Bible Gateway passage: Psalm 56, Psalm 8 - New International Version (2024)

Psalm 56^[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam.^[b] When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

¹Be merciful to me,^(A) my God,
for my enemies are in hot pursuit;^(B)
all day long they press their attack.^(C)
2My adversaries pursue me all day long;^(D)
in their pride many are attacking me.^(E)

³When I am afraid,^(F) I put my trust in you.^(G)
4In God, whose word I praise—^(H)
in God I trust and am not afraid.^(I)
What can mere mortals do to me?^(J)

⁵All day long they twist my words;^(K)
all their schemes are for my ruin.
⁶They conspire,^(L) they lurk,
they watch my steps,^(M)
hoping to take my life.^(N)
7Because of their wickedness do not^[c] let them escape;^(O)
in your anger, God, bring the nations down.^(P)

⁸Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll^[d](Q)—
are they not in your record?^(R)
9Then my enemies will turn back^(S)
when I call for help.^(T)
By this I will know that God is for me.^(U)

¹⁰In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise—
¹¹in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?

¹²I am under vows^(V) to you, my God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
¹³For you have delivered me from death^(W)
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.^(X)

Footnotes

1. Psalm 56:1 In Hebrew texts 56:1-13 is numbered 56:2-14.
2. Psalm 56:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
3. Psalm 56:7 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text does not have do not.
4. Psalm 56:8 Or misery; / put my tears in your wineskin

Cross references

1. Psalm 56:1 : Ps 6:2
2. Psalm 56:1 : Ps 57:1-3
3. Psalm 56:1 : Ps 17:9
4. Psalm 56:2 : Ps 35:25; 124:3
5. Psalm 56:2 : Ps 35:1
6. Psalm 56:3 : Ps 55:4-5
7. Psalm 56:3 : S Ps 55:23
8. Psalm 56:4 : ver 10
9. Psalm 56:4 : S Ps 27:1
10. Psalm 56:4 : Ps 118:6; Mt 10:28; Heb 13:6
11. Psalm 56:5 : Ps 41:7; 2Pe 3:16
12. Psalm 56:6 : Ps 59:3; 94:21; Mk 3:6
13. Psalm 56:6 : Ps 17:11
14. Psalm 56:6 : Ps 71:10
15. Psalm 56:7 : Pr 19:5; Eze 17:15; Ro 2:3; Heb 12:25
16. Psalm 56:7 : Ps 36:12; 55:23
17. Psalm 56:8 : S 2Ki 20:5
18. Psalm 56:8 : Isa 4:3; Da 7:10; 12:1; Mal 3:16
19. Psalm 56:9 : Ps 9:3
20. Psalm 56:9 : Ps 102:2
21. Psalm 56:9 : S Nu 14:8; S Dt 31:6; Ro 8:31
22. Psalm 56:12 : Ps 50:14
23. Psalm 56:13 : Ps 30:3; 33:19; 49:15; 86:13; 107:20; 116:8
24. Psalm 56:13 : S Job 33:30

Psalm 8^[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] A psalm of David.

¹Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name^(A) in all the earth!

You have set your glory^(B)
in the heavens.^(C)
2Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold^(D) against your enemies,
to silence the foe^(E) and the avenger.
³When I consider your heavens,^(F)
the work of your fingers,^(G)
the moon and the stars,^(H)
which you have set in place,
⁴what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?^[c](I)

⁵You have made them^[d] a little lower than the angels^[e](J)
and crowned them^[f] with glory and honor.^(K)
6You made them rulers^(L) over the works of your hands;^(M)
you put everything under their^[g] feet:^(N)
7all flocks and herds,^(O)
and the animals of the wild,^(P)
8the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,^(Q)
all that swim the paths of the seas.

⁹Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!^(R)

Footnotes

1. Psalm 8:1 In Hebrew texts 8:1-9 is numbered 8:2-10.
2. Psalm 8:1 Title: Probably a musical term
3. Psalm 8:4 Or what is a human being that you are mindful of him, / a son of man that you care for him?
4. Psalm 8:5 Or him
5. Psalm 8:5 Or than God
6. Psalm 8:5 Or him
7. Psalm 8:6 Or made him ruler . . . ; / . . . his

Cross references

1. Psalm 8:1 : S 1Ch 16:10
2. Psalm 8:1 : S Ex 15:11; Lk 2:9
3. Psalm 8:1 : Ps 57:5; 108:5; 113:4; 148:13; Hab 3:3
4. Psalm 8:2 : Mt 21:16*
5. Psalm 8:2 : Ps 143:12
6. Psalm 8:3 : S Ge 15:5; S Dt 10:14
7. Psalm 8:3 : S Ex 8:19; S 1Ch 16:26; S 2Ch 2:12; Ps 102:25
8. Psalm 8:3 : S Ge 1:16; 1Co 15:41
9. Psalm 8:4 : S 1Ch 29:14
10. Psalm 8:5 : S Ge 1:26
11. Psalm 8:5 : Ps 21:5; 103:4
12. Psalm 8:6 : S Ge 1:28
13. Psalm 8:6 : S Job 10:3; Ps 19:1; 102:25; 145:10; Isa 26:12; 29:23; 45:11; Heb 1:10
14. Psalm 8:6 : S 1Ki 5:3; 1Co 15:25, 27*; Eph 1:22; Heb 2:6-8*
15. Psalm 8:7 : Ge 13:5; 26:14
16. Psalm 8:7 : S Ge 2:19
17. Psalm 8:8 : Ge 1:26
18. Psalm 8:9 : ver 1