Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Print Page Options
Close NCV

Psalm 56
New Century Version

Trusting God for Help

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Dove in the Distant Oak.” A miktam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.

56 God, be merciful to me because people are chasing me;
    the battle has pressed me all day long.
2 My enemies have chased me all day;
    there are many proud people fighting me.
3 When I am afraid,
    I will trust you.
4 I praise God for his word.
    I trust God, so I am not afraid.
    What can human beings do to me?

5 All day long they twist my words;
    all their evil plans are against me.
6 They wait. They hide.
    They watch my steps,
    hoping to kill me.
7 God, do not let them escape;
    punish the foreign nations in your anger.
8 You have recorded my troubles.
    You have kept a list of my tears.
    Aren’t they in your records?

9 On the day I call for help, my enemies will be defeated.
    I know that God is on my side.
10 I praise God for his word to me;
    I praise the Lord for his word.
11 I trust in God. I will not be afraid.
    What can people do to me?

12 God, I must keep my promises to you.
    I will give you my offerings to thank you,
13 because you have saved me from death.
    You have kept me from being defeated.
So I will walk with God
    in light among the living.

Listen to Psalm 56
Close NASB

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

  1. Psalm 56 Title Or The silent dove of those who are far off; or The dove of the distant terebinths
  2. Psalm 56 Title Possibly Epigrammatic Poem; or Atonement Psalm
  3. Psalm 56 Title 1 Sam 21:10, 11
  4. Psalm 56:1 Or snapped at
  5. Psalm 56:1 Or A fighting man
  6. Psalm 56:2 Or many are fighting
  7. Psalm 56:3 Lit The day
  8. Psalm 56:3 Or I am one who puts
  9. Psalm 56:4 Lit flesh
  10. Psalm 56:5 Or purposes
  11. Psalm 56:6 Or stir up strife
  12. Psalm 56:6 Lit heels
  13. Psalm 56:6 Lit soul
  14. Psalm 56:8 Or wanderings
  15. Psalm 56:9 Or because
  16. Psalm 56:11 Or trust without fear
  17. Psalm 56:13 Or Have You not delivered
  18. Psalm 56:13 Or life
Listen to Psalm 56
Close NIV

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
Listen to Psalm 56
Close ESV

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;
2 my enemies trample on me all day long,
    for many attack me proudly.
3 When I am afraid,
    I (E)put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; (F)I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me?

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

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

12 I 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

  1. Psalm 56:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
  2. Psalm 56:5 Or they twist my words
  3. Psalm 56:8 Or wanderings
  4. Psalm 56:9 Or because
Close AMP

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.

Next
Psalm 55
Psalm 57
Next
dropdown
New Century Version (NCV)

The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Learn the Bible in 30 days
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

ESV Study Bible
Amplified Bible (AMP)

Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

The Amplified Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation