IN GOD I TRUST; I WILL NOT BE AFRAID
Key verse: 13
NIV
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.
1 Be merciful to me,(A) my God,
for my enemies are in hot pursuit;(B)
all day long they press their attack.(C)
2 My adversaries pursue me all day long;(D)
in their pride many are attacking me.(E)
3 When I am afraid,(F) I put my trust in you.(G)
4 In God, whose word I praise—(H)
in God I trust and am not afraid.(I)
What can mere mortals do to me?(J)
5 All day long they twist my words;(K)
all their schemes are for my ruin.
6 They conspire,(L) they lurk,
they watch my steps,(M)
hoping to take my life.(N)
7 Because of their wickedness do not[c] let them escape;(O)
in your anger, God, bring the nations down.(P)
8 Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll[d](Q)—
are they not in your record?(R)
9 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?
Footnotes
- Psalm 56:1 In Hebrew texts 56:1-13 is numbered 56:2-14.
- Psalm 56:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 56:7 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text does not have do not.
- Psalm 56:8 Or misery; / put my tears in your wineskin
Cross references
- Psalm 56:1 : Ps 6:2
- Psalm 56:1 : Ps 57:1-3
- Psalm 56:1 : Ps 17:9
- Psalm 56:2 : Ps 35:25; 124:3
- Psalm 56:2 : Ps 35:1
- Psalm 56:3 : Ps 55:4-5
- Psalm 56:3 : S Ps 55:23
- Psalm 56:4 : ver 10
- Psalm 56:4 : S Ps 27:1
- Psalm 56:4 : Ps 118:6; Mt 10:28; Heb 13:6
- Psalm 56:5 : Ps 41:7; 2Pe 3:16
- Psalm 56:6 : Ps 59:3; 94:21; Mk 3:6
- Psalm 56:6 : Ps 17:11
- Psalm 56:6 : Ps 71:10
- Psalm 56:7 : Pr 19:5; Eze 17:15; Ro 2:3; Heb 12:25
- Psalm 56:7 : Ps 36:12; 55:23
- Psalm 56:8 : S 2Ki 20:5
- Psalm 56:8 : Isa 4:3; Da 7:10; 12:1; Mal 3:16
- Psalm 56:9 : Ps 9:3
- Psalm 56:9 : Ps 102:2
- Psalm 56:9 : S Nu 14:8; S Dt 31:6; Ro 8:31
- Psalm 56:12 : Ps 50:14
- Psalm 56:13 : Ps 30:3; 33:19; 49:15; 86:13; 107:20; 116:8
- Psalm 56:13 : S Job 33:30
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
In God I Trust
To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A (A)Miktam[a] of David, when the (B)Philistines seized him in Gath.56 (C)Be gracious to me, O God, for man (D)tramples on me;
all day long an attacker oppresses me;
2 my enemies trample on me all day long,
for many attack me proudly.
3 When I am afraid,
I (E)put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; (F)I shall not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me?
5 All day long they injure my cause;[b]
all their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They (G)stir up strife, they (H)lurk;
they (I)watch my steps,
as they have waited for my life.
7 For their crime will they escape?
(J)In wrath (K)cast down the peoples, O God!
8 You have kept count of my tossings;[c]
(L)put my tears in your bottle.
(M)Are they not in your book?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
(N)in the day when I call.
This I know, that[d] (O)God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 in God I trust; (P)I shall not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 I must perform my (Q)vows to you, O God;
I will (R)render thank offerings to you.
13 (S)For you have delivered my soul from death,
yes, my feet from falling,
(T)that I may walk before God
(U)in the light of life.
