Prayer for Rescue from Persecutors.

For the choir director; set to [a]Al-tashheth. A [b]Mikhtam of David, [c]when he fled from Saul in the cave.

57 Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me,
For my soul (A)takes refuge in You;
And in the (B)shadow of Your wings I will take refuge
Until destruction (C)passes by.
I will cry to God Most High,
To God who (D)accomplishes all things for me.
He will (E)send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches him who [d](F)tramples upon me. [e]Selah.
God will send forth His (G)lovingkindness and His [f]truth.

My soul is among (H)lions;
I must lie among those who breathe forth fire,
Even the sons of men, whose (I)teeth are spears and arrows
And their (J)tongue a sharp sword.
(K)Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.
They have [g]prepared a (L)net for my steps;
My soul is (M)bowed down;
They (N)dug a pit before me;
They themselves have (O)fallen into the midst of it. Selah.

(P)My (Q)heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!
Awake, (R)my glory!
Awake, (S)harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
(T)I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the [h]nations.
10 For Your (U)lovingkindness is great to the heavens
And Your [i]truth to the clouds.
11 (V)Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 57:1 Lit Do Not Destroy
  2. Psalm 57:1 Possibly, Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement Psalm
  3. Psalm 57:1 1 Sam 22:1; 24:3
  4. Psalm 57:3 Or snaps at
  5. Psalm 57:3 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
  6. Psalm 57:3 Or faithfulness
  7. Psalm 57:6 Or spread
  8. Psalm 57:9 Lit peoples
  9. Psalm 57:10 Or faithfulness

Prayer for Help in Trouble.

[a]Maskil of David, when he was [b]in the cave. A Prayer.

142 I (A)cry aloud with my voice to the Lord;
I (B)make supplication with my voice to the Lord.
I (C)pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare my (D)trouble before Him.
When (E)my spirit [c]was overwhelmed within me,
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have (F)hidden a trap for me.
Look to the right and see;
For there is (G)no one who regards me;
[d]There is no (H)escape for me;
(I)No one cares for my soul.

I cried out to You, O Lord;
I said, “You are (J)my refuge,
My (K)portion in the (L)land of the living.
(M)Give heed to my cry,
For I am (N)brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are too (O)strong for me.
(P)Bring my soul out of prison,
So that I may give thanks to Your name;
The righteous will surround me,
For You will (Q)deal bountifully with me.”

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142:1 Possibly Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 142:1 1 Sam 22:1; 24:3
  3. Psalm 142:3 Lit fainted
  4. Psalm 142:4 Lit Escape has perished from me