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.

TO THE OVERSEER. [SET] ON “A SILENT DOVE FAR OFF.” A MIKTAM OF DAVID, IN THE PHILISTINES’ TAKING HOLD OF HIM IN GATH. Favor me, O God, for man swallowed me up, All the day fighting he oppresses me,

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

My enemies have swallowed up all the day, For many [are] fighting against me, O Most High,

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

[In] the day I am afraid I am confident toward You.

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 I praise His word, in God I have trusted, I do not fear what flesh does to me.

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

All the day they wrest my words, All their thoughts [are] for evil concerning me,

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

They assemble, they hide, they watch my heels, When they have expected my soul.

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

They escape by iniquity, In anger put down the peoples, O God.

8 You count my wanderings. You put my tears into your container. Aren’t they in your book?

You have counted my wandering, You place my tear in Your bottle, Are they not in Your scroll?

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

Then turn back my enemies in the day I call. This I have known, that God [is] for me.

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

In God I praise the word, In YHWH I praise the word.

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

In God I trusted, I do not fear what man does to me,

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

On me, O God, [are] Your vows, I repay thank-offerings to You.

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 You have delivered my soul from death, Do You not [keep] my feet from falling? To habitually walk before God in the light of the living!