Psalms 56–60

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

¹Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.

²My enemies want to swallow me up all day long, for they are many who fight proudly against me.

³When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.

⁴In God, I praise his word. In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

⁵All day long they twist my words. All their thoughts are against me for evil.

⁶They conspire and lurk, watching my steps. They are eager to take my life.

⁷Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, God.

⁸You count my wanderings. You put my tears into your container. Aren’t they in your book?

⁹Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call. I know this: that God is for me.

¹⁰In God, I will praise his word. In the LORD, I will praise his word.

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

¹²Your vows are on me, God. I will give thank offerings to you.

¹³For 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.

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

¹Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until disaster has passed.

²I cry out to God Most High, to God who accomplishes my requests for me.

³He will send from heaven, and save me, he rebukes the one who is pursuing me. Selah. God will send out his loving kindness and his truth.

⁴My soul is among lions. I lie among those who are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

⁵Be exalted, God, above the heavens! Let your glory be above all the earth!

⁶They have prepared a net for my steps. My soul is bowed down. They dig a pit before me. They fall into the middle of it themselves. Selah.

⁷My heart is steadfast, God. My heart is steadfast. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises.

⁸Wake up, my glory! Wake up, lute and harp! I will wake up the dawn.

⁹I will give thanks to you, Lord, among the peoples. I will sing praises to you among the nations.

¹⁰For your great loving kindness reaches to the heavens, and your truth to the skies.

¹¹Be exalted, God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth.

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David.

¹Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?

²No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands on the earth.

³The wicked go astray from the womb. They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

⁴Their poison is like the poison of a snake, like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,

⁵which doesn’t listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful the charmer may be.

⁶Break their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break out the great teeth of the young lions, LORD.

⁷Let them vanish like water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.

⁸Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.

⁹Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, he will sweep away the green and the burning alike.

¹⁰The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,

¹¹so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.”

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.

¹Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.

²Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Save me from the bloodthirsty men.

³For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, LORD.

⁴I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me!

⁵You, LORD God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.

⁶They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city.

⁷Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, “For”, they say, “who hears us?”

⁸But you, LORD, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations.

⁹Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, for God is my high tower.

¹⁰My God will go before me with his loving kindness. God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.

¹¹Don’t kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.

¹²For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride, for the curses and lies which they utter.

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A teaching poem by David, when he fought with Aram Naharaim and with Aram Zobah, and Joab returned, and killed twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.

¹God, you have rejected us. You have broken us down. You have been angry. Restore us, again.

²You have made the land tremble. You have torn it. Mend its fractures, for it quakes.

³You have shown your people hard things. You have made us drink the wine that makes us stagger.

⁴You have given a banner to those who fear you, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

⁵So that your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us.

⁶God has spoken from his sanctuary: “I will triumph. I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth.

⁷Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine. Ephraim also is the defense of my head. Judah is my scepter.

⁸Moab is my wash basin. I will throw my sandal on Edom. I shout in triumph over Philistia.”

⁹Who will bring me into the strong city? Who has led me to Edom?

¹⁰Haven’t you, God, rejected us? You don’t go out with our armies, God.

¹¹Give us help against the adversary, for the help of man is vain.

¹²Through God we will do valiantly, for it is he who will tread down our adversaries.