Psalms
Summary
Psalm 56 is a prayer of trust written by David when the Philistines seized him in Gath. He acknowledges that people "swallow me up" and fight against him daily, but he declares, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in you." A beautiful and personal image appears in the middle of the psalm: David asks God to "put my tears in your bottle," asking if they are not already in God's book. The psalm emphasises that because "God is for me," he will not fear what man can do. It concludes with a promise to render praises to God for delivering his feet from falling.
Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; he fights daily and oppresses me.
My enemies would daily swallow me up; for they are many who fight against me, O Most High.
When I am afraid, I will trust in you.
In God I will praise his word; in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do to me.
Every day they wrest my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil.
They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.
Shall they escape by iniquity? In your anger cast down the peoples, O God.
You keep track of my wanderings; put my tears in your bottle; are they not in your book?
When I cry out to you, then my enemies shall turn back; this I know, for God is for me.
In God I will praise his word; in the LORD I will praise his word.
In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid what man can do to me.
Your vows are upon me, O God; I will render praises to you.
For you have delivered my soul from death; will you not deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?