1 To the chief musician, as the silent dove of the distant; of David, Michtam when the Philistines took him in Gath.
2 Be gracious unto me, O God; for man would swallow me up; all the day fighting he oppresseth me.
3 They that he in wait for me would swallow [me] up all the day, for many fight proudly against me.
4 The day I am afraid I will trust in thee.
5 In God will I praise his word; in God have I trusted; I will not fear: what shall flesh do unto me?
6 All the day they wrest my words; all their devices [are] against me for evil.
7 They gather themselves together, they hide, they work my steps while they wait for my soul.
8 Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, O God.
9 Thou countest my wanderings: put my tears in thy bottle; [are they] not in thy book?
10 Then shall mine enemies turn back in the day I shall call: this I know, for God [is] for me.
11 In God will I praise [the] word; in Jehovah will I praise [the] word.
12 In God have I trusted, I will not fear: what shall man do unto me?
13 Upon me, O God, [are] thy vows: I will render thank-offerings unto thee.
14 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: [wilt thou] not [deliver] my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?
Notes on Psalm 56
This is “To the chief musician, as the silent dove of the distant, Michtam; when the Philistines took him in Gath.”
This is a distinct advance on the overwhelming anguish of the preceding psalm, where the cry to God comes late, and confidence is attained only at the close. Here the soul begins with an appeal to His mercy; and enemies are in view, without the aggravated bitterness of traitors in those who were once near friends. The haughty fighting of foes threw him in the day of his fear on God, and, what is more, on His word as especial ground of praise. All this our Lord knew more calmly and profoundly; and this is our portion, the dearer to us as impressed with His name, as the Spirit is given us to make it good. But the godly Jews will also know what God’s word is in their day of supreme trial when imposture and blasphemy succeed existing incredulity and superstition.