Psalms 56

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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, I praise his word. In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid. What can flesh do to 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 day long they twist 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 conspire and lurk, watching my steps. They are eager to take my life.

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, 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.

You count my wanderings. You put my tears into your container. Aren’t they in your 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 my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call. I know this: that 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, I will praise his word. In Yahweh, I will 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!

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

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

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

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 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.