Psalm 56–59

Psalm 56

For the choir director; according to yonath elem rechokim;^aa miktam by David when the Philistines captured him in Gath. 

¹Have pity on me, O God, because people are harassing me. 

All day long warriors oppress me. 

²All day long my enemies spy on me. 

They harass me. 

There are so many fighting against me. 

³Even when I am afraid, I still trust you. 

⁴I praise God’s word. 

I trust God. 

I am not afraid. 

What can mere flesh ⸤and blood⸥ do to me? 

⁵All day long my enemies twist my words. 

Their every thought is an evil plan against me. 

⁶They attack, and then they hide. 

They watch my every step as they wait to take my life. 

⁷With the wrong they do, can they escape? 

O God, angrily make the nations fall. 

⁸(You have kept a record of my wanderings. 

Put my tears in your bottle. 

They are already in your book.) 

⁹Then my enemies will retreat when I call ⸤to you⸥. 

This I know: God is on my side. 

¹⁰I praise God’s word. 

I praise the Lord’s word. 

¹¹I trust God. 

I am not afraid. 

What can mortals do to me? 

¹²I am bound by my vows to you, O God. 

I will keep my vows by offering songs of thanksgiving to you. 

¹³You have rescued me from death. 

You have kept my feet from stumbling 

so that I could walk in your presence, in the light of life. 

Psalm 57

For the choir director; al tashcheth;^aa miktam by David when he fled from Saul into the cave. 

¹Have pity on me, O God. Have pity on me, 

because my soul takes refuge in you. 

I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings 

until destructive storms pass by. 

²I call to God Most High, 

to the God who does everything for me. 

³He sends his help from heaven and saves me. 

He disgraces the one who is harassing me. 

Selah 

God sends his mercy and his truth! 

⁴My soul is surrounded by lions. 

I must lie down with man-eating lions. 

Their teeth are spears and arrows. 

Their tongues are sharp swords. 

⁵May you be honored above the heavens, O God. 

Let your glory extend over the whole earth. 

⁶⸤My enemies⸥ spread out a net to catch me. 

(My soul is bowed down.) 

They dug a pit to trap me, 

but then they fell into it. 

Selah 

⁷My heart is confident, O God. 

My heart is confident. 

I want to sing and make music.^c

⁸Wake up, my soul!^d

Wake up, harp and lyre! 

I want to wake up at dawn. 

⁹I want to give thanks to you among the people, O Lord. 

I want to make music to praise you among the nations 

¹⁰because your mercy is as high as the heavens. 

Your truth reaches the skies. 

¹¹May you be honored above the heavens, O God. 

Let your glory extend over the whole earth. 

Psalm 58

For the choir director; al tashcheth; a miktam by David. 

¹Do you rulers really give fair verdicts? 

Do you judge Adam’s descendants fairly? 

²No, you invent new crimes on earth, 

and your hands spread violence. 

³⸤Even⸥ inside the womb wicked people are strangers ⸤to God⸥. 

From their birth liars go astray. 

⁴They have poisonous venom like snakes. 

They are like a deaf cobra that shuts its ears 

⁵so that it cannot hear the voice of a snake charmer 

or of anyone trained to cast spells. 

⁶O God, knock the teeth out of their mouths. 

Break the young lions’ teeth, O Lord. 

⁷Let them disappear like water that drains away. 

When they aim their bows, let their arrows miss the target. 

⁸Let them become like a snail that leaves behind a slimy trail 

or like a stillborn child who never sees the sun. 

⁹Let ⸤God⸥ sweep them away 

faster than a cooking pot is heated by burning twigs. 

¹⁰Righteous people will rejoice when they see ⸤God⸥ take revenge. 

They will wash their feet in the blood of wicked people. 

¹¹Then people will say, 

“Righteous people certainly have a reward. 

There is a God who judges on earth.” 

Psalm 59

For the choir director; al tashcheth; a miktam by David when Saul sent men to watch David’s home and kill him. 

¹Rescue me from my enemies, O my God. 

Protect me from those who attack me. 

²Rescue me from troublemakers. 

Save me from bloodthirsty people. 

³They lie in ambush for me right here! 

Fierce men attack me, O Lord, 

but not because of any disobedience, 

⁴or any sin, or any guilt on my part. 

They hurry to take positions against me. 

Wake up, and help me; see ⸤for yourself⸥. 

⁵O Lord God of Armies, God of Israel, 

arise to punish all the nations. 

Have no pity on any traitors. 

Selah 

⁶They return in the evening. 

They howl like dogs. 

They prowl the city. 

⁷See what pours out of their mouths— 

swords from their lips! 

⸤They think,⸥ “Who will hear us?” 

⁸O Lord, you laugh at them. 

You make fun of all the nations. 

⁹O my strength, I watch for you! 

God is my stronghold, my merciful God! 

¹⁰God will come to meet me. 

He will let me gloat over those who spy on me. 

¹¹Do not kill them. 

Otherwise, my people may forget. 

Make them wander aimlessly by your power. 

Bring them down, O Lord, our shield, 

¹²⸤because of⸥ the sins from their mouths 

and the words on their lips. 

Let them be trapped by their own arrogance 

because they speak curses and lies. 

¹³Destroy them in your rage. 

Destroy them until not one of them is left. 

Then they will know that God rules Jacob 

to the ends of the earth. 

Selah 

¹⁴They return in the evening. 

They howl like dogs. 

They prowl the city. 

¹⁵They wander around to find something to eat. 

If they are not full enough, 

they will stay all night. 

¹⁶But I will sing about your strength. 

In the morning I will joyfully sing about your mercy. 

You have been my stronghold 

and a place of safety in times of trouble. 

¹⁷O my strength, I will make music to praise you! 

God is my stronghold, my merciful God!