Table of Contents
Historical Background and Context
The superscription of Psalm 56 gives us a dramatic and specific setting: “For the director of music. To the tune of ‘A Dove on Distant Oaks.’ A miktam of David. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.” This points us to the desperate story found in 1 Samuel 21:10-15.
David was on the run from King Saul. In a move that seems almost irrational, he fled to Gath, a major Philistine city. This was the hometown of Goliath, the giant champion David had famously killed. It was the heart of enemy territory. Perhaps David thought it was the one place Saul would never think to look for him.
His gamble failed. The servants of Achish, the king of Gath, recognized him immediately. They said to their king, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”
David heard this and was terrified. He was trapped, defenseless, and in the hands of his mortal enemies. To save his life, he resorted to a humiliating act: he feigned insanity. He pretended to be a madman, scribbling on the city gates and letting saliva run down his beard. The act was convincing enough that King Achish, disgusted, had him thrown out of the city.
Psalm 56 is the internal prayer of David during this terrifying ordeal. While his outward appearance was one of madness and degradation, his inner spirit was wrestling with fear and actively choosing to place its trust in God. The psalm is a powerful expression of faith forged in the crucible of mortal danger.
Theological Themes
This psalm explores the dynamic relationship between human fear and divine faithfulness.
The Proper Response to Fear: The psalm does not advocate for a fearless stoicism. It acknowledges the reality and power of fear. The key is what one does with that fear. The psalmist’s famous refrain, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you,” provides the central theme. Faith is not the absence of fear; it is the choice to trust God in the midst of fear.
The Intimate Care of God: One of the most beautiful and moving images in the Psalter is found in verse 8: “You keep track of my wanderings; put my tears in your bottle; are they not in your book?” This portrays God not as a distant, cosmic force, but as a deeply personal and compassionate Father. He is attentive to every moment of our suffering (wanderings, or “tossings”), and He treasures our sorrows (tears) as if they were precious items to be collected and recorded. No pain goes unnoticed by Him.
The Power of God’s Word Over Human Threats: David’s trust is not a vague hope; it is anchored in a specific reality: God’s Word. The refrain repeats, “In God, whose word I praise.” His confidence comes from what God has promised. This reliable Word is contrasted with the weakness of human opponents. The rhetorical question, “What can mere mortals do to me?” minimizes the power of the enemy in light of the supreme power of the God who has given His promises.
Deliverance Leads to a Life of Worship: The psalm concludes not just with relief, but with a commitment. David recognizes that he is bound by vows to God. Because God has delivered his soul from death, his life is now consecrated to walking before God in gratitude and praise. Deliverance is not an end in itself; it is the gateway to a life of worshipful service.
Literary Structure and Genre
Psalm 56 is a psalm of trust, a subcategory of the lament psalm. It has a clear structure, built around a powerful refrain that appears twice. This refrain acts as the psalm’s anchor, a conscious declaration of faith that David returns to.
- Part 1: The First Complaint and Refrain (verses 1-4): A cry for help against enemies, immediately followed by the choice to trust in God’s word.
- Part 2: The Second Complaint and Expression of Intimacy (verses 5-9): A more detailed description of the enemy’s actions, which leads to a profound statement about God’s personal care.
- Part 3: The Second Refrain and Vow (verses 10-13): A renewed and strengthened declaration of trust, followed by a vow of thanksgiving for a deliverance so certain it can be spoken of as already accomplished.
Verse by Verse Commentary on Psalm 56
Verses 1-4: A Cry for Help and a Choice to Trust
“Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack. My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
David begins with a desperate plea for mercy. He feels trampled, relentlessly pursued. The pressure is constant, “all day long.” His enemies are not just physically threatening; they are “slanderers,” attacking his reputation as well. They are numerous and motivated by pride.
Then comes the powerful pivot in verse 3. He acknowledges his emotional state: “When I am afraid.” He does not deny it or pretend it isn’t there. But he immediately follows with a declaration of action: “I put my trust in you.” Trust is presented here as a deliberate, conscious choice, a volitional act in the face of overwhelming emotion.
