For the Chief Musician. To the tune of "Silent Dove in Distant Lands." A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

1 Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up.

All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.

2 My enemies want to swallow me up all day long,

for they are many who fight proudly against me.

3 When I am afraid,

I will put my trust in you.

4 In God, I praise his word.

In God, I put my trust.

I will not be afraid.

What can flesh do to me?

5 All day long they twist my words.

All their thoughts are against me for evil.

6 They conspire and lurk,

watching my steps.

They are eager to take my life.

7 Shall they escape by iniquity?

In anger cast down the peoples, God.

8 You count my wanderings.

You put my tears into your container.

Aren’t they in your book?

9 Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call.

I know this: that God is for me.

10 In God, I will praise his word.

In Yahweh, I will praise his word.

11 I have put my trust in God.

I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

12 Your vows are on me, God.

I will give thank offerings to you.

13 For you have delivered my soul from death,

and prevented my feet from falling,

that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

1 Vir die musiekleier; op die wysie van: "Die Duif van die ver Terebinte." Van Dawid. 'n Gedig, toe die Filistyne hom gevang het in Gat.

2 Wees my genadig, o God, want mense vertrap my; hy wat my beveg, verdruk my die hele dag.

3 My vyande vertrap my die hele dag, want baie veg teen my in hoogmoed.

4 Die dag as ek vrees, sal ,k op U vertrou.

5 Deur God sal ek sy woord prys; ek vertrou op God, ek vrees nie; wat kan vlees my doen?

6 Die hele dag verdraai hulle my woorde; al hulle gedagtes is teen my, om kwaad te doen.

7 Hulle val aan, lê en loer -- hulle let op my hakskene net soos hulle op my lewe geloer het.

8 Ondanks hul ongeregtigheid -- sal hulle ontvlug? Werp volke neer in toorn, o God!

9 U het my omswerwinge getel; hou my trane in u kruik; is hulle nie in u boek nie?

10 Dan sal my vyande agteruitwyk op die dag as ek roep; dit weet ek dat God aan my kant is.

11 Deur God sal ek die woord prys; deur die HERE sal ek die woord prys.

12 Ek vertrou op God, ek vrees nie; wat kan 'n mens my doen?

13 Op my, o God, rus geloftes aan U gedoen; lofoffers sal ek U betaal; [ (Psalms 56:14) want U het my siel gered van die dood -- ja, my voete van struikeling -- om te wandel voor die aangesig van God in die lig van die lewe. ]