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Prayer of Trust in God

56 Show me Your loving-kindness, O God, for man has walked on me. All day long the one who tries to keep me down fights with me. All day long those who hate me have walked on me. For there are many who fight against me with pride. When I am afraid, I will trust in You. I praise the Word of God. I have put my trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can only a man do to me? All day long they change my words to say what I did not say. They are always thinking of ways to hurt me. They go after me as in a fight. They hide themselves. They watch my steps, as they have waited to take my life. Because they are bad, do not let them get away. Bring down the people in Your anger, O God.

You have seen how many places I have gone. Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book? Then those who hate me will turn back when I call. I know that God is for me. 10 I praise the Word of God. I praise the Word of the Lord. 11 In God I have put my trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? 12 I am under an agreement with You, O God. I will give You gifts of thanks. 13 For You have set my soul free from death. You have kept my feet from falling, so I may walk with God in the light of life.

Prayer for Help

57 Show me loving-kindness, O God, show me loving-kindness. For my soul goes to You to be safe. And I will be safe in the shadow of Your wings until the trouble has passed. I will cry to God Most High, to God Who finishes all things for me. He will send from heaven and save me. He will put to shame him who is breaking me under his feet. God will send His loving-kindness and His truth.

My soul is among lions. I must lie among the sons of men who breathe fire, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and whose tongues are a sharp sword. Be lifted up above the heavens, O God. Let Your shining-greatness be above all the earth. They have set a net for my steps. My soul is brought down. They dug a deep hole in front of me. But they themselves have fallen into it.

My heart will not be moved, O God. My heart cannot be moved. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises! Awake, my shining-greatness. Awake, harps. I will awake early in the morning. O Lord, I will give thanks to You among the people. I will sing praises to You among the nations. 10 For Your loving-kindness is great to the heavens, and Your truth to the clouds. 11 Be lifted up above the heavens, O God. Let Your shining-greatness be above all the earth.

Psalm 56[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

Be merciful to me,(A) my God,
    for my enemies are in hot pursuit;(B)
    all day long they press their attack.(C)
My adversaries pursue me all day long;(D)
    in their pride many are attacking me.(E)

When I am afraid,(F) I put my trust in you.(G)
    In God, whose word I praise—(H)
in God I trust and am not afraid.(I)
    What can mere mortals do to me?(J)

All day long they twist my words;(K)
    all their schemes are for my ruin.
They conspire,(L) they lurk,
    they watch my steps,(M)
    hoping to take my life.(N)
Because of their wickedness do not[c] let them escape;(O)
    in your anger, God, bring the nations down.(P)

Record my misery;
    list my tears on your scroll[d](Q)
    are they not in your record?(R)
Then my enemies will turn back(S)
    when I call for help.(T)
    By this I will know that God is for me.(U)

10 In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise—
11 in God I trust and am not afraid.
    What can man do to me?

12 I am under vows(V) to you, my God;
    I will present my thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered me from death(W)
    and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
    in the light of life.(X)

Psalm 57[e](Y)

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[f] When he had fled from Saul into the cave.(Z)

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
    for in you I take refuge.(AA)
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings(AB)
    until the disaster has passed.(AC)

I cry out to God Most High,
    to God, who vindicates me.(AD)
He sends from heaven and saves me,(AE)
    rebuking those who hotly pursue me—[g](AF)
    God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.(AG)

I am in the midst of lions;(AH)
    I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
    whose tongues are sharp swords.(AI)

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.(AJ)

They spread a net for my feet(AK)
    I was bowed down(AL) in distress.
They dug a pit(AM) in my path—
    but they have fallen into it themselves.(AN)

My heart, O God, is steadfast,
    my heart is steadfast;(AO)
    I will sing and make music.
Awake, my soul!
    Awake, harp and lyre!(AP)
    I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the skies.(AQ)

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;(AR)
    let your glory be over all the earth.(AS)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 56:1 In Hebrew texts 56:1-13 is numbered 56:2-14.
  2. Psalm 56:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 56:7 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text does not have do not.
  4. Psalm 56:8 Or misery; / put my tears in your wineskin
  5. Psalm 57:1 In Hebrew texts 57:1-11 is numbered 57:2-12.
  6. Psalm 57:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  7. Psalm 57:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.