Psalm 56 is “A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.” It hearkens back to an event in David’s life when King Saul was pursuing him:
And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?” And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?” (1 Sam 21:10-15; see Ps 34).
David flees from Saul and runs away to Gath where he is recognized as the Giant-killer. He is very much afraid and pretends to be insane until the king is persuaded to let him go. The postscript also hints at another clue about David’s mindset: “To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy.”[1] David’s prayer is that God should not destroy him, but instead deliver him by his powerful might. And the only way David sees this happening is if God destroys his enemies. Psalm 56 alternates between praise for God’s Word and prayer for God’s judgment. The Septuagint also defines a Miktam as an inscription preserved in stone (Pss 16, 56-60; see Job 19:23-24; Jer 2:22). For David writes these words in order to remember. He writes these words for us.
A Plea for Gracious Mercy (vv. 1-4)
David begins with a plea for mercy: “Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly” (Ps 56:1-2). David is alone in this desperate time, having fled to Gath without an army (1 Sam 21:1). He is attacked—surrounded by the very people whose hometown hero had been Goliath (1 Sam 17) and who counted their kin among the tens of thousands whom David had slain in battle. They are snapping at his heels—panting and breathless, about to overrun him like a pack of wild dogs rounding up their prey.[2] And their pursuit continues “all day long” (vv. 1, 2, 5) such that David never has a chance to rest. He is alone when they attack, and he is also afraid—trapped behind enemy lines without food or weapons (1 Sam 21:3, 8). So, “David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath” (v. 12). His attackers are proud and arrogant men—kings and nobles accustomed to getting what they want. And their desire is to squish David underneath their thumbs just like a bug. Yet whenever we feel alone, attacked, or afraid, we must turn to God like David and plead for his gracious mercy (1 Pet 1:3-6). He has surely promised to deliver us.
David sees he is powerless against his enemies. So, he resolves, in the midst of trouble, to trust in God: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” (Ps 56:3-4). David wonders aloud, “What can mortal man do to me?” We know the answer, of course, just as David did: They can do an awful lot! They can cause tremendous trouble! The Philistines could seize David, and imprison him, then subject him to a tortured death. They could turn him over to his rival, King Saul, and be forever rid of him. “What can flesh do to me?” A brief glance through the Sunday morning paper reveals the terrible troubles in this world: homelessness, drug addiction, global warfare, corruption at City Hall. We witness parents abandoning children and every manner of abuse. We cringe at conflict between political opponents and religious groups. “What can sinful people do to me?” They can do an awful lot! Yet David does not languish in his despair. Instead, he claims, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.” David employs a chiasm in verses 3-4 to center our focus on the point of prime importance: “In God, whose word I praise!” Thus, David’s faith in the promises of God transforms his answer to the question, “What can flesh do to me? Absolutely nothing! Sinful men can’t touch me when God is on my side. Wicked women can’t deceive me when my trust is in God’s Word. I will remain invincible so long as God is with me.” Sometimes victory is all about whose team you’re on. And when you join God’s team, you will never be defeated (see Matt 10:28).
Many feel oppressed by certain people in our lives. Maybe it’s a boss or coworker whose sole purpose is to make us miserable. Maybe it’s bullies at school or a difficult family member. Maybe it’s something even worse like past abuse or domestic violence. And there are times when all of us feel trapped by circumstances: “What can sinful people do to me? They can do an awful lot!” So, we all need mercy because we all know misery. Yet we don’t need eloquence to cry for help. Instead, we follow David and make his words our own. No matter what concerns or fears or troubles, we can trust in God because his Word is true. And we can praise him for his promises which are as good as done.
A Prayer for Just Deliverance (vv. 5-11)
David’s plea for gracious mercy transitions into a prayer for justice and deliverance: “All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life. For their crime will they escape? In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!” (Ps 56:5-7).[3] David’s enemies are the devious kind who block his way and thwart his cause. They rally their evil thoughts against him and stir up strife. They twist and distort his words.[4] They lurk in the shadows, preparing to pounce. They closely watch his steps to see if he might stumble. They eagerly wait for the opportune moment to ambush him and take his life. “Can such reprobates escape God’s wrath? Will he pardon their evil thoughts and words and deeds? May it never be, O God! Cast down all those who cast me down (55:23)! Execute your righteous wrath! Vindicate your servant from my enemies and destroy them as you deliver me!” Is it right for us to pray such prayers today? Is it Christian of us to call down judgment on our enemies? Here it is in the Bible—a God-inspired prayer. For surely, God promises to judge the wicked, just as he promises to save the righteous. He can destroy their schemes by destroying them, but he can also do so by drawing them to repentance. Our God can conquer sinful hearts both by his judgment and salvation.
