cast down these[e] people!
8 You have kept count of my wanderings.
Put my tears in your bottle—
have not you recorded them in your book?
9 My enemies will retreat when I call on you.[f]
This has been my experience,
because God is with me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 in God I will put my trust.
I will not fear what mortal man can do to me.
12 God, I have taken vows before you;[g]
therefore I will offer thanksgiving sacrifices to you.
13 For you have delivered me[h] from death
and my feet from stumbling,
so that I may walk before God in the light of the living!
Footnotes
- Psalm 56:1 The Heb. reads miktam
- Psalm 56:1 Lit. David according to
- Psalm 56:4 Lit. what flesh
- Psalm 56:5 Lit. they
- Psalm 56:7 The Heb. lacks these
- Psalm 56:9 The Heb. lacks on you
- Psalm 56:12 Lit. your vows are upon me
- Psalm 56:13 Or my soul
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
