Psalms 56

1 God, be merciful to me because men have harassed me; all day my enemies pursue me.

To the chief Musician. On Jonathelem-rechokim. Of David. Michtam; when the Philistines took him in Gath. Be gracious unto me, O God; for man would swallow me up: all the day long fighting he oppresseth me.

2 My enemies harass me all day long; there are many of them who proudly attack me.

Mine enemies would swallow [me] up all the day long; for they are many that fight against me haughtily.

3 But whenever I am afraid, I trust in you.

In the day that I am afraid, I will confide in thee.

4 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!

In God will I praise his word, in God I put my confidence: I will not fear; what can flesh do unto me?

5 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.

All the day long they wrest my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil.

6 In order to cause trouble for me, they hide and watch everything that I do, waiting for [an opportunity] to kill me [MTY].

They gather themselves together, they hide themselves; they mark my steps, because they wait for my soul.

7 So, God, punish them for the wicked things that they are doing; show that you are angry by defeating those people!

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

8 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.

Thou countest my wanderings; put my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

9 When I call out to you, [my] God, my enemies will be defeated; I know that will happen, because you are fighting for me.

Then shall mine enemies return backward in the day when I call: this I know, for God is for me.

10 I praise/thank you that you do what you have promised; Yahweh, I [will always] praise you for that [DOU].

In God will I praise [his] word; in Jehovah will I praise [his] word.

11 I trust in you, and as a result, I will not be afraid. I know that humans cannot really [RHQ] harm me!

In God have I put my confidence: I will not fear; what can man do unto me?

12 I will bring to you the offering that I promised; I will bring an offering to you to thank you,

Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render thanks unto thee.

13 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).

For thou hast delivered my soul from death; [wilt thou] not [keep] my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?