Revised Literal Translation
Psalms 56:1
1Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth 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
Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. 2Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. 3What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Read all of Psalms 56Psalms 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 put my trust.
- Psalms 57:1Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
- Psalms 58:1Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
- Psalms 59:1Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.
- Psalms 60:1O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to 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 29:4And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?
- Psalms 31:9Have mercy upon me, O Yhwh, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
- Psalms 59:10The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.
- Psalms 69:13But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Yhwh, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
- Psalms 136:10To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
- Psalms 143:12And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.
- Psalms 21:9Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: Yhwh shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.
- Psalms 27:2When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
- Psalms 35:25Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
- Psalms 57:3He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy 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
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries