New English Translation
Psalms 56:1
1Have mercy on me, O God, for men are attacking me! All day long hostile enemies are tormenting 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.
- 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
Have mercy on me, O God, for men are attacking me! All day long hostile enemies are tormenting me. 2Those who anticipate my defeat attack me all day long. Indeed, many are fighting against me, O Exalted One. 3When I am afraid, I 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 16:1Protect me, O God, for I have taken shelter in you.
- Psalms 57:1Have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me! For in you I have taken shelter. In the shadow of your wings I take shelter until trouble passes.
- Psalms 58:1Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions? Do you judge people fairly?
- Psalms 59:1Deliver me from my enemies, my God! Protect me from those who attack me!
- Psalms 60:1O God, you have rejected us. You suddenly turned on us in your anger. Please restore us!
- 1 Samuel 21:11The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one that they sing about when they dance, saying, ‘Saul struck down his thousands, But David his tens of thousands’?”
- 1 Samuel 29:4But the leaders of the Philistines became angry with him and said to him, “Send the man back! Let him return to the place that you assigned him! Don’t let him go down with us into the battle, for he might become our adversary in the battle. What better way to please his lord than with the heads of these men?
- Psalms 31:9Have mercy on me, for I am in distress! My eyes grow dim from suffering. I have lost my strength.
- Psalms 59:10The God who loves me will help me; God will enable me to triumph over my enemies.
- Psalms 69:13O Lord, may you hear my prayer and be favorably disposed to me! O God, because of your great loyal love, answer me with your faithful deliverance!
- Psalms 136:10to the one who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his loyal love endures,
- Psalms 143:12As a demonstration of your loyal love, destroy my enemies! Annihilate all who threaten my life, for I am your servant.
- Psalms 21:9You burn them up like a fiery furnace when you appear; the Lord angrily devours them; the fire consumes them.
- Psalms 27:2When evil men attack me to devour my flesh, when my adversaries and enemies attack me, they stumble and fall.
- Psalms 35:25Do not let them say to themselves, “Aha! We have what we wanted!” Do not let them say, “We have devoured him!”
- Psalms 57:3May he send help from heaven and deliver me from my enemies who hurl insults! (Selah) May God send his loyal love and 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
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