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.
²My 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?
⁵All day long they ^(I)distort my words;
All their ^[j]^(J)thoughts are against me for evil.
⁶They ^[k]^(K)attack, they lurk,
They ^(L)watch my ^[l]steps,
As they have ^(M)waited to take my ^[m]life.
⁷Because of their wickedness, will there be an ^(N)escape for them?
In anger ^(O)make the peoples fall down, God!

⁸You ^(P)have taken account of my ^[n]miseries;
Put my ^(Q)tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in ^(R)Your book?
⁹Then my enemies will ^(S)turn back ^(T)on the day when I call;
This I know, ^[o]that ^(U)God is for me.
¹⁰In God, whose word I praise,
In the Lord, whose word I praise,
¹¹In God I have put my ^[p]trust, I shall not be afraid.
What can mankind do to me?
¹²Your ^(V)vows are binding upon me, God;
I will render thanksgiving offerings to You.
¹³For 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

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