Psalms 56:1

Psalms 56:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.
• New International Version (NIV)Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me;
• New King James Version (NKJV)Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me.

Context of Psalms 56:1

Be merciful unto me, O God; for man would swallow me up: All the day long he fighting oppresseth me. 2Mine enemies would swallow me up all the day long; For they are many that fight proudly against me. 3What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in thee.

Psalms 56:1 word by word

חָנֵּ֣נִי אֱ֭לֹהִים כִּֽי־שְׁאָפַ֣נִי אֱנ֑וֹשׁ כָּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם לֹחֵ֥ם יִלְחָצֵֽנִי׃Read the interlinear

Cross-references for Psalms 56:1

• Psalms 16:1Preserve me, O God; for in thee do I take refuge.
• Psalms 57:1Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; For my soul taketh refuge in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I take refuge, Until these calamities be overpast.
• Psalms 58:1Do ye indeed in silence speak righteousness? Do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
• Psalms 59:1Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: Set me on high from them that rise up against me.
• Psalms 60:1O God thou hast cast us off, thou hast broken us down; Thou hast been angry; oh restore us again.
• 1 Samuel 21:11And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands?
• 1 Samuel 29:4But the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us: for wherewith should this fellow reconcile himself unto his lord? should it not be with the heads of these men?
• Psalms 31:9Have mercy upon me, O Jehovah, for I am in distress: Mine eye wasteth away with grief, yea, my soul and my body.
• Psalms 59:10My God with his lovingkindness will meet me: God will let me see my desire upon mine enemies.
• Psalms 69:13But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Jehovah, in an acceptable time: O God, in the abundance of thy lovingkindness, Answer me in the truth of thy salvation.
• Psalms 136:10To him that smote Egypt in their first-born; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever;
• Psalms 143:12And in thy lovingkindness cut off mine enemies, And destroy all them that afflict my soul; For I am thy servant.
• Psalms 21:9Thou wilt make them as a fiery furnace in the time of thine anger: Jehovah will swallow them up in his wrath, And the fire shall devour them.
• Psalms 27:2When evil-doers came upon me to eat up my flesh, Even mine adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.
• Psalms 35:25Let them not say in their heart, Aha, so would we have it: Let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
• Psalms 57:3He will send from heaven, and save me, Whenhe that would swallow me up reproacheth; [Selah God will send forth his lovingkindness and his truth.

Commentaries on Psalms 56:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Be merciful unto me - I am assailed both at home and abroad. I can go nowhere without meeting with enemies: unless thou who art the Fountain of mercy and the Most High, stand up in my behalf, my enemies will most undoubtedly prevail against me. They fight against me continually, and I am in the utmost danger of being swallowed up by them.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Be merciful unto me, O God - See the notes at Psalm 51:1. For man would swallow me up - The word used here means properly to breathe hard; to pant; to blow hard; and then, to pant after, to yawn after with open mouth. The idea is, that people came upon him everywhere with open mouth, as if they would swallow him down whole. He found no friend in man - in any man. Everywhere his life was sought. There was no “man,” wherever he might go, on whom he could…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1David seeks mercy from God, amidst the malice of his enemies. (1-7) He rests his faith on God's promises, and declares his obligation to praise him for mercies. (8-13) Verses 1-7 Be merciful unto me, O God. This petition includes all the good for which we come to throne of grace. If we obtain mercy there, we need no more to make us happy. It implies likewise our best plea, not our merit, but God's mercy, his free, rich mercy. We may flee to, and trust the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1A Miktam: This may be a literary or musical term. David was seized by Philistines concerned about his loyalties and brought before King Achish (1 Samuel 21:10–15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-131-2. would swallow--literally, "pants as a raging beast" (Ac 9:1).Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 56:1

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Music

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Gath
• Jonathelemrechokim
• Michtam
• Nob
• Psalms
• Jonath Elem Rehokim
• Psalms, Book of
• Song

Commentaries on Psalms 56

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings