Old Testament

Psalms 56

Tears Counted, Trust Declared

4 passages

Overview

Surrounded by enemies who swallow him up, conspire, and ambush, the psalmist moves from urgent cries for mercy through confident praise of God's word to solemn vows of thanksgiving, assured that God has recorded every tear and rescued his soul from death.

Passages

1–4Cry for Mercy and Initial Trust in God 5–8Counted Tears, Uncounted Foes: God's Watchful Care Amid Malice 9–11Confidence in God's Deliverance and Renewed Praise 12–13Vows of Thanksgiving for Salvation

Study Resources

No study guides, devotionals, or teaching outlines have been created for this chapter yet.

Psalms 56

¹For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath. Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.

²My enemies want to swallow me up all day long, for they are many who fight proudly against me.

³When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.

⁴In God, I praise his word. In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

⁵All day long they twist my words. All their thoughts are against me for evil.

⁶They conspire and lurk, watching my steps. They are eager to take my life.

⁷Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, God.

⁸You count my wanderings. You put my tears into your container. Aren’t they in your book?

⁹Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call. I know this: that God is for me.

¹⁰In God, I will praise his word. In Yahweh, I will praise his word.

¹¹I have put my trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

¹²Your vows are on me, God. I will give thank offerings to you.

¹³For you have delivered my soul from death, and prevented my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

Psalms 55 Psalms 57