Psalms 56 (DBY)

Chapter Text

56:1 {To the chief Musician. On Jonathelem-rechokim. Of David. Michtam; when the Philistines took him in Gath.} Be gracious unto me, O God; for man would swallow me up: all the day long fighting he oppresseth me.

56:2 Mine enemies would swallow [me] up all the day long; for they are many that fight against me haughtily.

56:3 In the day that I am afraid, I will confide in thee.

56:4 In God will I praise his word, in God I put my confidence: I will not fear; what can flesh do unto me?

56:5 All the day long they wrest my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil.

56:6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves; they mark my steps, because they wait for my soul.

56:7 Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, O God.

56:8 *Thou* countest my wanderings; put my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

56:9 Then shall mine enemies return backward in the day when I call: this I know, for God is for me.

56:10 In God will I praise [his] word; in Jehovah will I praise [his] word.

56:11 In God have I put my confidence: I will not fear; what can man do unto me?

56:12 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render thanks unto thee.

56:13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death; [wilt thou] not [keep] my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "light", "chief", "musician", "jonathelem-rechokim", "david", "michtam", "philistines", and "took". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "light" and "chief", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The local DBY text gives this verse as the immediate unit, so "light" and "chief" carries the first interpretive weight. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "light" and "chief" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.