Psalm 56

Psalm 56 is the 56th psalm from the Book of Psalms. In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible, and in the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 55. It is attributed to King David and may be considered representative of him or anyone else hiding from an enemy.[1]

This article uses Hebrew (Masoretic) psalm numbering. Psalm 56 in Greek (Septuagint or Vulgate) numbering corresponds to Psalm 57 in Hebrew numbering.

Text

Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 56:[2]

Verse Hebrew
1 לַֽמְנַצֵּ֚חַ עַל־י֬וֹנַת אֵ֣לֶם רְ֖חֹקִים לְדָוִ֣ד מִכְתָּ֑ם בֶּֽאֱחֹ֨ז אוֹת֖וֹ פְלִשְׁתִּ֣ים בְּגַֽת
2 חָנֵּ֣נִי אֱ֖לֹהִים כִּֽי־שְׁאָפַ֣נִי אֱנ֑וֹשׁ כָּל־הַ֜יּ֗וֹם לֹחֵ֥ם יִלְחָצֵֽנִי
3 שָֽׁאֲפ֣וּ שׁ֖וֹרְרַי כָּל־הַיּ֑וֹם כִּֽי־רַבִּ֨ים לֹֽחֲמִ֖ים לִ֣י מָרֽוֹם
4 י֥וֹם אִירָ֑א אֲ֜נִ֗י אֵלֶ֥יךָ אֶבְטָֽח
5 בֵּֽאלֹהִים֘ אֲהַלֵּ֪ל דְּבָ֫ר֥וֹ בֵּֽאלֹהִ֣ים בָּ֖טַחְתִּי לֹ֣א אִירָ֑א מַה־יַּֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה בָשָׂ֣ר לִֽי
6 כָּל־הַ֖יּוֹם דְּבָרַ֣י יְעַצֵּ֑בוּ עָלַ֖י כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֣ם לָרָֽע
7 יָג֚וּרוּ יִצְפּ֗וֹנוּ (כתיב יִצְפֹּ֗ינוּ) הֵ֖מָּה עֲקֵבַ֣י יִשְׁמֹ֑רוּ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר קִוּ֣וּ נַפְשִֽׁי
8 עַל־אָ֥וֶן פַּלֶּט־לָ֑מוֹ בְּ֜אַ֗ף עַמִּ֚ים | הוֹרֵ֬ד אֱלֹהִֽים
9 נֹדִי֘ סָפַ֪רְתָּה֫ אָ֥תָּה שִׂ֣ימָה דִמְעָתִ֣י בְנֹאדֶ֑ךָ הֲ֜לֹ֗א בְּסִפְרָתֶֽךָ
10 אָ֚ז | יָ֘שׁ֚וּבוּ אֽוֹיְבַ֣י אָ֖חוֹר בְּי֣וֹם אֶקְרָ֑א זֶ֥ה יָ֜דַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִ֥ים לִֽי
11 בֵּ֣אלֹהִים אֲהַלֵּ֣ל דָּבָ֑ר בַּֽ֜יהֹוָ֗ה אֲהַלֵּ֥ל דָּבָֽר
12 בֵּֽאלֹהִ֣ים בָּ֖טַחְתִּי לֹ֣א אִירָ֑א מַה־יַּֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה אָדָ֣ם לִֽי
13 עָלַ֣י אֱלֹהִ֣ים נְדָרֶ֑יךָ אֲשַׁלֵּ֖ם תּוֹד֣וֹת לָֽךְ
14 כִּ֚י הִצַּ֪לְתָּ נַפְשִׁ֡י מִמָּוֶת֘ הֲלֹ֥א רַגְלַ֗י מִ֫דֶּ֥חִי לְ֖הִתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים בְּ֜א֗וֹר הַֽחַיִּֽים

King James Version

The following is the full English text of the Psalm from the King James Bible.

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?

Verse numbering

In the Hebrew Bible, Psalm 56:1 comprises the designation

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

From then on Psalm 56:1–13 in English versions correspond to verses 2–14 in the Hebrew text.

Commentary

The historical setting of this Psalm, as given in its title, is David's flight to Gath recorded in 1 Samuel 21:10–15.[3] It is a prayer for help against enemies, ascribed to royal rites, as indicated by the interpretation of the 'peoples' in verse 7 as foreign enemies, the references to national war in verses 1–2, 9, as well as the vows and thank-offerings (verse 12) which are particularly suitable for a king, and also the references to 'death' and the 'light of life' (verse 13) linked to royal imagery.[3]

References
  1. The Artscroll Tehillim page 110
  2. "Tehillim - Psalms - Chapter 56". Chabad.org. 2019. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
  3. Rodd, C. S. (2007). "18. Psalms". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.). The Oxford Bible Commentary (first (paperback) ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 383. ISBN 978-0199277186. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  • Psalm 56 in Hebrew and English - Mechon-mamre
  • Psalm 56 King James Bible - Wikisource
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