Psalm 56–59

Psalm 56

Trust in God under Persecution

To the leader: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. Of David. A Miktam, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

¹Be gracious to me, O God, for people trample on me;

all day long foes oppress me;

²my enemies trample on me all day long,

for many fight against me.

O Most High,^{* 3}when I am afraid,

I put my trust in you.^*

⁴In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I am not afraid;

what can flesh do to me?^*

⁵All day long they seek to injure my cause;

all their thoughts are against me for evil.^*

⁶They stir up strife; they lurk;

they watch my steps,

as they hoped to take my life.^*

⁷Do not deliver them for any reason;^m

in wrath cast down the peoples, O God!^*

⁸You have kept count of my tossings;

put my tears in your bottle.

Are they not in your record?^*

⁹Then my enemies will retreat

in the day when I call.

This I know, thatⁿ God is for me.^*

¹⁰In God, whose word I praise,

in the Lord, whose word I praise,

¹¹in God I trust; I am not afraid.

What can a mere mortal do to me?

¹²My vows to you I must perform, O God;

I will render thank offerings to you.^*

¹³For you have delivered my soul from death

and my feet from falling,

so that I may walk before God

in the light of life.^*

Psalm 57

Praise and Assurance under Persecution

To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

¹Be merciful to me, O God; be merciful to me,

for in you my soul takes refuge;

in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,

until the destroying storms pass by.^*

²I cry to God Most High,

to God who fulfills his purpose for me.^*

³He will send from heaven and save me;

he will put to shame those who trample on me.   Selah

God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness.^*

⁴I lie down among lions

that greedily devour^o human prey;

their teeth are spears and arrows,

their tongues sharp swords.^*

⁵Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.

Let your glory be over all the earth.^*

⁶They set a net for my steps;

my soul was bowed down.

They dug a pit in my path,

but they have fallen into it themselves.   Selah^*

⁷My heart is steadfast, O God;

my heart is steadfast.

I will sing and make melody.^*

⁸Awake, my soul!

Awake, O harp and lyre!

I will awake the dawn.^*

⁹I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;

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

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

your faithfulness extends to the clouds.^*

¹¹Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.

Let your glory be over all the earth.^*

Psalm 58

Prayer for Vengeance

To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam.

¹Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?

Do you judge people fairly?^*

²No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;

your hands deal out violence on earth.^*

³The wicked go astray from the womb;

they err from their birth, speaking lies.^*

⁴They have venom like the venom of a serpent,

like the deaf adder that stops its ear,^*

⁵so that it does not hear the voice of charmers

or of the cunning enchanter.^*

⁶O God, break the teeth in their mouths;

tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!^*

⁷Let them vanish like water that runs away;

like grass let them be trodden down^p and wither.^*

⁸Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime,

like the untimely birth that never sees the sun.^*

⁹Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns,

whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away!^*

¹⁰The righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance done;

they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.^*

¹¹People will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;

surely there is a God who judges^q on earth.”^*

Psalm 59

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam, when Saul ordered his house to be watched in order to kill him.

¹Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;

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

²Deliver me from those who work evil;

from the bloodthirsty, save me.^*

³Even now they lie in wait for my life;

the mighty stir up strife against me.

For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,^*

⁴for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.

Rouse yourself, come to my help and see!^*

⁵You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.

Awake to punish all the nations;

spare none of those who treacherously plot evil.   Selah^*

⁶Each evening they come back

howling like dogs

and prowling about the city.^*

⁷There they are, bellowing with their mouths,

with sharp words^r on their lips,

for “Who,” they think,^s “will hear us?”^*

⁸But you laugh at them, O Lord;

you hold all the nations in derision.^*

⁹O my strength, I will watch for you,

for you, O God, are my fortress.^*

¹⁰My God in his steadfast love will meet me;

my God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.^*

¹¹Do not kill them, or my people may forget;

make them totter by your power and bring them down,

O Lord, our shield.^*

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

let them be trapped in their pride.

For the cursing and lies that they utter,^*

¹³consume them in wrath;

consume them until they are no more.

Then it will be known to the ends of the earth

that God rules over Jacob.   Selah^*

¹⁴Each evening they come back

howling like dogs

and prowling about the city.^*

¹⁵They roam about for food

and growl if they do not get their fill.

¹⁶But I will sing of your might;

I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.

For you have been a fortress for me

and a refuge in the day of my distress.^*

¹⁷O my strength, I will sing praises to you,

for you, O God, are my fortress,

the God who shows me steadfast love.^*