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Footnotes
- Psalm 56:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 56:5 Or they twist my words
- Psalm 56:8 Or wanderings
- Psalm 56:9 Or because
Cross references
- Psalm 56:1 : Ps. 16, title; 57, title
- Psalm 56:1 : [1 Sam. 21:10, 11; 22:1]
- Psalm 56:1 : Ps. 57:1; See Ps. 4:1
- Psalm 56:1 : Ps. 57:3
- Psalm 56:3 : See Ps. 11:1
- Psalm 56:4 : Ps. 27:1; 118:6; Isa. 51:12; Heb. 13:6
- Psalm 56:6 : Ps. 59:3; 140:2; Isa. 54:15
- Psalm 56:6 : Ps. 10:8
- Psalm 56:6 : Ps. 71:10
- Psalm 56:7 : Ps. 7:6; 59:5
- Psalm 56:7 : See Ps. 55:23
- Psalm 56:8 : [Ps. 39:12; 2 Kgs. 20:5]
- Psalm 56:8 : [Mal. 3:16]
- Psalm 56:9 : Ps. 102:2
- Psalm 56:9 : Ps. 118:6; [Rom. 8:31]
- Psalm 56:11 : [See ver. 4 above]; Ps. 27:1; 118:6; Isa. 51:12; Heb. 13:6
- Psalm 56:12 : See Ps. 50:14
- Psalm 56:12 : See Ps. 50:14
- Psalm 56:13 : Ps. 49:15; 116:8
- Psalm 56:13 : Ps. 116:9
- Psalm 56:13 : [Ps. 49:19]
56 (C)Be gracious to me, O God, for man (D)tramples on me;
all day long an attacker oppresses me;
2 my enemies trample on me all day long,
for many attack me proudly.
3 When I am afraid,
I (E)put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; (F)I shall not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me?
5 All day long they injure my cause;[b]
all their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They (G)stir up strife, they (H)lurk;
they (I)watch my steps,
as they have waited for my life.
7 For their crime will they escape?
(J)In wrath (K)cast down the peoples, O God!
8 You have kept count of my tossings;[c]
(L)put my tears in your bottle.
(M)Are they not in your book?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
(N)in the day when I call.
This I know, that[d] (O)God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 in God I trust; (P)I shall not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 I must perform my (Q)vows to you, O God;
I will (R)render thank offerings to you.
13 (S)For you have delivered my soul from death,
yes, my feet from falling,
(T)that I may walk before God
(U)in the light of life.
Footnotes
- Psalm 56:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 56:5 Or they twist my words
- Psalm 56:8 Or wanderings
- Psalm 56:9 Or because
Cross references
- Psalm 56:1 : Ps. 16, title; 57, title
- Psalm 56:1 : [1 Sam. 21:10, 11; 22:1]
- Psalm 56:1 : Ps. 57:1; See Ps. 4:1
- Psalm 56:1 : Ps. 57:3
- Psalm 56:3 : See Ps. 11:1
- Psalm 56:4 : Ps. 27:1; 118:6; Isa. 51:12; Heb. 13:6
- Psalm 56:6 : Ps. 59:3; 140:2; Isa. 54:15
- Psalm 56:6 : Ps. 10:8
- Psalm 56:6 : Ps. 71:10
- Psalm 56:7 : Ps. 7:6; 59:5
- Psalm 56:7 : See Ps. 55:23
- Psalm 56:8 : [Ps. 39:12; 2 Kgs. 20:5]
- Psalm 56:8 : [Mal. 3:16]
- Psalm 56:9 : Ps. 102:2
- Psalm 56:9 : Ps. 118:6; [Rom. 8:31]
- Psalm 56:11 : [See ver. 4 above]; Ps. 27:1; 118:6; Isa. 51:12; Heb. 13:6
- Psalm 56:12 : See Ps. 50:14
- Psalm 56:12 : See Ps. 50:14
- Psalm 56:13 : Ps. 49:15; 116:8
- Psalm 56:13 : Ps. 116:9
- Psalm 56:13 : [Ps. 49:19]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. When I am afraid (1-11)
Fear is Satan's gift. Fear makes us helpless. When fear comes into our hearts, we can't think. Sometimes even a brave warrior is afraid. Fear itself is a more deadly enemy than mortal man. David fought the fear in his heart with faith and with the word of God. He said, 'When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise...I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?' (3,4,1
,11)
2. I will present thank offerings (12-13)
David knew that it was not a lucky accident that he was delivered from his enemies. God had heard and answered his prayer. 'You have delivered my soul from death and my feet from stumbling...' (13). God delivers sinners from death so that we may walk before him in the light of life (13; Jn 8:12). We must present thank offerings to God who delivers us. And we must learn to walk before God in the light of life.
Prayer: Lord, give me courage not to hide in the darkness of fear and anxiety, but to walk before you in the light of life.
One Word: Walk before God in the light of life
