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PSALMS 56

Old Testament Studies
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STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB NKJV NRSV TEV NJB
Supplication for Deliverance, and Grateful Trust in God
MT Intro
For the choir director; according
to Jonath elem rehokim. A Mikhtam of David when the Philistines seized
him in Gath.		 Prayer for Relief From Tormentors A Prayer for Deliverance From Personal Enemies A Prayer of Trust in God Trust in God
56:1-7 56:1-2 56:1-4 56:1-4 56:1-2
  56:3-4     56:3-4
  56:5-7 56:5-7 56:5-7 56:5-6
        56:7-9a
56:8-13 56:8-11 56:8-11 56:8-11  
        56:9b-11
  56:12-13 56:12-13 56:12-13 56:12-13

READING CYCLE THREE (see
“Bible
Interpretation Seminar”)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which
means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the
light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare
your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is
the key to following the original author’s intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every
paragraph has one and only one subject.

  1. First paragraph
  2. Second paragraph
  3. Third paragraph, etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 56:1-7
 1Be
gracious to me, O God, for man has trampled upon me;
 Fighting all day long he oppresses
me.
 2My foes
have trampled upon me all day long,
 For
they are many who fight proudly against me.
 3When I am afraid,
 I will put my trust in You.
 4In God, whose word I
praise,
 In God I have put
my trust;
 I shall not be
afraid.
 What can mere
man do to me?
 5All
day long they distort my words;
 All
their thoughts are against me for evil.
 6They
attack, they lurk,
 They
watch my steps,
 As they
have waited to take my life.
 7Because
of wickedness, cast them forth,
 In
anger put down the peoples, O God!

56:1-7 “Be gracious” This IMPERATIVE (BDB 335, KB 334) begins many
Psalms (cf. Ps. 4:1; 6:2; 51:1; 57:1 [twice]; 86:3; 123:3 [twice]) and it occurs in many others
(cf. Ps. 9:13; 25:16; 26:11; 27:7; 30:10; 31:9; 41:4,10; 86:16; 119:29,58,132). It is often associated with

  1. deliverance from enemies
  2. forgiveness of sins

In this Psalm the prayer is because of reason #1. Notice how the psalmist describes
his adversaries (Ps. 56:1-2,5-6).

  1. trampled upon (or “pant,” same consonants) him, Ps. 56:2 – BDB 983 II,
    KB 1375, Qal PERFECT, cf. Ps. 56:3; Ps. 57:3; Ezek. 36:3; Amos 8:4
  2. fight proudly against him, Ps. 56:2 – BDB 535, KB 526, Qal PARTICIPLE
  3. distort (lit. “vex” him) his words, Ps. 56:5 – BDB 780, KB 864, Piel
    IMPERFECT
  4. their thoughts are evil against him, Ps. 56:5 – no VERB
  5. attack (lit. “stir up strife”), Ps. 56:6 – BDB 158, KB 184, Qal
    IMPERFECT, cf. Ps. 59:3; 140:3
  6. lurk (lit. “hide”), Ps. 56:6 – MT has Hiphil IMPERFECT,
    Qere Qal IMPERFECT of BDB 860, KB 1049
  7. watch his steps (lit., “heels”), Ps. 56:6 – BDB 1036, KB 1581, Qal
    IMPERFECT (i.e., so as to find a time and place to attack), cf. Ps. 71:10
  8. have waited to take his life, Ps. 56:6 – BDB 875, KB 1082, Piel PERFECT,
    cf. Ps. 119:95

56:1 “all day long” Notice that this idiom for continual attack is used in
Ps. 56:1, 2, and 5.

The psalmist looks forward to a day (cf. Ps. 56:3) when his enemies will be turned
back, Ps. 56:9a. In the Bible “day” can refer to

  1. temporal judgment
  2. eschatological judgment

SPECIAL TOPIC: THAT DAY

▣
NASB margin   ”fighting man”
NRSV   ”foes”
TEV   ”enemies”
JPSOA   ”adversary”
REB   ”assailants”

The MT has the Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE of the VERB
“to fight” (BDB 535, KB 526). This same group is called “men” (i.e., weak men, BDB 60).

56:2 “proudly” The MT has the NOUN “height” (BDB 928). It is
translated in two ways.

  1. the arrogance of the adversaries, NASB, NIV
  2. part of the title for God
    1. “Most High,” LXX, NKJV, NRSV, REB
    2. “Lord Almighty,” TEV
    3. “O Exalted One,” JPSOA

56:3 Psalm 56:3 is a repeated theme; repeated again in Ps. 56:4 and 11.

  1. I am afraid – BDB 431, KB 432, Qal IMPERFECT
  2. I will put my trust in God – BDB 105, KB 120, Qal IMPERFECT, see
    note at Ps. 4:5
  3. then I shall not be afraid, Ps. 56:4,11, cf. Ps. 112:7-8; 118:6

56:4 “In God, whose word I praise” Notice this is repeated in Ps. 56:10 in a
parallel way where Elohim and YHWH are connected.

The “word” (BDB 182) is a parallel to “Your vows” (BDB 623),
Ps. 56:12. There are many terms used to characterize YHWH’s revelations.

SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR
GOD’S REVELATION

▣ “What can mere man (lit. ‘flesh’) do to me” This same sentiment
is expressed in Ps. 118:6 and quoted in Heb. 13:6. The concept is also seen in relation to spiritual
forces in Rom. 8:31,35-39.

56:7 Because of the vicious and continuing attacks the psalmist asks God to act in judgment
against his adversaries.

  1. cast them forth (lit. “for crimes, will they escape,” NKJV) – BDB 812,
    KB 930, Piel IMPERATIVE

     

    1. the VERB means “deliver,” cf. Ps. 17:13; 18:3, so here
      it must be a question or the translation must add a negative by emendation to
      “crimes” (REB, LXX)
    2. it is also possibly to change “deliverance,” BDB 812, פלט,
      to”weigh out,” BDB 814, פלס
  2. put down the peoples – BDB 432, KB 434, Hiphil IMPERATIVE,
    cf. Ps. 55:23. It is surprising that “the peoples,” which is usually used of
    national groups (NEB, REB), is used here. There are several theories.

     

    1. this is a royal Psalm and refers to other nations
    2. this is an Israelite/Judean living among foreigners
    3. just a way of referring to his enemies who act like non-covenant peoples

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 56:8-13
 8You
have taken account of my wanderings;
 Put
my tears in Your bottle.
 Are
they not in Your book?
 9Then
my enemies will turn back in the day when I call;
 This I know, that God is for me.
 10In God, whose
word I praise,
 In the
Lord, whose word I praise,
 11In
God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid.
 What can man do to me?
 12Your vows are binding
upon me, O God;
 I will
render thank offerings to You.
 13For
You have delivered my soul from death,
 Indeed
my feet from stumbling,
 So
that I may walk before God
 In
the light of the living.

56:8-13 This strophe deals with the psalmist’s faith conviction that God was with him and
for him. One day his adversaries will face the consequences of their actions (Ps. 56:9).

56:8 God knows what the psalmist is going through (cf. Exod. 3:7). He expresses this faith
worldview (i.e., based on the promises of Scripture) in

  1. the VERB, “taken account” (i.e., God knows) – BDB 707,
    KB 765, Qal perfect
  2. the VERB, “put my tears in a bottle” – BDB 962, KB 1321,
    Qal IMPERATIVE (i.e., prayer request); a metaphor for remembering
    the suffering and evil the psalmist experienced at the hands/words of his enemies
  3. Your book – the word “book” (BDB 707) is very similar to the
    VERB “take into account” (BDB 707). “Book” is a biblical
    idiom of God’s memory.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE
TWO BOOKS OF GOD

▣
NASB, NKJV, JPSOA   ”wanderings”
NRSV   ”tossings”
TEV   ”how troubled”
NJB   ”sorrows”
REB   ”grief”

The Hebrew NOUN (BDB 627 I) is found only here. It is the same
consonants as “move to and from” “wander,” “flutter,” “show
grief” (BDB 626). The usage of “wander” can be seen in Ps. 36:11; 59:11;
2 Kgs. 21:8. There is a sound play in Hebrew between “wander” and “bottle.”

▣ “bottle” The word (BDB 609) means an animal skin (sheep) sewed into a
container for liquid (cf. Jos. 9:4,13; Jdgs. 4:19; 1 Sam.16:20; Ps. 119:83).

56:9 “when I call” It is possible the “call” is the statement of faith.

  1. Ps. 56:9b
  2. Ps. 56:3a
  3. Ps. 56:4a-b

Whichever it refers to, it denotes an act of volitional faith. There is a theological
tension between the sovereignty of God and the freewill of man. Both are necessary for covenant.

SPECIAL
TOPIC: Election/Predestination and the Need for a Theological Balance

SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT

▣ “This I know, that God is for me” This is a play on the meanings of the
Hebrew word “know” (BDB 393).

SPECIAL TOPIC: KNOW

56:12 “vows” This may be another way of referring to God’s promises (cf. Ps. 56:10b)
or it may refer to promises the psalmist made to God. Once they are fulfilled then 

  1. an offering is required (cf. Ps. 56:12b)
  2. verbal praise is required

In context it may refer to the psalmist’s fear of death by his adversaries and thereby
he asked God to save him. In this request he made some kind of a vow. God did save him, now he must
fulfill his vow.

56:13 The psalmist mentions several things God has done for him.

  1. delivered his soul from death – BDB 664, KB 717, Hiphil PERFECT; this
    must relate to Ps. 56:6
  2. kept his feet from stumbling and, thereby allowing him to walk before God; godly living was
    described as a clear, level, unobstructed path/road (see note at Ps. 1:1). They “watched
    is steps” in Ps. 56:6, but now God helps him walk.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own
interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation.
You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

 

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of
the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

  1. The heart of the Psalm is a repeated refrain, what is it?
  2. Explain the idiom of “book.” How many “books” does the Bible
    mention that God keeps?
  3. What does “in that day” imply?
  4. Explain Ps. 56:10 in your own words.
  5. What does it mean to “walk before God”?

 

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Lessons International

 

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