Psalm 56 (KJV) - Bible Truth Library

upon {Jonath-elem-rechokim.} Or, as it may be rendered, "concerning the dumb dove, (or oppressed band) in distant places," i.e., David, or his companions; though some consider it as the name of a tune, and others a musical instrument.Michtam.

or, a golden Psalm.

Psa. 16:1• ¹<<Michtam of David.>> Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. (Psa. 16:1)

;

Psa. 57:1• ¹<<To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.>> Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. (Psa. 57:1)

;

Psa. 58:1• ¹<<To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David.>> Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? (Psa. 58:1)

;

Psa. 59:1• ¹<<To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.>> Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. (Psa. 59:1)

;

Psa. 60:1• ¹<<To the chief Musician upon Shushan-eduth, Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand.>> O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again. (Psa. 60:1)

;

Psa. 60• (Psa. 60)

:*titles

when.

1 Sam. 21:11‑15• ¹¹And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
¹²And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
¹³And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
¹⁴Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
¹⁵Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house? (1 Sam. 21:11‑15)

;

Be.

Psa. 31:9• ⁹Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. (Psa. 31:9)

;

Psa. 57:1‑3• ¹<<To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.>> Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
²I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.
³He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. (Psa. 57:1‑3)

;

Psa. 59:10• ¹⁰The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies. (Psa. 59:10)

;

Psa. 69:13‑16• ¹³But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
¹⁴Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
¹⁵Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
¹⁶Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. (Psa. 69:13‑16)

;

Psa. 136:10,15,17‑20• ¹⁰To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
¹⁵But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.
¹⁷To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
¹⁸And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
¹⁹Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
²⁰And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever: (Psa. 136:10,15,17‑20)

;

Psa. 143:12• ¹²And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant. (Psa. 143:12)

swallow.

Psa. 21:9• ⁹Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. (Psa. 21:9)

;

Psa. 27:2• ²When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. (Psa. 27:2)

;

Psa. 35:25• ²⁵Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. (Psa. 35:25)

;

Psa. 57:3• ³He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. (Psa. 57:3)

;

Psa. 106:17• ¹⁷The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. (Psa. 106:17)

;

Psa. 124:3• ³Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us: (Psa. 124:3)

;

Prov. 1:12• ¹²Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: (Prov. 1:12)

;

Lam. 2:2,5,16• ²The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof.
⁵The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.
¹⁶All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it. (Lam. 2:2,5,16)

;

Hos. 8:8• ⁸Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure. (Hos. 8:8)

;

1 Cor. 15:54• ⁵⁴So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (1 Cor. 15:54)

• Book 2, Series 2. The Great Tribulation. (““The Placement of the Psalms in Prophecy”” by B. Anstey)

• The soul has got out of the depth of inward distress in which it was in psalm 55. For, though the faithful one's enemies lie in wait for him, it is not the unfaithfulness and treachery of friends. They are enemies who seek to wrong him. He is afraid, more than distressed, and looks through the difficulties to God. Faith is readily in activity. In the previous psalm his spirit was inwardly deeply depressed. Here he is only tried. (“Practical Reflections on the Psalms: Psalms 55-58” by J.N. Darby)

• In psalm 55 it is only at the 19th verse and at the end he can bring God in. Here God is at once before his soul. In truth outward trials are little compared with inward breaches on the spirit. The spirit [even] of a man will bear his infirmities, but a wounded spirit who can bear? The saint's trust, then, is in God. (“Practical Reflections on the Psalms: Psalms 55-58” by J.N. Darby)

• (vv. 1-3) Surrounded by enemies that daily oppose, oppress, and seek his life, the godly man finds relief from his fears by turning to God and trusting in Him. (“Psalms 56” by H. Smith)

• Again, this psalm was written when David was outside the land (see heading). Gath is in the land of the Philistines. “Jonath-elem-recholsim” means “a silent dove in far off lands.” (“Book 2.” by B. Anstey)

J. N. Darby Translation

To the chief Musician. On Jonathelem-rechokimk. Of David. Michtaml; when the Philistines took him in Gath. Be gracious unto me, O God; for manm would swallow me upn: all the day long fighting he oppresseth me.

JND Translation Notes

"The mute dove in the distance," or "the dove of the distant terebinths."

See Ps. 16.

Enosh.

Strictly, "pant after me," like a wild beast thirsting for blood; and so Ps. 57.3; Amos 8.4.