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Psalm 56

For the choir director: A psalm[a] of David, regarding the time the Philistines seized him in Gath. To be sung to the tune “Dove on Distant Oaks.”

O God, have mercy on me,
    for people are hounding me.
    My foes attack me all day long.
I am constantly hounded by those who slander me,
    and many are boldly attacking me.
But when I am afraid,
    I will put my trust in you.
I praise God for what he has promised.
    I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me?

They are always twisting what I say;
    they spend their days plotting to harm me.
They come together to spy on me—
    watching my every step, eager to kill me.
Don’t let them get away with their wickedness;
    in your anger, O God, bring them down.

You keep track of all my sorrows.[b]
    You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
    You have recorded each one in your book.

My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help.
    This I know: God is on my side!
10 I praise God for what he has promised;
    yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.
11 I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me?

12 I will fulfill my vows to you, O God,
    and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.
13 For you have rescued me from death;
    you have kept my feet from slipping.
So now I can walk in your presence, O God,
    in your life-giving light.

Footnotes

  1. 56:Title Hebrew miktam. This may be a literary or musical term.
  2. 56:8 Or my wanderings.

In God I Trust, I Shall Not Be Afraid

For the choir 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, O God, for man has [d](A)trampled upon me;
All day long, an attacker (B)oppresses me.
My foes have [e](C)trampled upon me all day long,
For many (D)attack me proudly.
[f]When I am (E)afraid,
[g]I will (F)trust in You.
(G)In God, whose word I praise,
In God I trust;
I shall not be afraid.
(H)What can mere [h]man do to me?
All day long they [i](I)distort my words;
All their [j](J)thoughts are against me for evil.
They [k](K)attack, they lurk,
They (L)watch my heels,
As they have (M)hoped to take my [l]life.
On account of their wickedness, (N)will they have an escape?
In anger, (O)bring down the peoples, O God!

You (P)have taken account of my wanderings;
Put my (Q)tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in (R)Your book?
Then my enemies will (S)turn back (T)in the day when I call;
This I know, [m]that (U)God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
In Yahweh, whose word I praise,
11 In God I [n]trust, I shall not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 Your (V)vows are binding upon me, O God;
I will [o]fulfill thank offerings to You.
13 [p]For You have (W)delivered my soul from death,
Indeed (X)my feet from stumbling,
So that I may (Y)walk before God
In the (Z)light of the [q]living.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 56 Title Or The silent dove of those who are far off, The dove of the distant terebinths
  2. Psalm 56 Title Possibly Epigrammatic Poem, Atonement Psalm
  3. Psalm 56 Title 1 Sam 21:10, 11
  4. Psalm 56:1 Or snapped at
  5. Psalm 56:2 Or snapped at
  6. Psalm 56:3 Lit In the day
  7. Psalm 56:3 Or I am one who puts
  8. Psalm 56:4 Lit flesh
  9. Psalm 56:5 Or trouble my affairs
  10. Psalm 56:5 Or purposes
  11. Psalm 56:6 Or stir up strife
  12. Psalm 56:6 Lit soul
  13. Psalm 56:9 Or because
  14. Psalm 56:11 Or trust without fear
  15. Psalm 56:12 Lit pay
  16. Psalm 56:13 Or Have You not delivered
  17. Psalm 56:13 Or life