Verse 4 explains the basis of this trust. It is founded “in God, whose word I praise.” He is banking on the promises and character of God as revealed in His word. This trust has a transformative effect: it leads him from being afraid to being “not afraid.” The final question, “What can mere mortals do to me?” is not a question of doubt but one of faith-filled defiance. It places human power in its proper, limited perspective when compared to the omnipotence of God.
Verses 5-9: The Enemy’s Schemes and God’s Care
“All day long they twist my words; all their schemes are for my ruin. They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life… Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll—are they not in your record? Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me.”
David returns to describing the actions of his enemies. They “twist my words,” taking what he says and turning it into something malicious. All their thoughts and plans are bent on his destruction. They are sneaky and predatory, like hunters who “lurk” and “watch my steps,” waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
In the face of this relentless plotting, David turns again to God with one of the most intimate expressions of faith in the Bible (verse 8). The NIV’s “Record my lament” and “list my tears on your scroll” are alternate translations of the Hebrew. The more traditional and poetic rendering is, “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?“
“Tossings” refers to his restless wanderings as a fugitive. God has been keeping a precise tally. The image of collecting his tears in a bottle suggests that God sees every tear and considers it precious, something to be saved and remembered. The “book” is a record of his suffering. This is a profound statement that our pain is never meaningless or invisible to God.
This deep conviction of God’s personal care leads to a surge of confidence in verse 9. Because God is so intimately involved, David knows that when he calls for help, his enemies will be turned back. The verse ends with a simple, powerful declaration: “God is for me.“
Verses 10-13: Renewed Trust and a Vow of Thanksgiving
“In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you. For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light1 of life.”
David repeats the refrain, but with more intensity. He praises the word of both God (Elohim) and the LORD (Yahweh), covering the full scope of God’s character as both the transcendent Creator and the personal, covenant-keeping God of Israel. His trust is unwavering, and he again declares his freedom from fear.
This confidence leads to a sense of joyful obligation. “I am under vows to you.” He is bound to God not by chains but by promises of gratitude. He will bring “thank offerings” as a public testimony of God’s faithfulness.
The final verse, like in Psalm 54, speaks of deliverance in the past tense, even though he is still in danger. This is the certainty of faith. He praises God, “For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling.” The purpose of this deliverance is not just survival. It is to enable him to live a new kind of life: to “walk before God in the light of life.” This is a life of open, joyful fellowship with God, free from the darkness of death and fear.
Practical Lessons for Today
Acknowledge Your Fear, Then Act in Faith: Psalm 56 teaches a healthy emotional and spiritual process. It is not wrong or unspiritual to feel afraid. The key is to not let fear be your master. We are called to acknowledge our fear and then make the conscious decision to place our trust in God and His Word.
Your Pain is Not Wasted: The image of God collecting our tears in a bottle is a powerful antidote to the feeling that our suffering is meaningless or that we are alone. God sees, He cares, and He remembers. Every moment of pain is noticed by our compassionate Father.
God’s Word is the Anchor in the Storm: When circumstances are frightening and enemies seem powerful, our feelings can be unreliable. David anchored his trust in something solid: God’s Word. By immersing ourselves in the promises of Scripture, we build a foundation of truth that can hold us steady when the storms of life hit.
Remember That “God Is for You”: In Christ, the declaration “God is for me” becomes the Christian’s ultimate confidence. As the Apostle Paul would later write, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). This truth has the power to silence our greatest fears.
Cross References
1 Samuel 21:10-15: “That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath… But the servants of Achish said to him… ‘Isn’t this David…?’ David took these words to heart and was very much afraid… So he pretended to be insane in their presence.” This passage is the essential historical key to understanding the fear and desperation that gave birth to Psalm 56.
Romans 8:31: “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” This verse is the New Testament theological equivalent of Psalm 56:9 (“God is for me”) and the refrain “What can mere mortals do to me?” It frames the believer’s security in the unshakable reality of God’s sovereign love.
Hebrews 13:6: “So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?'” The writer of Hebrews directly quotes the sentiment of Psalm 56 (and Psalm 118), applying this Old Testament declaration of trust to Christians, encouraging them to live without fear in their own challenging circumstances.
Matthew 10:29-31: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Jesus’ teaching here beautifully illustrates the same truth found in Psalm 56:8. It speaks of God’s meticulous, personal care for His children, which is the foundation for overcoming fear.