< Psalms 56 >

1 For the music director. According to “Dove on Distant Oaks.” A psalm (miktam) of David concerning the time the Philistines captured him in Gath. God, please be gracious to me, for people are persecuting me; my attackers fight against me all day long.
לַמְנַצֵּ֤חַ ׀ עַל־י֬וֹנַת אֵ֣לֶם רְ֭חֹקִים לְדָוִ֣ד מִכְתָּ֑ם בֶּֽאֱחֹ֨ז אֹת֖וֹ פְלִשְׁתִּ֣ים בְּגַֽת׃ חָנֵּ֣נִי אֱ֭לֹהִים כִּֽי־שְׁאָפַ֣נִי אֱנ֑וֹשׁ כָּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם לֹחֵ֥ם יִלְחָצֵֽנִי׃
2 My enemies chase me down all the time—there are many of them, attacking me in their arrogance.
שָׁאֲפ֣וּ שׁ֭וֹרְרַי כָּל־הַיּ֑וֹם כִּֽי־רַבִּ֨ים לֹחֲמִ֖ים לִ֣י מָרֽוֹם׃
3 But when I'm afraid, I trust in you.
י֥וֹם אִירָ֑א אֲ֝נִ֗י אֵלֶ֥יךָ אֶבְטָֽח׃
4 I thank God for his promises. I trust in God, so why should I be fearful? What can mere human beings do to me?
בֵּאלֹהִים֮ אֲהַלֵּ֪ל דְּבָ֫ר֥וֹ בֵּאלֹהִ֣ים בָּ֭טַחְתִּי לֹ֣א אִירָ֑א מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה בָשָׂ֣ר לִֽי׃
5 They constantly twist my words against me; they spend all their time thinking of evil things to do to me.
כָּל־הַ֭יּוֹם דְּבָרַ֣י יְעַצֵּ֑בוּ עָלַ֖י כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֣ם לָרָֽע׃
6 They gather together in their hiding places to keep watch on me, hoping to kill me.
יָג֤וּרוּ ׀ יִצְפּ֗וֹנוּ הֵ֭מָּה עֲקֵבַ֣י יִשְׁמֹ֑רוּ כַּ֝אֲשֶׁ֗ר קִוּ֥וּ נַפְשִֽׁי׃
7 Will they escape when they do so much evil? God, in anger bring these people down!
עַל־אָ֥וֶן אֵין פַּלֶּט־לָ֑מוֹ בְּ֝אַ֗ף עַמִּ֤ים ׀ הוֹרֵ֬ד אֱלֹהִֽים׃
8 You've kept track of all my wanderings. You've collected all my tears in your bottle. You've kept a record of each one.
נֹדִי֮ סָפַ֪רְתָּ֫ה אָ֥תָּה שִׂ֣ימָה דִמְעָתִ֣י בְנֹאדֶ֑ךָ הֲ֝לֹ֗א בְּסִפְרָתֶֽךָ׃
9 Then those who hate me will run away when I call for your help. For I know this: God is for me!
אָ֥֨ז יָ֘שׁ֤וּבוּ אוֹיְבַ֣י אָ֭חוֹר בְּי֣וֹם אֶקְרָ֑א זֶה־יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִ֥ים לִֽי׃
10 I thank God for his promises. I thank the Lord for his promises.
בֵּֽ֭אלֹהִים אֲהַלֵּ֣ל דָּבָ֑ר בַּ֝יהוָ֗ה אֲהַלֵּ֥ל דָּבָֽר׃
11 I trust in God, so why should I be fearful? What can mere human beings do to me?
בֵּֽאלֹהִ֣ים בָּ֭טַחְתִּי לֹ֣א אִירָ֑א מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה אָדָ֣ם לִֽי׃
12 God, I will keep my promises to you. I will give thank offerings to you,
עָלַ֣י אֱלֹהִ֣ים נְדָרֶ֑יךָ אֲשַׁלֵּ֖ם תּוֹדֹ֣ת לָֽךְ׃
13 for you have saved me from death and kept me from falling. Now I walk in the presence of God, in the light that gives life.
כִּ֤י הִצַּ֪לְתָּ נַפְשִׁ֡י מִמָּוֶת֮ הֲלֹ֥א רַגְלַ֗י מִ֫דֶּ֥חִי לְ֭הִֽתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים בְּ֝א֗וֹר הַֽחַיִּֽים׃

< Psalms 56 >