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Psalm 56

For the choir director; according to yonath elem rechokim;[a] a miktam by David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.

Have pity on me, O Elohim, because people are harassing me.
    All day long warriors oppress me.
All day long my enemies spy on me.
    They harass me.
        There are so many fighting against me.
Even when I am afraid, I still trust you.

I praise the word of Elohim.
    I trust Elohim.
    I am not afraid.
        What can mere flesh and blood do to me?

All day long my enemies twist my words.
    Their every thought is an evil plan against me.
They attack, and then they hide.
    They watch my every step as they wait to take my life.
With the wrong they do, can they escape?
    O Elohim, angrily make the nations fall.
(You have kept a record of my wanderings.
    Put my tears in your bottle.
        They are already in your book.)
Then my enemies will retreat when I call to you.
    This I know: Elohim is on my side.

10 I praise the word of Elohim.
    I praise the word of Yahweh.
11 I trust Elohim.
    I am not afraid.
        What can mortals do to me?

12 I am bound by my vows to you, O Elohim.
    I will keep my vows by offering songs of thanksgiving to you.
13 You have rescued me from death.
    You have kept my feet from stumbling
        so that I could walk in Elohim’s presence, in the light of life.

Psalm 57

For the choir director; al tashcheth;[b] a miktam by David when he fled from Saul into the cave.

Have pity on me, O Elohim. Have pity on me,
    because my soul takes refuge in you.
        I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
            until destructive storms pass by.
I call to Elohim Elyon,
    to El who does everything for me.
He sends his help from heaven and saves me.
    He disgraces the one who is harassing me. Selah
    Elohim sends his mercy and his truth!
My soul is surrounded by lions.
    I must lie down with man-eating lions.
    Their teeth are spears and arrows.
    Their tongues are sharp swords.
        May you be honored above the heavens, O Elohim.
        Let your glory extend over the whole earth.

My enemies spread out a net to catch me.
    (My soul is bowed down.)[c]
    They dug a pit to trap me,
    but then they fell into it. Selah
My heart is confident, O Elohim.
    My heart is confident.
    I want to sing and make music.[d]
Wake up, my soul![e]
    Wake up, harp and lyre!
    I want to wake up at dawn.
I want to give thanks to you among the people, O Adonay.
    I want to make music to praise you among the nations
10 because your mercy is as high as the heavens.
    Your truth reaches the skies.

11 May you be honored above the heavens, O Elohim.
    Let your glory extend over the whole earth.

Psalm 58

For the choir director; al tashcheth; a miktam by David.

Do you rulers really give fair verdicts?
    Do you judge Adam’s descendants fairly?
No, you invent new crimes on earth,
    and your hands spread violence.

Even inside the womb wicked people are strangers to God.
    From their birth liars go astray.
They have poisonous venom like snakes.
    They are like a deaf cobra that shuts its ears
        so that it cannot hear the voice of a snake charmer
            or of anyone trained to cast spells.

O Elohim, knock the teeth out of their mouths.
    Break the young lions’ teeth, O Yahweh.
Let them disappear like water that drains away.
    When they aim their bows, let their arrows miss the target.[f]
Let them become like a snail that leaves behind a slimy trail
    or like a stillborn child who never sees the sun.
Let God sweep them away
    faster than a cooking pot is heated by burning twigs.[g]

10 Righteous people will rejoice when they see God take revenge.
    They will wash their feet in the blood of wicked people.
11 Then people will say,
    “Righteous people certainly have a reward.
    There is an Elohim who judges on earth.”

Psalm 59

For the choir director; al tashcheth; a miktam by David when Saul sent men to watch David’s home and kill him.

Rescue me from my enemies, O my Elohim.
    Protect me from those who attack me.
Rescue me from troublemakers.
    Save me from bloodthirsty people.
        They lie in ambush for me right here!
        Fierce men attack me, O Yahweh,
            but not because of any disobedience,
or any sin, or any guilt on my part.
    They hurry to take positions against me.
    Wake up, and help me; see for yourself.
O Yahweh Elohim Tsebaoth, Elohim of Israel,
    arise to punish all the nations.
    Have no pity on any traitors. Selah

They return in the evening.
    They howl like dogs.
        They prowl the city.

See what pours out of their mouths—
    swords from their lips!
        They think, “Who will hear us?”
O Yahweh, you laugh at them.
    You make fun of all the nations.

O my strength, I watch for you!
    Elohim is my stronghold, my merciful Elohim!

10 Elohim will come to meet me.
    He will let me gloat over those who spy on me.
11 Do not kill them.
    Otherwise, my people may forget.
    Make them wander aimlessly by your power.
    Bring them down, O Adonay, our Magen,
12 because of the sins from their mouths
    and the words on their lips.
    Let them be trapped by their own arrogance
    because they speak curses and lies.
13 Destroy them in your rage.
    Destroy them until not one of them is left.
    Then they will know that Elohim rules Jacob
        to the ends of the earth. Selah

14 They return in the evening.
    They howl like dogs.
        They prowl the city.

15 They wander around to find something to eat.
    If they are not full enough,
        they will stay all night.
16 But I will sing about your strength.
    In the morning I will joyfully sing about your mercy.
        You have been my stronghold
            and a place of safety in times of trouble.

17 O my strength, I will make music to praise you!
    Elohim is my stronghold, my merciful Elohim!

Psalm 60

For the choir director; according to shushan eduth;[h] a miktam by David; for teaching. When David fought Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah, and when Joab came back and killed 12,000 men from Edom in the Dead Sea region.

O Elohim, you have rejected us.
    You have broken down our defenses.
    You have been angry.
        Restore us!
You made the land quake.
    You split it wide open.
    Heal the cracks in it
        because it is falling apart.
You have made your people experience hardships.
    You have given us wine that makes us stagger.
Yet, you have raised a flag for those who fear you
    so that they can rally to it
        when attacked by bows and arrows. Selah
Save us with your powerful hand, and answer us
    so that those who are dear to you may be rescued.[i]

Elohim has promised the following through his holiness:
    “I will triumph!
        I will divide Shechem.
        I will measure the valley of Succoth.
        Gilead is mine.
        Manasseh is mine.
        Ephraim is the helmet on my head.
        Judah is my scepter.
        Moab is my washtub.
        I will throw my shoe over Edom.
        I will shout in triumph over Philistia.”

Who will bring me into the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Isn’t it you, O Elohim, who rejected us?
    Isn’t it you, O Elohim, who refused to accompany our armies?

11 Give us help against the enemy
    because human assistance is worthless.
12 With Elohim we will display great strength.
    He will trample our enemies.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 56:1 Unknown musical term.
  2. Psalm 57:1 Unknown musical term.
  3. Psalm 57:6 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.
  4. Psalm 57:7 Verses 7–11 are virtually identical in wording to Psalm 108:1–5.
  5. Psalm 57:8 Or “my glory.”
  6. Psalm 58:7 Hebrew meaning of this sentence uncertain.
  7. Psalm 58:9 Hebrew meaning uncertain.
  8. Psalm 60:1 Unknown musical term.
  9. Psalm 60:5 Verses 5–12 are virtually identical in wording to Psalm 108:6–13.

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