David, praying to God in confidence of his word, complains of his enemies.

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

56:1 Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up.
All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.

56:2 My enemies want to swallow me up all day long,
for they are many who fight proudly against me.

56:3 When I am afraid,
I will put my trust in you.

56:4 In God, I praise his word.
In God, I put my trust.
I will not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me?

56:5 All day long they twist my words.
All their thoughts are against me for evil.

56:6 They conspire and lurk,
watching my steps, they are eager to take my life.

56:7 Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, God.

56:8 You number my wanderings.
You put my tears into your bottle.
Aren’t they in your book?

He professes his confidence in God's word, and promises to praise him.

56:9 Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call.
I know this, that God is for me.

56:10 In God, I will praise his word.
In Yahweh, I will praise his word.

56:11 I have put my trust in God.
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

56:12 Your vows are on me, God.
I will give thank offerings to you.

56:13 For 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.