Psalms 57
1 To the chief music-maker; put to Al-tashheth. Michtam. Of David. When he went in flight from Saul, in the hole of the rock. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me; for the hope of my soul is in you: I will keep myself safely under the shade of your wings, till these troubles are past.
God, be merciful to me! Act mercifully toward me because I come to you to protect me. I ask you to protect me [like little birds are protected under their mother’s] wings [MET] until the storm/danger is ended.
2 I will send up my cry to the Most High God; to God who does all things for me.
God, you who are greater than all other gods, I cry out to you, the one who enables me to do all that you desire.
3 He will send from heaven, and take me from the power of him whose desire is for my destruction. God will send out his mercy and his good faith.
You will answer me from heaven and rescue me, but you will cause those who oppress me to be [defeated and] disgraced! (Think about that!) God will [always] faithfully love me and (will be faithful/will do what he promises).
4 My soul is among lions; I am stretched out among those who are on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and whose tongue is a sharp sword.
[Sometimes] I am surrounded by [my enemies who are like] lions that [kill] humans; [they are like] lions that chew with their teeth [animals that they kill]; but my enemies have spears and arrows, not teeth; and [the false things that] they say [MTY] [hurt people as much as] sharp swords [hurt people] [MET].
5 O God, be lifted up higher than the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
God, show in the heavens that you are very great! And show your glory to people all over the earth!
6 They have made ready a net for my steps; my soul is bent down; they have made a great hole before me, and have gone down into it themselves. (Selah)
[It is as if] [MET, HYP] my enemies spread a net to seize me, and I became very distressed [IDM]. [It is as if] [MET, HYP] they dug a deep pit along the path where I walk, but they themselves fell into it!
7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will make songs, and give praise.
God, I have complete confidence [DOU] in you. I will sing to you, and I will praise you while I sing.
8 You are my glory; let the instruments of music be awake; I myself will be awake with the dawn.
I will awaken myself; I will arise before the sun rises and [praise you while I play] my harp or my (lyre/small harp).
9 I will give you praise, O Lord, among the peoples; I will make songs to you among the nations.
Lord, I will thank you among [all] the people; and I will sing to praise you among [many] ethnic groups,
10 For your mercy is great, stretching up to the heavens, and your righteousness goes up to the clouds.
because your faithful love for us is [as great as the distance from the earth] to the sky, and because your (faithfulness/faithfully doing what you promise) is [as great as the distance] up to the clouds [MET].
11 Be lifted up, O God, higher than the heavens, let your glory be over all the earth.
God, show in the heavens that you are very great! And show your glory [to people] all over the earth!
