Psalm 56[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

Be merciful to me,(A) my God,
    for my enemies are in hot pursuit;(B)
    all day long they press their attack.(C)
My adversaries pursue me all day long;(D)
    in their pride many are attacking me.(E)

When I am afraid,(F) I put my trust in you.(G)
    In God, whose word I praise—(H)
in God I trust and am not afraid.(I)
    What can mere mortals do to me?(J)

All day long they twist my words;(K)
    all their schemes are for my ruin.
They conspire,(L) they lurk,
    they watch my steps,(M)
    hoping to take my life.(N)
Because of their wickedness do not[c] let them escape;(O)
    in your anger, God, bring the nations down.(P)

Record my misery;
    list my tears on your scroll[d](Q)
    are they not in your record?(R)
Then my enemies will turn back(S)
    when I call for help.(T)
    By this I will know that God is for me.(U)

10 In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise—
11 in God I trust and am not afraid.
    What can man do to me?

12 I am under vows(V) to you, my God;
    I will present my thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered me from death(W)
    and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
    in the light of life.(X)

Psalm 57[e](Y)

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[f] When he had fled from Saul into the cave.(Z)

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
    for in you I take refuge.(AA)
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings(AB)
    until the disaster has passed.(AC)

I cry out to God Most High,
    to God, who vindicates me.(AD)
He sends from heaven and saves me,(AE)
    rebuking those who hotly pursue me—[g](AF)
    God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.(AG)

I am in the midst of lions;(AH)
    I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
    whose tongues are sharp swords.(AI)

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.(AJ)

They spread a net for my feet(AK)
    I was bowed down(AL) in distress.
They dug a pit(AM) in my path—
    but they have fallen into it themselves.(AN)

My heart, O God, is steadfast,
    my heart is steadfast;(AO)
    I will sing and make music.
Awake, my soul!
    Awake, harp and lyre!(AP)
    I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the skies.(AQ)

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;(AR)
    let your glory be over all the earth.(AS)

Psalm 58[h]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[i]

Do you rulers indeed speak justly?(AT)
    Do you judge people with equity?
No, in your heart you devise injustice,(AU)
    and your hands mete out violence on the earth.(AV)

Even from birth the wicked go astray;
    from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
Their venom is like the venom of a snake,(AW)
    like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
that will not heed(AX) the tune of the charmer,(AY)
    however skillful the enchanter may be.

Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;(AZ)
    Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!(BA)
Let them vanish like water that flows away;(BB)
    when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.(BC)
May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,(BD)
    like a stillborn child(BE) that never sees the sun.

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns(BF)
    whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.[j](BG)
10 The righteous will be glad(BH) when they are avenged,(BI)
    when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.(BJ)
11 Then people will say,
    “Surely the righteous still are rewarded;(BK)
    surely there is a God who judges the earth.”(BL)

Psalm 59[k]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[l] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house(BM) in order to kill him.

Deliver me from my enemies, O God;(BN)
    be my fortress against those who are attacking me.(BO)
Deliver me from evildoers(BP)
    and save me from those who are after my blood.(BQ)

See how they lie in wait for me!
    Fierce men conspire(BR) against me
    for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
I have done no wrong,(BS) yet they are ready to attack me.(BT)
    Arise to help me; look on my plight!(BU)
You, Lord God Almighty,
    you who are the God of Israel,(BV)
rouse yourself(BW) to punish all the nations;(BX)
    show no mercy to wicked traitors.[m](BY)

They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,(BZ)
    and prowl about the city.
See what they spew from their mouths(CA)
    the words from their lips are sharp as swords,(CB)
    and they think, “Who can hear us?”(CC)
But you laugh at them, Lord;(CD)
    you scoff at all those nations.(CE)

You are my strength,(CF) I watch for you;
    you, God, are my fortress,(CG)
10     my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me
    and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,[n](CH)
    or my people will forget.(CI)
In your might uproot them
    and bring them down.(CJ)
12 For the sins of their mouths,(CK)
    for the words of their lips,(CL)
    let them be caught in their pride.(CM)
For the curses and lies they utter,
13     consume them in your wrath,
    consume them till they are no more.(CN)
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob.(CO)

14 They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
15 They wander about for food(CP)
    and howl if not satisfied.
16 But I will sing(CQ) of your strength,(CR)
    in the morning(CS) I will sing of your love;(CT)
for you are my fortress,(CU)
    my refuge in times of trouble.(CV)

17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
    you, God, are my fortress,
    my God on whom I can rely.(CW)

Psalm 60[o](CX)

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam[p] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim[q] and Aram Zobah,[r] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.(CY)

You have rejected us,(CZ) God, and burst upon us;
    you have been angry(DA)—now restore us!(DB)
You have shaken the land(DC) and torn it open;
    mend its fractures,(DD) for it is quaking.
You have shown your people desperate times;(DE)
    you have given us wine that makes us stagger.(DF)
But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner(DG)
    to be unfurled against the bow.[s]

Save us and help us with your right hand,(DH)
    that those you love(DI) may be delivered.
God has spoken from his sanctuary:
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem(DJ)
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.(DK)
Gilead(DL) is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim(DM) is my helmet,
    Judah(DN) is my scepter.(DO)
Moab is my washbasin,
    on Edom I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.(DP)

Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
    and no longer go out with our armies?(DQ)
11 Give us aid against the enemy,
    for human help is worthless.(DR)
12 With God we will gain the victory,
    and he will trample down our enemies.(DS)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 56:1 In Hebrew texts 56:1-13 is numbered 56:2-14.
  2. Psalm 56:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 56:7 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text does not have do not.
  4. Psalm 56:8 Or misery; / put my tears in your wineskin
  5. Psalm 57:1 In Hebrew texts 57:1-11 is numbered 57:2-12.
  6. Psalm 57:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  7. Psalm 57:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.
  8. Psalm 58:1 In Hebrew texts 58:1-11 is numbered 58:2-12.
  9. Psalm 58:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  10. Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
  11. Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
  12. Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  13. Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
  14. Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign
  15. Psalm 60:1 In Hebrew texts 60:1-12 is numbered 60:3-14.
  16. Psalm 60:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  17. Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of Northwest Mesopotamia
  18. Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of central Syria
  19. Psalm 60:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

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