Corpus Psalterium · Vol. III
Psalm LVI (56)
Cantillated — Refrain Confidence
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 56 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.
לַמְנַצֵּ֤חַ ׀ עַל־י֬וֹנַת אֵ֣לֶם רְ֭חֹקִים לְדָוִ֣ד מִכְתָּ֑ם בֶּֽאֱחֹ֨ז אֹת֖וֹ פְלִשְׁתִּ֣ים בְּגַֽת׃
Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.
חָנֵּ֣נִי אֱ֭לֹהִים כִּֽי־שְׁאָפַ֣נִי אֱנ֑וֹשׁ כָּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם לֹחֵ֥ם יִלְחָצֵֽנִי׃
My enemies want to swallow me up all day long, for they are many who fight proudly against me.
שָׁאֲפ֣וּ שׁ֭וֹרְרַי כָּל־הַיּ֑וֹם כִּֽי־רַבִּ֨ים לֹחֲמִ֖ים לִ֣י מָרֽוֹם׃
When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.
י֥וֹם אִירָ֑א אֲ֝נִ֗י אֵלֶ֥יךָ אֶבְטָֽח׃
In God, I praise his word. In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
בֵּאלֹהִים֮ אֲהַלֵּ֪ל דְּבָ֫ר֥וֹ בֵּאלֹהִ֣ים בָּ֭טַחְתִּי לֹ֣א אִירָ֑א מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה בָשָׂ֣ר לִֽי׃
All day long they twist my words. All their thoughts are against me for evil.
כָּל־הַ֭יּוֹם דְּבָרַ֣י יְעַצֵּ֑בוּ עָלַ֖י כָּל־מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֣ם לָרָֽע׃
They conspire and lurk, watching my steps. They are eager to take my life.
יָג֤וּרוּ ׀ יצפינו הֵ֭מָּה עֲקֵבַ֣י יִשְׁמֹ֑רוּ כַּ֝אֲשֶׁ֗ר קִוּ֥וּ נַפְשִֽׁי׃
Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, God.
עַל־אָ֥וֶן פַּלֶּט־לָ֑מוֹ בְּ֝אַ֗ף עַמִּ֤ים ׀ הוֹרֵ֬ד אֱלֹהִֽים׃
You count my wanderings. You put my tears into your container. Aren’t they in your book?
נֹדִי֮ סָפַ֪רְתָּ֫ה אָ֥תָּה שִׂ֣ימָה דִמְעָתִ֣י בְנֹאדֶ֑ךָ הֲ֝לֹ֗א בְּסִפְרָתֶֽךָ׃
Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call. I know this: that God is for me.
אָ֥֨ז יָ֘שׁ֤וּבוּ אוֹיְבַ֣י אָ֭חוֹר בְּי֣וֹם אֶקְרָ֑א זֶה־יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִ֥ים לִֽי׃
In God, I will praise his word. In Yahweh, I will praise his word.
בֵּֽ֭אלֹהִים אֲהַלֵּ֣ל דָּבָ֑ר בַּ֝יהוָ֗ה אֲהַלֵּ֥ל דָּבָֽר׃
I have put my trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
בֵּֽאלֹהִ֣ים בָּ֭טַחְתִּי לֹ֣א אִירָ֑א מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה אָדָ֣ם לִֽי׃
Your vows are on me, God. I will give thank offerings to you.
עָלַ֣י אֱלֹהִ֣ים נְדָרֶ֑יךָ אֲשַׁלֵּ֖ם תּוֹדֹ֣ת לָֽךְ׃
For you have delivered my soul from death, and prevented my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
כִּ֤י הִצַּ֪לְתָּ נַפְשִׁ֡י מִמָּוֶת֮ הֲלֹ֥א רַגְלַ֗י מִ֫דֶּ֥חִי לְ֭הִֽתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֑ים בְּ֝א֗וֹר הַֽחַיִּֽים׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
Be gracious to me, O God
for man tramples me
All day
he fights me
All day
my enemies press me
Many fight
against me
The day I fear
I trust in You
In God
I praise His word
In God
I trust
I will not fear
what can flesh do to me
In God I trust
I will not fear
What can flesh
do to me
All day
they twist my words
All their thoughts
are evil against me
They gather
they hide
They watch my steps
as they wait for my life
For their evil
will they escape
In anger
cast down the peoples, O God
You have counted
my wanderings
Put my tears
in Your bottle
Are they not
in Your book
Then my enemies
turn back
In the day
that I call
This I know
God is for me
In God
I praise His word
In the Lord
I praise His word
In God I trust
I will not fear
What can man
do to me
Upon me, O God
are my vows
I will render
thank offerings to You
For You have delivered
my soul from death
My feet
from stumbling
To walk before God
in the light of life
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.