Psalm 56–60

Psalm 56

A CALL FOR GOD’S PROTECTION

For the choir director: according to “A Silent Dove Far Away.” A Miktam of David. When the Philistines seized him in Gath.^k

¹Be gracious to me, God, for a man is trampling me;

he fights and oppresses me all day long.

²My adversaries trample me all day,

for many arrogantly fight against me.^Al

³When I am afraid,

I will trust in you.^m

⁴In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I will not be afraid.

What can mere mortals do to me?ⁿ

⁵They twist my words all day long;

all their thoughts against me are evil.^o

⁶They stir up strife,^B they lurk,

they watch my steps

while they wait to take my life.^p

⁷Will they escape in spite of such sin?

God, bring down the nations in wrath.^q

⁸You yourself have recorded my wanderings.^C

Put my tears in your bottle.

Are they not in your book?^r

⁹Then my enemies will retreat on the day when I call.^s

This I know: God is for me.^t

¹⁰In God, whose word I praise,

in the Lord, whose word I praise,

¹¹in God I trust; I will not be afraid.

What can mere humans do to me?^u

¹²I am obligated by vows^A to you, God;

I will make my thanksgiving sacrifices to you.^v

¹³For you rescued me from death,

even my feet from stumbling,

to walk before God in the light of life.^w

Psalm 57

PRAISE FOR GOD’S PROTECTION

For the choir director: “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. When he fled before Saul into the cave.^x

¹Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me,

for I take refuge in you.

I will seek refuge in the shadow of your wings

until danger passes.^y

²I call to God Most High,

to God who fulfills his purpose for me.^Bz

³He reaches down from heaven and saves me,

challenging the one who tramples me.^aa

Selah

God sends his faithful love and truth.^ab

⁴I am surrounded by lions;

I lie down among devouring lions—

people whose teeth are spears and arrows,

whose tongues are sharp swords.^ac

⁵God, be exalted above the heavens;

let your glory be over the whole earth.^ad

⁶They prepared a net for my steps;

I was despondent.

They dug a pit ahead of me,

but they fell into it!^ae

Selah

⁷My heart is confident, God, my heart is confident.

I will sing; I will sing praises.^af

⁸Wake up, my soul!

Wake up, harp and lyre!

I will wake up the dawn.^ag

⁹I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations.^a

¹⁰For your faithful love is as high as the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches the clouds.^b

¹¹God, be exalted above the heavens;^c

let your glory be over the whole earth.^d

Psalm 58

A CRY AGAINST INJUSTICE

For the choir director: “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David.

¹Do you really speak righteously, you mighty ones?^C

Do you judge people fairly?^e

²No, you practice injustice in your hearts;

with your hands you weigh out violence in the land.^f

³The wicked go astray from the womb;

liars wander about from birth.^g

⁴They have venom like the venom of a snake,

like the deaf cobra that stops up its ears,^h

⁵that does not listen to the sound of the charmers

who skillfully weave spells.ⁱ

⁶God, knock the teeth out of their mouths;

Lord, tear out the young lions’ fangs.^j

⁷May they vanish like water that flows by;

may they aim their blunted arrows.^Ak

⁸Like a slug that moves along in slime,

like a woman’s miscarried child,

may they not see the sun.^l

⁹Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—

whether green or burning—

he will sweep them away.^Bm

¹⁰The righteous one will rejoice

when he sees the retribution;ⁿ

he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.^o

¹¹Then people will say,

“Yes, there is a reward for the righteous!

There is a God who judges on earth!”^p

Psalm 59

GOD OUR STRONGHOLD

For the choir director: “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. When Saul sent agents to watch the house and kill him.^q

¹Rescue me from my enemies, my God;^r

protect me from those who rise up against me.^s

²Rescue me from evildoers,

and save me from men of bloodshed.^t

³Because look, Lord, they set an ambush for me.^u

Powerful men attack me,

but not because of any sin or rebellion of mine.^v

⁴For no fault of mine,

they run and take up a position.

Awake to help me, and take notice.^w

⁵Lord God of Armies, you are the God of Israel.

Rise up to punish all the nations;

do not show favor to any wicked traitors.^x

Selah

⁶They return at evening, snarling like dogs

and prowling around the city.^y

⁷Look, they spew from their mouths—

sharp words from^C their lips.^z

“For who,” they say, “will hear?”^aa

⁸But you laugh at them, Lord;

you ridicule all the nations.^ab

⁹I will keep watch for you, my^D strength,

because God is my stronghold.^ac

¹⁰My faithful God^A will come to meet me;

God will let me look down on my adversaries.^ad

¹¹Do not kill them; otherwise, my people will forget.

By your power, make them homeless wanderers^ae

and bring them down,

Lord, our shield.^a

¹²For the sin of their mouths and the words of their lips,

let them be caught in their pride.

They utter curses and lies.^b

¹³Consume them in fury;

consume them until they are gone.^c

Then people will know throughout^B the earth

that God rules over Jacob.^d

Selah

¹⁴And they return at evening, snarling like dogs

and prowling around the city.^e

¹⁵They scavenge for food;

they growl if they are not satisfied.^f

¹⁶But I will sing of your strength

and will joyfully proclaim

your faithful love in the morning.^g

For you have been a stronghold for me,

a refuge in my day of trouble.^h

¹⁷To you, my strength, I sing praises,

because God is my stronghold—

my faithful God.ⁱ

Psalm 60

PRAYER IN DIFFICULT TIMES

For the choir director: according to “The Lily of Testimony.”^j A Miktam of David for teaching. When he fought with Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned and struck Edom in Salt Valley, killing twelve thousand.^k

¹God, you have rejected us;

you have broken us down;

you have been angry. Restore us!^Cl

²You have shaken the land and split it open.

Heal its fissures, for it shudders.^m

³You have made your people suffer hardship;

you have given us wine to drink

that made us stagger.ⁿ

⁴You have given a signal flag to those who fear you,

so that they can flee before the archers.^Do

Selah

⁵Save with your right hand, and answer me,

so that those you love may be rescued.^p

⁶God has spoken in his sanctuary:^E

“I will celebrate!

I will divide up Shechem.^q

I will apportion the Valley of Succoth.^r

⁷Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine,

and Ephraim is my helmet;^s

Judah is my scepter.^t

⁸Moab is my washbasin.^u

I throw my sandal on Edom;^v

I shout in triumph over Philistia.”^w

⁹Who will bring me to the fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?^x

¹⁰God, haven’t you rejected us?

God, you do not march out with our armies.^y

¹¹Give us aid against the foe,

for human help is worthless.^z

¹²With God we will perform valiantly;^aa

he will trample our foes.^ab