Psalm 56

Modern

Literal

Be Merciful to Me, O God

¹For the choirmaster. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” A Miktam^a of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

Be merciful to me, O God,

for men are hounding me;

all day they press their attack.

¹For the one directing according to “A Dove of Distant Oaks.” Of David. A Miktam in the seizing of him by the Philistines in Gath. Show favor to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; all the day fighting, he oppresses me.

²My enemies pursue me all day long,

for many proudly assail me.

²My enemies swallow me up all the day, for many are fighting against me proudly.

³When I am afraid,

I put my trust in You.

³On the day I am afraid, I will trust in You.

⁴In God, whose word I praise—

in God I trust.

I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

⁴In God—His word I praise—in God do I trust. I will not fear; what can flesh do to me?

⁵All day long they twist my words;

all their thoughts are on my demise.

⁵All the day they wrest my words; their thoughts are all for evil against me.

⁶They conspire, they lurk,

they watch my steps

while they wait to take my life.

⁶They gather together, they hide, they mark my steps when they lie in wait for my soul.

⁷In spite of such sin, will they escape?^a

In Your anger, O God, cast down the nations.

⁷Over iniquity bring no escape for them! In your anger, may You cast down the nations, O God!

⁸You have taken account of my wanderings.^a

Put my tears in Your bottle—

are they not in Your book?

⁸My wanderings You have counted; put my tears in Your bottle—are they not in Your book?

⁹Then my enemies will retreat

on the day I cry for help.

By this I will know that God is on my side.

⁹Then my enemies will turn back on the day I cry out. This I have known, that God is for me.

¹⁰In God, whose word I praise,

in the LORD, whose word I praise,

¹⁰In God whose word I do praise, in YHWH whose word I praise—

¹¹in God I trust; I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

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

¹²Your vows are upon me, O God;

I will render thank offerings to You.

¹²Your vows, O God, are upon me; I will give thank offerings to You.

¹³For You have delivered my soul from death,

and my feet from stumbling,

that I may walk before God

in the light of life.

¹³For You have delivered my soul from death, Do You not keep my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living!