Psalms 56

1 Be merciful [have pity, show compassion] to me, O God [Elohim, the supreme Creator], for men [people, mankind] are hounding [pursuing, oppressing] me; all day [daily, continually] they press [attack, oppress] their attack [oppression, pursuit]. word study 2 My enemies [proudly, with arrogance] pursue me all [the entire, every] day long, for many [a great number, a multitude] proudly [with haughtiness, in their arrogance] assail me. word study 3 When [in the time of, at the moment] I am afraid [fearful, filled with anxiety], I put [will trust, have faith in] my trust [confidence, reliance] in You [the Lord, my Savior]. word study 4 In God [my Rock, my Savior], whose word [promise, divine declaration] I praise— in God [the Almighty, my Trust] I trust [have faith, put confidence]. I will not be afraid [dread, fear]. What [any harm, fleshly attack] can man [mortal, human] do [accomplish, inflict] to me [against my soul]? word study 5 All day long [constantly, every moment] they twist [wrest, distort] my words [my spoken thoughts, my message]; all their thoughts [their innermost intentions, their plans] are on [focused against, set against] my demise [my downfall, my destruction for evil]. word study 6 They conspire [gather themselves together, assemble], they lurk [hide themselves, in secret places], they watch [mark, keep track of] my steps [every move, all my ways] while they wait [have expected, are waiting in anticipation] to take [kill, destroy] my life [soul, very being]. word study 7 In spite of such [wicked, evil] sin [iniquity, lawlessness], will they escape [be freed, get away]? In Your [righteous, holy] anger [wrath, indignation], O God [Elohim, the supreme Judge], cast down [bring low, defeat] the nations [peoples, Gentiles]. word study 8 You have taken account [numbered, kept track] of my wanderings [times of distress, alone]. Put my tears [droplets of sorrow, emotional pain] in Your bottle [container, receptacle]— are they not [do they not exist] in Your book [record, register, account of my life]? word study 9 Then my enemies [those who hate me, adversaries] will retreat [turn back, be defeated] on the day I cry [call out, send up my cry] for help [assistance, rescue]. By this [this sign, this assurance] I will know [be certain, understand] that God [the Almighty, my Savior] is on my side [for me, with me]. word study 10 In God [the supreme Elohim, Creator of all], whose word [divine promise, revelation] I praise, in the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant-keeping God], whose word [faithful declaration, assurance] I praise, word study 11 in [the one supreme] God [Elohim, the Almighty] I trust [have put my hope, have confidence]; I will not be afraid [fearful, intimidated]. What [anything, all] can man [human beings, mere mortals] do [accomplish, inflict] to me [unto me, against me]? word study 12 Your [divine, sacred] vows [promises, commitments] are upon me, O God [Elohim, the one supreme God]; I will render [give, offer] thank [praise, gratitude] offerings [sacrifices, gifts] to You [in worship, with reverence]. word study 13 For You have delivered [rescued, saved] my soul [my very being, my life] from death [the power of death, eternal separation], and my feet [my steps, my journey] from stumbling [falling, slipping], that I may walk [habitually live, continually move] before [in the presence of, face to face with] God [Elohim, the one supreme God] in the light [the radiance, the illumination] of life [the living, eternal life]. word study