Psalm 56
לַמְנַצֵּ֤חַ עַל י֬וֹנַת אֵ֣לֶם רְ֭חֹקִים לְדָוִ֣ד מִכְתָּ֑ם בֶּֽאֱחֹ֨ז אֹת֖וֹ פְלִשְׁתִּ֣ים בְּגַֽת
BSB
Be Merciful to Me, O God
(1 Samuel 21:8–15)
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.
1Be merciful to me, O God,
for men are hounding me;
all day they press their attack.
2My enemies pursue me all day long,
for many proudly assail me.
3When I am afraid,
I put my trust in You.
4In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust.
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
5All day long they twist my words;
all their thoughts are on my demise.
6They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps
while they wait to take my life.
7In spite of such sin, will they escape?
In Your anger, O God, cast down the nations.
8You have taken account of my wanderings.
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.
10In God, whose word I praise,
in the LORD, whose word I praise,
11in God I 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.
13For You have delivered my soul from death,
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.
Introduction
Psalms 56
It seems by this, and many other psalms, that even in times of the greatest trouble and distress David never hung his harp upon the willow-trees, never unstrung it or laid it by; but that when his dangers and fears were greatest he was still in tune for singing God's praises. He was in imminent peril when he penned this psalm, at least when he meditated it; yet even then his meditation of God was sweet. I. He complains of the malice of his enemies, and begs mercy for himself and justice against them (Psa 56:1, Psa 56:2, Psa 56:5-7). II. He confides in God, being assured that he took his part, comforting himself with this, that therefore he was safe and should be victorious, and that while he lived he should praise God (Psa 56:3, Psa 56:4, Psa 56:8-13). How pleasantly may a good Christian, in singing this psalm, rejoice in God, and praise him for what he will do, as well as for what he has done.
To the chief musician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.
Cross-references: Ps 56:1 · Ps 56:2 · Ps 56:5 · Ps 56:3 · Ps 56:4 · Ps 56:8