Psalm 56 1

Psalm 56:1 kjv

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

Psalm 56:1 nkjv

To the Chief Musician. Set to "The Silent Dove in Distant Lands." A Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath. Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me.

Psalm 56:1 niv

For the director of music. To the tune of "A Dove on Distant Oaks." Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath. Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack.

Psalm 56:1 esv

Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me;

Psalm 56:1 nlt

O God, have mercy on me,
for people are hounding me.
My foes attack me all day long.

Psalm 56 verses

Psalm 56 1 Meaning

Psalm 56:1 is a desperate cry for divine mercy and protection amidst relentless human oppression. David, as the psalmist, acknowledges God's sole ability to deliver him from powerful and continuous adversaries who seek his harm and destruction. It underscores his deep vulnerability to mortal foes and his absolute dependence on God's intervention.

Psalm 56 1 Context

Psalm 56 is identified by its superscription as a "Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath." This refers to a specific, deeply perilous moment in David's life recounted in 1 Samuel 21:10-15. Having fled from King Saul's pursuit, David sought refuge in the Philistine city of Gath, the home city of Goliath. When recognized and perceived as a threat by the servants of King Achish, David feigned madness to escape. This verse opens the psalm during this desperate flight and fear for his life, expressing the extreme vulnerability David felt as a lone individual facing formidable human hostility in a foreign land.

Psalm 56 1 Word analysis

• Be gracious to me (חָנַנִּי - khananni):
  • Meaning: Show favor, mercy, pity, have compassion.
  • Significance: It's a humble plea, acknowledging utter dependence on God's benevolent intervention. It contrasts with a demand for justice, instead asking for underserved favor, implying David's inability to save himself. It highlights God as the source of true help.
• O God (אֱלֹהִים - Elohim):
  • Meaning: General name for God, emphasizing His power and transcendence, distinct from idols.
  • Significance: David appeals to the universal sovereign God, the God of Israel, even when surrounded by pagans, indicating his firm monotheistic conviction and reliance on the true God's might above all earthly powers.
• for man (כִּי־אָדָם - ki-adam):
  • Meaning: "Man" here uses adam, referring to mankind generally or a human individual. The "ki" indicates a causal link ("because").
  • Significance: Contrasts divine power with human weakness, yet here man acts with destructive force. It underscores David's vulnerability as a mortal against fellow mortals, who despite their frailty, wield deadly intent.
• tramples on me / would swallow me up (יִשְׁאָפֵנִי - yishafeini):
  • Meaning: To pant after, gape at, crave, absorb, engulf, swallow.
  • Significance: This is powerful, violent imagery. It portrays the enemy not just as attacking, but as voraciously desiring to consume or obliterate David completely. It signifies an overwhelming, crushing, and annihilating threat.
• all day long (כָּל־הַיּוֹם - kol-hayyom):
  • Meaning: Throughout the entire day; continually; without ceasing.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the ceaseless, relentless, and unrelenting nature of the oppression. It conveys a pervasive, ongoing threat that offers no respite or peace.
• an assailant oppresses me / an attacker oppresses me (צָר לָחַץ - tzar lachatz):
  • Tzar (צָר): Adversary, foe, enemy, distress.
  • Lachatz (לָחַץ): To press, oppress, crush, harass, torment, distress.
  • Significance: This phrase solidifies the continuous hostile pressure. It signifies intense, pressing harassment and restriction, showing the physical, psychological, and circumstantial torment David experienced.

Words-group analysis

• Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me: This forms a perfect juxtaposition between the plea for divine mercy and the reason for it: the overwhelming cruelty of man. It's an implicit polemic, highlighting that human strength or worldly solutions are futile against such malice, and only divine intervention can save. It acknowledges God's supreme authority and capability.
• all day long an assailant oppresses me: This phrase reinforces the intense and persistent nature of the threat. It suggests that David has no escape from this oppressive presence; it's a constant, never-ending assault on his peace and safety, indicating profound and prolonged suffering.

Psalm 56 1 Bonus section

• Miktam of David: This term in the superscription, appearing in five other Psalms (16, 57, 58, 59, 60), is of uncertain meaning. Some suggest "golden poem," implying its preciousness or permanent inscription; others relate it to a hidden or silent quality. Regardless, its presence highlights the Psalm's special significance or a particular form of its composition.
• Feigning madness: The historical context from 1 Samuel 21 reveals David's human attempt at survival by feigning madness to escape King Achish and his servants. Yet, even in this act of cunning, David immediately turns to God for grace and protection, demonstrating that his self-preservation strategies were always coupled with a deep reliance on God's ultimate oversight and mercy. The psalm reveals his inner state during this profound moment of distress.
• Shift from Fear to Faith: Although this verse opens with a plea born of intense fear ("tramples on me," "oppresses me"), the Psalm swiftly moves from an initial focus on human hostility to David's resolute trust in God. Verses like Psa 56:3-4 and Psa 56:11 reveal a deliberate act of choosing faith over fear: "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You... In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" This transition shows the powerful impact of casting anxieties upon God through prayer.

Psalm 56 1 Commentary

Psalm 56:1 concisely encapsulates a foundational principle of the distressed believer: human power, no matter how menacing or relentless, is ultimately inconsequential compared to the sovereign grace of God. David's immediate recourse is not to strategic evasion (though he did try that in Gath) but to fervent prayer for mercy from Elohim. His enemies are described in intensely vivid terms – "swallowing," "trampling," and "oppressing" "all day long" – depicting an all-consuming threat. Yet, David's response demonstrates unwavering faith, seeking a deliverance that only divine favor can grant, not human merit. This verse, thus, serves as a poignant reminder that when human systems fail and opposition becomes overwhelming, God's boundless compassion remains the sole refuge.Examples:

• When feeling utterly overwhelmed by life's pressures (financial, relational, spiritual), this verse encourages direct, humble appeal to God's mercy.
• Facing persistent negativity or oppression from others (workplace, social), it points to God as the ultimate deliverer from seemingly inescapable human adversaries.