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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 56

Psalm 56 is read especially through the theme of praise, within Book II (Psalms 42–72). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

PraiseTrust & RefugeLament
Psalms overview
Old Testament

Psalm 56

1For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath. Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.

2My enemies want to swallow me up all day long, for they are many who fight proudly against me.

3When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.

4In God, I praise his word. In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

5All day long they twist my words. All their thoughts are against me for evil.

6They conspire and lurk, watching my steps. They are eager to take my life.

7Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, God.

8You count my wanderings. You put my tears into your container. Aren’t they in your book?

9Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call. I know this: that God is for me.

10In God, I will praise his word. In the LORD, I will praise his word.

11I have put my trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

12Your vows are on me, God. I will give thank offerings to you.

13For 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.

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 56

Psalm 56 is read especially through the theme of praise, within Book II (Psalms 42–72). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book II (Psalms 42–72). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Praise, Trust & Refuge, Lament. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 56

Psalm 56 contains 13 verses and about 232 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath. Be merciful to me, God, for man wants…” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 13 closes: “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.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, long, afraid, trust, praise, word. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 56

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 56:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes praise, with related themes of Praise, Trust & Refuge, Lament. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

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