Be Merciful to Me, God
For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.
1 Be merciful to me, my God, for man tramples me.
All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.
2 My enemies trample me all day long,
for they are many who fight arrogantly against me.
3 Whenever I am afraid,
I will put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise.
In God, I put my trust.
I will not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me?
5 All day long they twist my words.
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They conspire and lurk,
watching my steps.
They are eager to take my life.
7 Will they escape despite their sin?
In anger cast down the peoples, God.
8 You keep record of my wanderings.
You put my tears into your bottle.
Are they not in your book?
9 Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call.
I know this: that God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise.
In the Lord, whose word I praise.
11 I have put my trust in God.
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 Your vows are on me, O God.
I will give thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered my soul from death,
and prevented my feet from falling,
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.