1 To the chief music-maker; put to Jonath elem rehokim. Of David. Michtam. When the Philistines took him in Gath. Have mercy on me, O God, for man is attempting my destruction; every day he makes cruel attacks against me. 2 My haters are ever ready to put an end to me; great numbers are lifting themselves up against me. 3 In the time of my fear, I will have faith in you. 4 In God will I give praise to his word; in God have I put my hope; I will have no fear of what flesh may do to me. 5 Every day they make wrong use of my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They come together, they are waiting in secret places, they take note of my steps, they are waiting for my soul. 7 By evil-doing they will not get free from punishment. In wrath, O God, let the peoples be made low. 8 You have seen my wanderings; put the drops from my eyes into your bottle; are they not in your record? 9 When I send up my cry to you, my haters will be turned back; I am certain of this, for God is with me. 10 In God will I give praise to his word; in the Lord will I give praise to his word. 11 In God have I put my hope, I will have no fear of what man may do to me. 12 I keep the memory of my debt to you, O God; I will give you the offerings of praise. 13 Because you have taken my soul from the power of death; and kept my feet from falling, so that I may be walking before God in the light of life.
Psalms · Bible in Basic English
Psalm 56 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
Cross references (13)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Samuel 29:4; Psalm 16:1; Psalm 31:9; Psalm 59:1; Psalm 69:13–16
- 2 Psalm 118:10–12; Psalm 57:3; Psalm 35:1; Daniel 5:18; Psalm 93:4
- 3 Psalm 34:4; 1 Samuel 30:6; 2 Corinthians 7:5–6; Psalm 55:4–5; 2 Corinthians 1:8–10
- 4 Hebrews 13:6; Psalm 118:6; Romans 8:31–39; Psalm 27:1; Isaiah 41:10
- 5 Matthew 22:15; Luke 11:54; Psalm 41:7; Isaiah 29:20–21; 2 Peter 3:16
- 6 Psalm 59:3; Psalm 71:10; Psalm 140:2; Acts 23:12–14; Luke 20:20
- 7 Psalm 55:23; Jeremiah 10:25; Psalm 94:20–21; Jeremiah 18:19–23; Psalm 36:12
- 8 2 Kings 20:5; Malachi 3:16; Psalm 39:12; Revelation 7:17; Psalm 126:5–6
- 9 Romans 8:31; Psalm 118:6; Psalm 46:11; Psalm 118:11–13; Psalm 102:2
- 10 Matthew 24:35; Psalm 56:4; Genesis 32:11; Hebrews 6:18; Psalm 60:6
- 11 Psalm 27:1; Isaiah 51:12–13; Isaiah 51:7–8; Psalm 112:7–8
- 12 Psalm 9:1–3; Psalm 50:14; 1 Samuel 1:24–28; Ecclesiastes 5:4–6; Numbers 30:2–16
- 13 Psalm 116:8–9; Job 33:30; Revelation 21:23–24; Psalm 145:14; Psalm 49:15
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Of this Psalm the title is: "At the end, in hymns, understanding to David himself." What the "end" is, we will briefly call to your recollection, because ye have known it. "For the end of the Law is Christ, for righteousness unto every man believing." Be the attention therefore directed unto the End, directed unto Christ.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
As the Psalm saith, "In God will I praise the discourse, in God will I praise the word." Hereby shall that which there follows come to pass in thee: "In God have I hoped, I will not fear what man can do unto me." For when all things that are thine are praised in God, no fear lest thy praise …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)