Psalm 56: Be Merciful Unto Me, O God Poem by King David of Israel

(When the Philistines had seized David in Gath.)

1 Be merciful unto me, O God:
for man would swallow me up;
he fighting daily oppresseth me.

2 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up:
for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.

3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

4 In God I will praise his word,
in God I have put my trust;
I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

5 Every day they wrest my words:
all their thoughts are against me for evil.

6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves,
they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.

7 Shall they escape by iniquity?
in thine anger cast down the people, O God.

8 Thou tellest my wanderings:
put thou my tears into thy bottle:
are they not in thy book?

9 When I cry unto thee,
then shall mine enemies turn back:
this I know; for God is for me.

10 In God will I praise his word:
in the LORD will I praise his word.

11 In God have I put my trust:
I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

12 Thy vows are upon me, O God:
I will render praises unto thee.

13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death:
wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling,
that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

(KJV)