English Standard Version
Psalms 56:1
1Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me;
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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me.
- New Living Translation (NLT)O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long.
Context of Psalms 56:1
Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; 2my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. 3When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
Read all of Psalms 56Psalms 56:1 word by word
חָנֵּ֣נִי אֱ֭לֹהִים כִּֽי־שְׁאָפַ֣נִי אֱנ֑וֹשׁ כָּל־הַ֝יּ֗וֹם לֹחֵ֥ם יִלְחָצֵֽנִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 56:1
- Psalms 16:1Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
- Psalms 57:1Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.
- Psalms 58:1Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly?
- Psalms 59:1Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise up against me;
- Psalms 60:1O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; you have been angry; oh, restore us.
- 1 Samuel 21:11And the servants of Achish said to him, "Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, 'Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands'?"
- 1 Samuel 29:4But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, "Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here?
- Psalms 31:9Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also.
- Psalms 59:10My God in his steadfast love will meet me; God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.
- Psalms 69:13But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
- Psalms 136:10to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever;
- Psalms 143:12And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant.
- Psalms 21:9You will make them as a blazing oven when you appear. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them.
- Psalms 27:2When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.
- Psalms 35:25Let them not say in their hearts, "Aha, our heart's desire!" Let them not say, "We have swallowed him up."
- Psalms 57:3He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!
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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries