Psalms 56:1

Psalm 56 ¹ 

For the music director; according to the yonath-elem-rechovim style; ²  a prayer ³  of David, written when the Philistines captured him in Gath. ⁴ 

56:1 Have mercy on me, O God, for men are attacking me! ⁵ 

All day long hostile enemies ⁶  are tormenting me. ⁷ 

Psalms 69:13-16

69:13 O Lord, may you hear my prayer and be favorably disposed to me! ⁸ 

O God, because of your great loyal love,

answer me with your faithful deliverance! ⁹ 

69:14 Rescue me from the mud! Don’t let me sink!

Deliver me ¹⁰  from those who hate me,

from the deep water!

69:15 Don’t let the current overpower me!

Don’t let the deep swallow me up!

Don’t let the pit ¹¹  devour me! ¹² 

69:16 Answer me, O Lord, for your loyal love is good! ¹³ 

Because of your great compassion, turn toward me!

Psalms 119:76-77

119:76 May your loyal love console me,

as you promised your servant. ¹⁴ 

119:77 May I experience your compassion, ¹⁵  so I might live!

For I find delight in your law.

[56:1]  ¹ sn Psalm 56. Despite the threats of his enemies, the psalmist is confident the Lord will keep his promise to protect and deliver him.

[56:1]  ² tn The literal meaning of this phrase is “silent dove, distant ones.” Perhaps it refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a type of musical instrument.

[56:1]  ³ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam), which also appears in the heading to Pss 16 and 57-60 is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”

[56:1]  ⁴ sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm when the Philistines seized him and took him to King Achish of Gath (see 1 Sam 21:11-15).

[56:1]  ⁵ tn According to BDB 983 s.v. II שָׁאַף, the verb is derived from שָׁאַף (sha’af, “to trample, crush”) rather than the homonymic verb “pant after.”

[56:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “a fighter.” The singular is collective for his enemies (see vv. 5-6). The Qal of לָחַם (lakham, “fight”) also occurs in Ps 35:1.

[56:1]  ⁷ tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the continuing nature of the enemies’ attacks.

[69:13]  ⁸ tn Heb “as for me, [may] my prayer be to you, O Lord, [in] a time of favor.”

[69:13]  ⁹ tn Heb “O God, in the abundance of your loyal love, answer me in the faithfulness of your deliverance.”

[69:14]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “let me be delivered.”

[69:15]  ¹¹ tn Heb “well,” which here symbolizes the place of the dead (cf. Ps 55:23).

[69:15]  ¹² tn Heb “do not let the well close its mouth upon me.”

[69:16]  ¹³ tn Or “pleasant”; or “desirable.”

[119:76]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “according to your word to your servant.”

[119:77]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “and may your compassion come to me.”