Psalm 57
New Living Translation
Psalm 57
For the choir director: A psalm[a] of David, regarding the time he fled from Saul and went into the cave. To be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”
1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
I look to you for protection.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings
until the danger passes by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,[b]
to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
3 He will send help from heaven to rescue me,
disgracing those who hound me. Interlude
My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness.
4 I am surrounded by fierce lions
who greedily devour human prey—
whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows,
and whose tongues cut like swords.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens!
May your glory shine over all the earth.
6 My enemies have set a trap for me.
I am weary from distress.
They have dug a deep pit in my path,
but they themselves have fallen into it. Interlude
7 My heart is confident in you, O God;
my heart is confident.
No wonder I can sing your praises!
8 Wake up, my heart!
Wake up, O lyre and harp!
I will wake the dawn with my song.
9 I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.
I will sing your praises among the nations.
10 For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
May your glory shine over all the earth.
Psalm 57
English Standard Version
Let Your Glory Be over All the Earth
To the choirmaster: according to (A)Do Not Destroy. A (B)Miktam[a] of David, when he fled from Saul, in (C)the cave.
57 (D)Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul (E)takes refuge;
in (F)the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
(G)till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God who (H)fulfills his purpose for me.
3 (I)He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame (J)him who tramples on me. Selah
(K)God will send out (L)his steadfast love and his faithfulness!
4 My soul is in the midst of (M)lions;
I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose (N)teeth are spears and arrows,
whose (O)tongues are sharp swords.
5 (P)Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
6 They set (Q)a net for my steps;
my soul was (R)bowed down.
They (S)dug a pit in my way,
but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7 (T)My heart is (U)steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
8 (V)Awake, (W)my glory![b]
Awake, (X)O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your (Y)steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
11 (Z)Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
Footnotes
- Psalm 57:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 57:8 Or my whole being
1 Samuel 24
New Living Translation
David Spares Saul’s Life
24 [a]After Saul returned from fighting the Philistines, he was told that David had gone into the wilderness of En-gedi. 2 So Saul chose 3,000 elite troops from all Israel and went to search for David and his men near the rocks of the wild goats.
3 At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave!
4 “Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe.
5 But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.” 7 So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.
After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, 8 David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.
9 Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? 10 This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ 11 Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.
12 “May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. 13 As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. 14 Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea? 15 May the Lord therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!”
16 When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. 17 And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. 18 Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it. 19 Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today. 20 And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule. 21 Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”
22 So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 24:1 Verses 24:1-22 are numbered 24:2-23 in Hebrew text.
1 Samuel 24
English Standard Version
David Spares Saul's Life
24 [a] (A)When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” 2 Then Saul took (B)three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats' Rocks. 3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in (C)to relieve himself.[b] Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts (D)of the cave. 4 And the men of David said to him, (E)“Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe. 5 And afterward (F)David's heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe. 6 He said to his men, (G)“The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is (H)the Lord's anointed.” 7 So David persuaded his men with these words (I)and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.
8 Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage. 9 And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? 10 Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. (J)And some told me to kill you, but I spared you.[c] I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, (K)for he is the Lord's anointed.’ 11 See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that (L)there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though (M)you hunt my life to take it. 12 (N)May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? (O)After a dead dog! (P)After a flea! 15 (Q)May the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and (R)plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”
16 As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, (S)“Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, (T)for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now, behold, (U)I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 (V)Swear to me therefore by the Lord that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and (W)that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house.” 22 And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went up (X)to the stronghold.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 24:1 Ch 24:2 in Hebrew
- 1 Samuel 24:3 Hebrew cover his feet
- 1 Samuel 24:10 Septuagint, Syriac, Targum; Hebrew it [my eye] spared you
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