God’s rescue involves more than merely physical deliverance, but also spiritual care. As David imagines, “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” (56:8). David has often wept in his despair, but here God approaches him in the night as David tosses on his bed. God counts each tear so precious that he preserves them. His careful collection of our tears reveals his love for us.[5] In addition, the Lord also writes this record in his book. He keeps a journal of our tears to never forget how much we suffer. And because God cares enough to collect our tears, he will certainly deliver his beloved: “Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me” (Ps 56:9). David doesn’t know what to do with all his enemies. He doesn’t know how to stop his tears to have better sleep at night. He does not know much, except that that God is on his side. In verse 3, “When I am afraid,” was a Hebrew expression meaning, “In the day I am afraid.” This drew attention to the reality that there are certain times and situations when we are fearful more than others. And that phrase is echoed here in verse 9, “On the very day I am afraid is the day I call on God.”
Application Insight: Do you turn to God on the very day you are afraid and run to him without delay? Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you (1 Pet 5:7). Let any fears or worries direct your heart to Jesus (Phil 4:6-9). Let any anxieties or concerns propel you to his throne of grace: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:14-16).
David concludes this section with a familiar refrain: “In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Ps 56:10-11; see vv. 3-4). David keeps God’s precious promises burning in his pocket. For even as he runs from Saul and from the Philistines, he remembers how the prophet Samuel once anointed him with oil to declare him king (see 1 Sam 16:1-13). And as a would-be king, David cannot be killed. If God has promised that David’s reign would come to pass, then nothing could prevent it. If God has promised victory, then no enemy could overcome him. So, David rests his faith in the unchanging character and the unfailing Word of God. And we can join in on this chorus as we declare our faith in God. Psalm 56 was cherished by many other biblical writers. As the author of Hebrews wrote in 13:6, “So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” And Paul in Romans 8:31, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (see Ps 44:22; Rom 8:28-39). We cannot lose when God is on our side, nor fail when his promises are at stake.
This very confidence expressed by David would one day be carried onward by David’s Greater Son. For consider what those prideful men would do to Jesus. They would trample him and oppress him all day long. They would plot against him and wound him with their words as they resist his cause at every turn. They would watch and wait and seek to catch him in a lie (Luke 11:53-54). Yet Jesus trusted in his Father:
When I am afraid and sorrowful and distressed, I put my trust in you. In you, O God, whose word I praise. In you, O God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
Apparently, an awful lot! They can arrest me and falsely accuse me. They can lash me with whips and crush my skull with a crown of thorns. They can mock me and strip my clothes and shame me before the bloodthirsty crowd. They can pound the nails into my hands and feet and hang me on that cursed tree. They can remove my lifeless body from the cross and hide me in a lightless cave. But this I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise, In God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can any man do to me?
Our Savior, Jesus Christ, trusted in his Father’s Word. And as he wept, his Father kept those tears collected in a bottle. He cared for him in the Garden of Gethsemane even as he sweat great drops of blood. He loved him on the cross even as he suffered alone and afflicted with all his followers afraid. Then, three days later, God raised him from the dead in victory. We cannot lose when God is on our side.
Application Insight: Whenever you are afraid, you can put your trust in God. For God sees you where you are (Ps 56:8a). Even if you run off to Gath or someplace else you shouldn’t be, God still sees you and extends his gracious mercy. He also knows the way you feel (v. 8b). For he doesn’t simply see your tears, but collects them like precious gems. And he doesn’t just acknowledge your suffering, but remembers it as his own. He sees you, knows you, and hears you when you call (v. 9). So, you can pray to him at any time and he will answer you. You can bring to him your troubles and your tears (vv. 3-4, 10-11). You can trust that he will always hear you in the day you call on him.
A Promise of Thankful Praise (vv. 12-13)
David trusts in God to answer his plea for mercy and his prayer for deliverance. Then, he concludes Psalm 56 with a promise to praise the Lord: “I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you. For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life” (vv. 12-13). These verses at the end of the psalm mirror verses 1-3 at the beginning. In other words, gratitude is the cure for anxiety and fear. So, when we are afraid, we trust in God. We count our blessings and recall what he has done. We remember his promises such as Philippians 4:19, “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” When we are afraid, we praise his perfect Word, then we walk according to his way. In Scripture, walking with God represents a daily, consistent, habitual practice over the breadth of one’s faithful life.[6] As David testifies, “I will rejoice when God delivers my soul from the pit. I will draw in breath when he keeps my feet from falling. I will delight before his presence, for he is my everlasting Light of life.”
