Psalm 56

What can flesh do

Trust in God when enemies daily oppress; fears turn to praise when God proves He fights on the psalmist's side. Vows rendered when deliverance comes.

13 verses. The 56th of 150 chapters in Psalms, in Poetry and Wisdom.

1Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.

2Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.

3What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

4In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

5Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.

6They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.

7Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.

8Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

9When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.

10In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word.

11In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

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

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

Matthew Henry on Psalm 56

3,399 words, in 2 passages.

  1. Verses 1–7Prayer for Help under Oppression; Confidence in God.
  2. Verses 8–13Comfort under Affliction; Confidence in God.

King James Version. Public domain. Set as prose throughout, including the poetry, because the text is published to us without its lines.