Psalm 56–57

A Prayer of Trust in God^+r

56 Be merciful to me, O God,

because I am under attack;

my enemies persecute me all the time.

²All day long my opponents attack me.

There are so many who fight against me.

³When I am afraid, O Lord Almighty,

I put my trust in you.

⁴I trust in God and am not afraid;

I praise him for what he has promised.

What can a mere human being do to me?

⁵My enemies make trouble for me all day long;

they are always planning how to hurt me!

⁶They gather in hiding places

and watch everything I do,

hoping to kill me.

⁷Punish^s them, O God, for their evil;

defeat those people in your anger!

⁸You know how troubled I am;

you have kept a record of my tears.

Aren’t they listed in your book?

⁹The day I call to you,

my enemies will be turned back.

I know this: God^t is on my side-

¹⁰the Lord, whose promises I praise.

¹¹In him I trust, and I will not be afraid.

What can a mere human being do to me?

¹²O God, I will offer you what I have promised;

I will give you my offering of thanksgiving,

¹³because you have rescued me from death

and kept me from defeat.

And so I walk in the presence of God,

in the light that shines on the living.

A Prayer for Help^+u

57 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful,

because I come to you for safety.

In the shadow of your wings I find protection

until the raging storms are over.

²I call to God, the Most High,

to God, who supplies my every need.

³He will answer from heaven and save me;

he will defeat my oppressors.

God will show me his constant love and faithfulness.

⁴I am surrounded by enemies,

who are like lions hungry for human flesh.

Their teeth are like spears and arrows;

their tongues are like sharp swords.

⁵Show your greatness in the sky, O God,

and your glory over all the earth.

⁶My enemies have spread a net to catch me;

I am overcome with distress.

They dug a pit in my path,

but fell into it themselves.

⁷I have complete confidence, O God;

I will sing and praise you!

⁸Wake up, my soul!

Wake up, my harp and lyre!

I will wake up the sun.

⁹I will thank you, O Lord, among the nations.

I will praise you among the peoples.

¹⁰Your constant love reaches the heavens;

your faithfulness touches the skies.

¹¹Show your greatness in the sky, O God,

and your glory over all the earth.