Psalms 56
1 For the Chief Musician; set to Jonath elem rehokim. [A Psalm] of David: Michtam: when the Philistines took him in Gath. Be merciful unto me, O God; for man would swallow me up: all the day long he fighting oppresseth me.
God, be merciful to me because men have harassed me; all day my enemies pursue me.
2 Mine enemies would swallow me up all the day long: for they be many that fight proudly against me.
My enemies harass me all day long; there are many of them who proudly attack me.
3 What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in thee.
But whenever I am afraid, I trust in you.
4 In God I will praise his word: in God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid; what can flesh do unto me?
God, I praise/thank you because you do what you have promised; I trust in you, and then I am not afraid. Ordinary humans certainly cannot [RHQ] harm me!
5 All the day long they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.
All day long my enemies claim that I said things that I did not say (OR, try to destroy what I am doing); they are always thinking of ways to harm me.
6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, even as they have waited for my soul.
In order to cause trouble for me, they hide and watch everything that I do, waiting for [an opportunity] to kill me [MTY].
7 Shall they escape by iniquity? in anger cast down the peoples, O God.
So, God, punish them for the wicked things that they are doing; show that you are angry by defeating those people!
8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle; are they not in thy book?
You have counted [all] the times that I have been wandering alone/distressed; [it is as though] you have put [all] my tears in a bottle [in order that you can see how much I have cried]. [You have counted my tears and written] the number in your book.
9 Then shall mine enemies turn back in the day that I call: this I know, that God is for me.
When I call out to you, [my] God, my enemies will be defeated; I know that will happen, because you are fighting for me.
10 In God will I praise [his] word: in the LORD will I praise [his] word.
I praise/thank you that you do what you have promised; Yahweh, I [will always] praise you for that [DOU].
11 In God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid; what can man do unto me?
I trust in you, and as a result, I will not be afraid. I know that humans cannot really [RHQ] harm me!
12 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render thank offerings unto thee.
I will bring to you the offering that I promised; I will bring an offering to you to thank you,
13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: [hast thou] not [delivered] my feet from falling? that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
because you have rescued me from being killed; you have kept me from stumbling. As a result, I will continue to live in your presence in the light that [shines on those who are still] alive (OR, in the light that [enables people to] live).
