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 To the Overseer. -- `On the Dumb Dove far off.` -- A secret treasure of David, in the Philistines` taking hold of him in Gath. Favour me, O God, for man swallowed me up, All the day fighting he oppresseth me,

2 Mine enemies have swallowed up all the day, For many [are] fighting against me, O most High,

3 The day I am afraid I am confident toward Thee.

4 In God I praise His word, in God I have trusted, I fear not what flesh doth to me.

5 All the day they wrest my words, Concerning me all their thoughts [are] for evil,

6 They assemble, they hide, they watch my heels, When they have expected my soul.

7 By iniquity they escape, In anger the peoples put down, O God.

8 My wandering Thou hast counted, Thou -- place Thou my tear in Thy bottle, Are they not in Thy book?

9 Then turn back do mine enemies in the day I call. This I have known, that God [is] for me.

10 In God I praise the word, In Jehovah I praise the word.

11 In God I trusted, I fear not what man doth to me,

12 On me, O God, [are] Thy vows, I repay thank-offerings to Thee.

13 For Thou hast delivered my soul from death, Dost Thou not my feet from falling? To walk habitually before God in the light of the living!