Psalm 56 (NKJV)

Prayer for Relief from Tormentors

To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A Michtam of David When the Philistines Captured Him in Gath.

1 Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up;
Fighting all day he oppresses me.
2 My enemies would hound me all day,
For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.

3 Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
4 In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?

• Lord, I am pursued by evil people all day long. They hound me as if hunting an animal.
• I feel as if I will be overcome!
• Help me, O LORD, in my distress and grant me mercy from my enemies.
• When I fear for my well-being, I will trust in You, Lord.
• When my trust is fully in You, I can relax and be free from fear.
• You are my source and strength in time of trouble.
• What can a man or woman do to me when I am protected by the Creator of the universe? You are my source, O LORD!!

5 All day they twist my words;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They gather together,
They hide, they mark my steps,
When they lie in wait for my life.
7 Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, O God!

• My enemies lie about me, misquoting me and making me look different than I really am.
• Their lies are against me for evil. They seek to destroy me.
• They make plans and set traps in order to shorten my days.
• Lord, stop their actions and nullify their efforts to destroy me.

8 You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
9 When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because God is for me.
10 In God (I will praise His word),
In the LORD (I will praise His word),
11 In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

12 Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God;
I will render praises to You,
13 For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God
In the light of the living?

• Lord, you know my days and the path of my steps. Nothing is outside Your view.
• You know the tears I shed, and keep them in your record.
• Because You know me and love me, I know You will rise up against those accusers of my soul and stop their work against me.
• I can be safe in You every day, for You are for me.
• I will praise You in my victory, for I have put my complete trust in You, O LORD.
• I will not be afraid, for You are with me.
• No man can harm me when You are my Protector.
• I will keep my vows unto You, God. I will praise You as I fulfill those vows. Whatever is committed to You is far less valuable than the blessings that You shower upon me.
• You have delivered me from death and kept me from failure.
• I will gladly walk before You all the days of my life, and I will glory in the light of God in the land of the living.
• Thank You for Your salvation and Your blessings. You are Lord and God and Protector and Redeemer. Praise be to Your name!