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Prayer for Deliverance and Confidence in God

For the music director, according to The Silent Dove of Distant Lands.

Of David. A miktam.

When the Philistines seized him in Gath.[a]

56 Be gracious to me, O God, because humankind has trampled me;
fighting all the day he oppresses me.
My enemies[b] trample all day,
because many are attacking me proudly.
When[c] I fear, I trust you.
God, whose word I praise,
God I trust; I do not fear.
What can mere flesh do to me?
All day they twist my words;
all their thoughts are against me for evil.
They attack,[d] they hide, they watch my steps,[e]
as they lie in wait for my life.
Because of iniquity will they escape?
In anger cast down the peoples, O God.
You have kept count of my wonderings.
Put my tears in your bottle;
are they not in your book?
Then my enemies will turn back when[f] I call.[g]
This I know because[h] God is for me.
10 God, whose word I praise,
Yahweh, whose word I praise,
11 God I trust; I do not fear.
What can mere humankind do to me?
12 My vows to you, O God, are binding upon me.
I will pay thank offerings to you,
13 because you have delivered my soul from death.
Have you not kept my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of the living?

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 56:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  2. Psalm 56:2 Or “lurking foes”
  3. Psalm 56:3 Literally “The day”
  4. Psalm 56:6 Or “they stir up strife”
  5. Psalm 56:6 Literally “heels”
  6. Psalm 56:9 Literally “in the day”
  7. Psalm 56:9 i.e., call on God
  8. Psalm 56:9 Or “that”

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.

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

When I am afraid,(F) I put my trust in you.(G)
    In God, whose word I praise—(H)
in God I trust and am not afraid.(I)
    What can mere mortals do to me?(J)

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

Record my misery;
    list my tears on your scroll[d](Q)
    are they not in your record?(R)
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

David Flees to Achish in Gath

10 So David got up and fled on that day from the presence of Saul, and he came to Achish the king of Gath. 11 The servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Is it not for this one that they sang in the dances, saying, ‘Saul killed his thousands, but David his ten thousands?’” 12 David took these words seriously[a] and felt severely threatened by[b] Achish the king of Gath.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 21:12 Literally “David put these words in his heart”
  2. 1 Samuel 21:12 Literally “he was very afraid from the face of”

David at Gath

10 That day David fled from Saul and went(A) to Achish king of Gath. 11 But the servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances:

“‘Saul has slain his thousands,
    and David his tens of thousands’?”(B)

12 David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath.

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