Psalm 56

The Message

56 ^1-4Take my side, God—I’m getting kicked around,
    stomped on every day.
Not a day goes by
    but somebody beats me up;
They make it their duty
    to beat me up.
When I get really afraid
    I come to you in trust.
I’m proud to praise God;
    fearless now, I trust in God.
    What can mere mortals do?

^5-6They don’t let up—
    they smear my reputation
    and huddle to plot my collapse.
They gang up,
    sneak together through the alleys
To take me by surprise,
    wait their chance to get me.

⁷Pay them back in evil!
Get angry, God!
Down with these people!

⁸You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn
through the sleepless nights,
Each tear entered in your ledger,
each ache written in your book.

⁹If my enemies run away,
turn tail when I yell at them,
Then I’ll know
that God is on my side.

^10-11I’m proud to praise God,
proud to praise God.
Fearless now, I trust in God;
what can mere mortals do to me?

^12-13God, you did everything you promised,
    and I’m thanking you with all my heart.
You pulled me from the brink of death,
    my feet from the cliff-edge of doom.
Now I stroll at leisure with God
    in the sunlit fields of life.

Psalm 56

Amplified Bible

Supplication for Rescue and Grateful Trust in God.

To the Chief Musician; set to [the tune of] “Silent Dove Among Those Far Away.” A Mikhtam of David. [A record of memorable thoughts] when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

56 Be gracious to me, O God, for man has trampled on me;
All day long the adversary oppresses and torments me.
²
My enemies have trampled upon me all day long,
For they are many who fight proudly against me.
³
When I am afraid,
I will put my trust and faith in You.
⁴
In God, whose word I praise;
In God I have put my trust;
I shall not fear.
What can mere man do to me?
⁵
All day long they twist my words and say hurtful things;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
⁶
They attack, they hide and lurk,
They watch my steps,
As they have [expectantly] waited to take my life.
⁷
Cast them out because of their wickedness.
In anger bring down the peoples, O God!

⁸
You have taken account of my wanderings;
Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not recorded in Your book?
⁹
Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call;
This I know, that God is for me.^(A)
¹⁰
In God, whose word I praise,
In the Lord, whose word I praise,
¹¹
In God have I put my trust and confident reliance; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
¹²
Your vows are binding upon me, O God;
I will give thank offerings to You.
¹³
For You have rescued my soul from death,
Yes, and my feet from stumbling,
So that I may walk before God
In the light of life.

Psalm 56

New Living Translation

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.”

¹O God, have mercy on me,
    for people are hounding me.
    My foes attack me all day long.
²I am constantly hounded by those who slander me,
    and many are boldly attacking me.
³But when I am afraid,
    I will put my trust in you.
⁴I praise God for what he has promised.
    I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me?

⁵They are always twisting what I say;
    they spend their days plotting to harm me.
⁶They come together to spy on me—
    watching my every step, eager to kill me.
⁷Don’t let them get away with their wickedness;
    in your anger, O God, bring them down.

⁸You keep track of all my sorrows.^[b]
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.

⁹My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help.
    This I know: God is on my side!
¹⁰I praise God for what he has promised;
    yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.
¹¹I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me?

¹²I will fulfill my vows to you, O God,
    and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.
¹³For 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

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

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

Psalm 56

English Standard Version

In God I Trust

To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A ^(A)Miktam^[a] of David, when the ^(B)Philistines seized him in Gath.

56 ^(C)Be gracious to me, O God, for man ^(D)tramples on me;
    all day long an attacker oppresses me;
²my enemies trample on me all day long,
    for many attack me proudly.
³When I am afraid,
    I ^(E)put my trust in you.
⁴In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; ^(F)I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me?

⁵All day long they injure my cause;^[b]
    all their thoughts are against me for evil.
⁶They ^(G)stir up strife, they ^(H)lurk;
    they ^(I)watch my steps,
    as they have waited for my life.
⁷For their crime will they escape?
    ^(J)In wrath ^(K)cast down the peoples, O God!

⁸You have kept count of my tossings;^[c]
    ^(L)put my tears in your bottle.
    ^(M)Are they not in your book?
⁹Then my enemies will turn back
    ^(N)in the day when I call.
    This I know, that^[d] ^(O)God is for me.
¹⁰In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise,
¹¹in God I trust; ^(P)I shall not be afraid.
    What can man do to me?

¹²I must perform my ^(Q)vows to you, O God;
    I will ^(R)render thank offerings to you.
¹³^(S)For you have delivered my soul from death,
    yes, my feet from falling,
^(T)that I may walk before God
    ^(U)in the light of life.

Footnotes

Psalm 56:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
Psalm 56:5 Or they twist my words
Psalm 56:8 Or wanderings
Psalm 56:9 Or because

The Message (MSG)

Amplified Bible (AMP)

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New Living Translation (NLT)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 56

The Message

Psalm 56

Amplified Bible

Supplication for Rescue and Grateful Trust in God.

To the Chief Musician; set to [the tune of] “Silent Dove Among Those Far Away.” A Mikhtam of David. [A record of memorable thoughts] when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

Cross references