New International Version
Psalms 56:1
1Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack.
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.
- 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.
- 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 merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack. 2My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me. 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 16:1Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge.
- Psalms 57:1Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.
- Psalms 58:1Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge people with equity?
- Psalms 59:1Deliver me from my enemies, O God; be my fortress against those who are attacking me.
- Psalms 60:1You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us; you have been angry—now restore us!
- 1 Samuel 21:11But the servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances: “ ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”
- 1 Samuel 29:4But the Philistine commanders were angry with Achish and said, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master’s favor than by taking the heads of our own men?
- Psalms 31:9Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.
- Psalms 59:10my God on whom I can rely. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
- Psalms 69:13But I pray to you, Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.
- Psalms 136:10to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt His love endures forever.
- Psalms 143:12In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.
- Psalms 21:9When you appear for battle, you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and his fire will consume them.
- Psalms 27:2When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.
- Psalms 35:25Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!” or say, “We have swallowed him up.”
- Psalms 57:3He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me— God sends forth his 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
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