Psalm 56 :: Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

A Call for God’s Protection

For the choir director: according to “A Silent Dove Far Away.” A Miktam of David. When the Philistines seized him in Gath.

Psa 56:1

Be gracious to me, God, for a man is trampling me;

he fights and oppresses me all day long.

Psa 56:2

My adversaries trample me all day,

for many arrogantly fight against me.[fn]

Psa 56:3

When I am afraid,

I will trust in you.

Psa 56:4

In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I will not be afraid.

What can mere mortals do to me?

Psa 56:5

They twist my words all day long;

all their thoughts against me are evil.

Psa 56:6

They stir up strife,[fn] they lurk,

they watch my steps

while they wait to take my life.

Psa 56:7

Will they escape in spite of such sin?

God, bring down the nations in wrath.

Psa 56:8

You yourself have recorded my wanderings.[fn]

Put my tears in your bottle.

Are they not in your book?

Psa 56:9

Then my enemies will retreat on the day when I call.

This I know: God is for me.

Psa 56:10

In God, whose word I praise,

in the LORD, whose word I praise,

Psa 56:11

in God I trust; I will not be afraid.

What can mere humans do to me?

Psa 56:12

I am obligated by vows[fn] to you, God;

I will make my thanksgiving sacrifices to you.

Psa 56:13

For you rescued me from death,

even my feet from stumbling,

to walk before God in the light of life.

See the CSB Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

CSB Footnotes

(56:2)

Or many fight against me, O exalted one, or many fight against me from the heights

(56:6)

Or They attack

(56:8)

Or misery

(56:12)

Lit On me the vows

Additional information is provided here.

For more information on this translation, see the CSB Preface.