Psalm 56:1-13

  • A prayer when persecuted

    • “In God I put my trust” (4)

    • “My tears in your skin bottle” (8)

    • “What can a mere human do to me?” (4, 11)

To the director; set to “The Silent Dove That Is Far Away.” Of David. Mikʹtam.* When the Phi·lisʹtines captured him in Gath.+ 56  Show me favor, O God, because mortal man is attacking* me. All day long they keep fighting and oppressing me.   My foes keep snapping at me all day long;Many arrogantly fight against me.   When I am afraid,+ I put my trust in you.+   In God—whose word I praise—In God I put my trust; I am not afraid. What can mere man* do to me?+   All day long they hurt my interests;Their only thought is to harm me.+   They conceal themselves to attack;They watch my every step,+Hoping to take away my life.*+   Reject them because of their wickedness. Bring down the nations in your anger, O God.+   You keep track of my wandering.+ Do collect my tears in your skin bottle.+ Are they not recorded in your book?+   My enemies will retreat on the day that I call for help.+ Of this I am confident: God is on my side.+ 10  In God—whose word I praise—In Jehovah—whose word I praise— 11  In God I put my trust; I am not afraid.+ What can a mere human do to me?+ 12  I am bound by my vows to you, O God;+I will offer you expressions of thanksgiving.+ 13  For you have rescued me* from death+And prevented my feet from stumbling,+So that I may walk before God in the light of the living.+

Footnotes

Or “snapping at.”
Lit., “flesh.”
Or “my soul.”
Or “my soul.”