After David fled from Gath, he hid in a cave at Adullam (1 Sam 22). So, perhaps that is where he wrote Psalm 56. At night, it was so dark that David could not see his hand before his face. He could not move around the cave without bumping his head or stubbing his toe. All he could do was to lie upon the ground while waiting for the dawn. And perhaps this death-like darkness reminded David that God’s Word was a lamp to his feet and a light to his path (Ps 119:105). God’s Word was David’s hope in times of trouble. Notice also the personal nature of David’s testimony. Earlier, David was concerned for “my cause [or words], my steps, my life” (vv. 5-6). And now, he says the Lord sustains, “my soul…my feet” (v. 13). For David is not describing some hypothetical believer, but rather himself. These vows and thank offerings of which he speaks are his own freewill sacrifices in the temple (Pss 50:14; 107:22; 116:17; Lev 7:12). They are a gift to God like the monetary offerings we bring to church today. No one forces us to give with generous hearts or tells us we must earn God’s favor. No one checks at the door that we’ve paid our dues to secure a seat in the worship center. Our giving is out of gratitude and our sacrifices come from a thankful heart.
Any darkness we face in this fallen world reminds us that Jesus is our Light of life. So, when we are afraid or find it difficult to sleep because we’re concerned about our health, our job, our family, or something else—When we are troubled by attacks against us in this pitch-black world, we can await with longing the Light of Jesus Christ. As John declared in the opening prologue of his Gospel: “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). John understood our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to be the Light of life foretold by David. He is the One who keeps our feet from falling and the Light who guides our way. He is the One who delivers us from death and whom we praise with our sacrificial thank offerings. He is the One who shows us how to walk with God, then empowers us to follow in his steps. Jesus is our Light of life. And believers today have even more to be thankful for than David, since we know Jesus Christ, the Son of David. We cherish the Savior who delivers our souls from death and we delight in the One who daily keeps our feet from stumbling. We recall how Jesus testified of himself, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (8:12). Then, we direct our thankful praise not just to God for making us, but also to the Son of God for saving us.
Application Insight: When you feel that you are trapped, read Psalm 56 as it relates to your own experience.[7] Then, each time you read, ask yourself certain questions: First, “What happened to you?” Why did you feel trapped? How do you relate to David’s fears? List any afflictions you encounter (e.g., trampling, oppression, the attacks of others).
Then, read the psalm a second time and ask, “What does your suffering feel like?” Circle the words to describe your emotions (e.g., tears, restless tossing, the fear of death). Personalize Psalm 56 in your own words as you pray it aloud to God.
Third, ask yourself, “What is said about God in Scripture?” Read Psalm 56 again and identify everywhere that God shows up: Who God is and what he’s done. Look for the names of God and the attributes of God and the deeds of God.
Finally, “What does faith say in response to all these truths?” How does what you know about God change the way you live? How does it compel you to respond to him with a thankful heart? Observe this prayer of David as you grow and change to be like Christ, the Son of David. Praise God whose Word brings light into the darkness, peace amidst your fears, and his loving presence to push away your loneliness.
Life Application Study:
- Observe the interplay between God and man in Psalm 56. How does your dependence on one affect the other? Celebrate the focal point of David’s plea for mercy in verses 3-4, “In God, whose word I praise!”
- Read the background of David’s psalm in 1 Samuel 21:10-15 to better understand his inner thoughts and feelings.
- What circumstances make you afraid in life? What promises from God’s Word bring gospel care and comfort to your troubled heart?
- Is it right to pray for God to judge our enemies? Why or why not? How should the imprecatory psalms shape and form your prayers?
- Whenever you feel trapped by the people in your life, personalize Psalm 56 to express your thoughts to God.
Pray Psalm 56:
- Lord, protect me from my enemies (vv. 1-2, 5-7, 9).
- Teach me to trust in you when I’m afraid (v. 3).
- I praise you for your precious Word, O God (vv. 4, 10).
- Thank you, Father, for counting my troubles and my tears (v. 8).
- And grant me grace to express my thanks to you (vv. 12-13).
[1] This may refer to Moses’ prayer after the Golden Calf episode for God to spare his people from judgment (Deut 9:26; see Pss 57-59, 75).
[2] The verb, “to trample,” can also depict the panting, pestering pursuit of David’s predators (see Job 5:5).
[3] The chiastic structure focuses on verse 7 as the occasion for David’s prayer, but the surrounding refrain, “In God, whose word I praise,” reveals the basis for his response (see Hamilton, Psalms, 1:534).
1–3, Prayer and Trust in Fear
4, In God I Trust
5–6, The Enemies Scheming
7, Bring Down the Nations
8–9, The Righteous Remembered
10–11, In God I Trust
12–13, Vows and Thanksgivings in Deliverance
[4] The phrase, “injure my cause,” could be literally rendered, “twist my words.”
[5] This bottle is not the kind made of constricted glass or plastic, but more like a leather wineskin which expands as it is filled.
[6] Halak (“to walk”) occurs here in the hithpael verbal form which implies an iterative action repeated over-and-over again.
[7] See David Powlison, Recovering from Child Abuse: Healing and Hope for Victims (Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2008).
