New Living Translation
Psalms 56:1
1O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long.
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
O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. 2I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me. 3But when I am afraid, I will 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, O God, for I have come to you for refuge.
- Psalms 57:1Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.
- Psalms 58:1Justice—do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly?
- Psalms 59:1Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me.
- Psalms 60:1You have rejected us, O God, and broken our defenses. You have been angry with us; now restore us to your favor.
- 1 Samuel 21:11But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”
- 1 Samuel 29:4But the Philistine commanders were angry. “Send him back to the town you’ve given him!” they demanded. “He can’t go into the battle with us. What if he turns against us in battle and becomes our adversary? Is there any better way for him to reconcile himself with his master than by handing our heads over to him?
- Psalms 31:9Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away.
- Psalms 59:10In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me. He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies.
- Psalms 69:13But I keep praying to you, Lord, hoping this time you will show me favor. In your unfailing love, O God, answer my prayer with your sure salvation.
- Psalms 136:10Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.
- Psalms 143:12In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies and destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.
- Psalms 21:9You will throw them in a flaming furnace when you appear. The Lord will consume them in his anger; fire will devour them.
- Psalms 27:2When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
- Psalms 35:25Don’t let them say, “Look, we got what we wanted! Now we will eat him alive!”
- Psalms 57:3He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. Interlude My God will send forth his unfailing 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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