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Psalm 56
Legacy Standard Bible

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.
2 My foes have [e](C)trampled upon me all day long,
For many (D)attack me proudly.
3 [f]When I am (E)afraid,
[g]I will (F)trust in You.
4 (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?
5 All day long they [i](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 heels,
As they have (M)hoped to take my [l]life.
7 On account of their wickedness, (N)will they have an escape?
In anger, (O)bring down the peoples, O God!

8 You (P)have taken account of my wanderings;
Put my (Q)tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in (R)Your book?
9 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
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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

  1. Psalm 56:1 The Heb. reads miktam
  2. Psalm 56:1 Lit. David according to
  3. Psalm 56:4 Lit. what flesh
  4. Psalm 56:5 Lit. they
  5. Psalm 56:7 The Heb. lacks these
  6. Psalm 56:9 The Heb. lacks on you
  7. Psalm 56:12 Lit. your vows are upon me
  8. Psalm 56:13 Or my soul
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Psalm 56
King James Version

56 Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.

2 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.

3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

5 Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.

6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.

7 Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.

8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.

10 In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word.

11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

12 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.

13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

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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.

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

3 When 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)

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

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

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

12 I am under vows(V) to you, my God;
    I will present my thank offerings to you.
13 For 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

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