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Psalms 56

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[1]David praying to God in confidence of his word complaineth of his enemies: [9]he professeth his confidence in God's word, and promiseth to praise him.

To the chief Musician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.

1. Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.

2. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.

3. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

4. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

5. Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.

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

7. Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.

8. Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

9. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.

10. In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.

11. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

12. Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.

13. For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Metrical version

Psalm 56

C.M. Cheshire

Show mercy, Lord, to me, for man
would swallow me outright;
He me oppresseth, while he doth
against me daily fight.

They daily would me swallow up
that hate me spitefully;
For they be many that do fight
against me, O Most High.

When I'm afraid I'll trust in thee:
In God I'll praise his word;
I will not fear what flesh can do,
my trust is in the Lord.

Each day they wrest my words; their thoughts
'gainst me are all for ill.
They meet, they lurk, they mark my steps,
waiting my soul to kill.

But shall they by iniquity
escape thy judgments so?
O God, with indignation down
do thou the people throw.

My wand'rings all what they have been
thou know'st, their number took;
Into thy bottle put my tears:
are they not in thy book?

My foes shall, when I cry, turn back;
I know 't, God is for me.
In God his word I'll praise; his word
in GOD shall praised be.

In God I trust; I will not fear
what man can do to me.
Thy vows upon me are, O God:
I'll render praise to thee.

Wilt thou not, who from death me saved,
my feet from falls keep free,
To walk before God in the light
of those that living be?
This psalm was penned by David, when the Philistines apprehended him in Gath, 1 Sam. 21:10-15. It contains, (1.) His earnest supplications to God for merciful protection, and deliverance from his enemies, who were barbarous, powerful, crafty, malicious, and restless, ver. 1-2, 5-7. (2.) His assured confidence in God, as his own God, who had spoken good concerning him, and took particular notice of his grievances, ver. 3-4, 8, 11. (3.) Firm hopes that his prayers should issue in the defeat of his enemies, and that his faith would set him above the slavish fears of men, ver. 9-11; and that, while he paid his vows to God, he should have further occasion to praise the Lord, for what he had done, and would do for him, ver. 12-13. Thus let me, in all my straits, have recourse to God. While his promises remain infallible, let me rejoice therein, and, without anxiety, cheerfully expect their fulfillment.