(For the music leader. To the tune “A Silent Dove in the Distance”.Psalm 56 A Silent…Distance: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. A special psalm by David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.)56 Title: 1 S 21.13-15.

A prayer of trust in God

1Have pity, God Most High!

My enemies chase me all day.

2Many of them are pursuing

and attacking me,

3but even when I am afraid,

I keep on trusting you.

4I praise your promises!

I trust you and am not afraid.

No one can harm me.

5Enemies spend the whole day

finding fault with me;

all they think about

is how to do me harm.

6They attack from ambush,

watching my every step

and hoping to kill me.

7They won't get away56.7 They…away: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

with these crimes, God,

because when you get angry,

you destroy people.

8You have kept record

of my days of wandering.

You have stored my tears

in your bottle

and counted each of them.

9When I pray, LORD God,

my enemies will retreat,

because I know for certain

that you are with me.

10I praise your promises!

11I trust you and am not afraid.

No one can harm me.

12I will keep my promises

to you, my God,

and bring you gifts.

13You protected me from death

and kept me from stumbling,

so that I would please you

and follow the light

that leads to life.