Psalm 56
1 Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.
1 Be merciful unto me, O God, for man goeth a- | bout • to de- | vour me; ||
he is | daily | 3 fighting, and | troubling • me. ||
2 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.
2 Mine enemies are daily at hand to | 3 swallow me | up; ||
for they be many that | fight a•gainst me, | O thou • Most | Highest. ||
3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
3 Nevertheless, though I am | 3 sometime a- | fraid, ||
yet 3 put | I my | trust in | thee. ||
4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
4 I will praise God, be- | 3 cause of his | word: ||
I have put my trust in God, and will not | fear what | flesh can | do un•to me. ||
5 Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.
5 They daily mis- | take my | words; ||
all that they im- | agine • is to | do me | evil. ||
6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.
6 They hold all together, and | keep them•selves | close, ||
and mark my steps, | 3 when they lay | wait • for my | soul. ||
7 Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.
7 Shall they es- | cape • for their | wicked•ness? ||
thou, O God, in thy dis- | pleasure • shalt | cast them | down. ||
8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
8 Thou | 3 tellest my | wan•derings; ||
put my tears into thy bottle: * are not | these things | noted • in thy | book? ||
9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
9 Whensoever I call upon thee, then shall mine | enemies be • put to | flight: ||
this I | know; for | God is • on my | side. ||
10 In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word.
10 In God's word will I rejoice; * in the Lord's | word • will I | comfort • me. ||
11 Yea, in God have I put my trust; * I will not be a- | fraid what | man can | do un•to me. ||
11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
12 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.
12 Unto thee, O God, will I | pay my | vows; ||
unto | thee will | I give | thanks. ||
13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?
13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, and my | feet from | falling, ||
that I may walk before | God • in the | light • of the | living. ||
About the Pointing
The text of the Coverdale Psalter follows the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer. The pointing, suitably adapted, is taken from Charles Macpherson, Edward C. Bairstow, and Percy C. Buck, The English Psalter (Novello & Co., 1925).