Psalms 56

1 `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.

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

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

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

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

4 In God Y schal preise my wordis; Y hopide in God, Y schal not drede what thing fleisch schal do to 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 Al dai thei cursiden my wordis; ayens me alle her thouytis weren in to yuel.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13 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.

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.