Psalms 56

1 [For the Chief Musician. To the tune of "Silent Dove in Distant Lands." A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.] Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.

`In Ebreu thus, To the ouercomyng on the doumb culuer of fer drawing awei, the comely song of Dauid, whanne Filisteis helden hym in Geth. `In Jeroms translacioun thus, To the ouercomer for the doumb culuer, for it yede awei fer. Dauid meke and symple made this salm, whanne Palesteyns helden hym in Geth. God, haue thou merci on me, for a man hath defoulid me; al dai he impugnyde, and troublide me.

2 My enemies want to swallow me up all day long, for they are many who fight proudly against me.

Myn enemyes defouliden me al dai; for manye fiyteris weren ayens me.

3 When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.

Of the hiynesse of dai Y schal drede; but God Y schal hope in thee.

4 In God, I praise his word. In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

In God Y schal preise my wordis; Y hopide in God, Y schal not drede what thing fleisch schal do to me.

5 All day long they twist my words. All their thoughts are against me for evil.

Al dai thei cursiden my wordis; ayens me alle her thouytis weren in to yuel.

6 They conspire and lurk, watching my steps, they are eager to take my life.

Thei schulen dwelle, and schulen hide; thei schulen aspie myn heele.

7 Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, God.

As thei abiden my lijf, for nouyt schalt thou make hem saaf; in ire thou schalt breke togidre puplis.

8 You number my wanderings. You put my tears into your bottle. Aren't they in your book?

God, Y schewide my lijf to thee; thou hast set my teeris in thi siyt. As and in thi biheest, Lord;

9 Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call. I know this, that God is for me.

thanne myn enemyes schulen be turned abak. In what euere dai Y schal inwardli clepe thee; lo! Y haue knowe, that thou art my God.

10 In God, I will praise his word. In the LORD, I will praise his word.

In God Y schal preise a word; in the Lord Y schal preyse a word.

11 I have put my trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

Y schal hope in God; Y schal not drede what thing a man schal do to me.

12 Your vows are on me, God. I will give thank offerings to you.

God, thin auowis ben in me; whiche Y schal yelde heriyngis to thee.

13 For you have delivered my soul from death, and prevented my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

For thou hast delyuerid my lijf fro deth, and my feet fro slidyng; that Y pleese bifore God in the liyt of hem that lyuen.