Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Psalms 56:1-4

However fiercely his enemies may assault him, he will trust in God, Who will surely be true to His promise.

Continues after advertising

See also Psalms 56:1-4 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    PSALM LVI _David prays for support against his enemies, whose wickedness_ _he describes_, 1-6; _and foretells their destruction_, 7; _expresses his confidence in God's mercy, expects deliverance,_...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BE MERCIFUL UNTO ME, O GOD - See the notes at Psalms 51:1. FOR MAN WOULD SWALLOW ME UP - The word used here means properly to breathe hard; to pant; to blow hard; and then, to pant after, to yawn afte...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 56 The Faithfulness of God, the Comfort of His People _ 1. Trust and Comfort (Psalms 56:1)_ 2. Praise for anticipated deliverance (Psalms 56:10) These five Psalms which are grouped together...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    LVI. A PRAYER AGAINST STRONG, NUMEROUS, AND CRAFTY FOES. Psalms 56:2. For enemies read they that lie in wait for me (_mg.),_ PROUDLY: read bitterly. Psalms 56:4. Will praise his word, _i.e._ the fulf...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    TITLE. MICHTAM: i.e. Resurgam. See Psalms 56:13. One of six Psalms so called. The first is Psalms 16. App-65.and sub-scription, v. m. WHEN, &C. See 1 Samuel 21:10;...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _David, praying to God in confidence of his word, complaineth of his enemies: he professeth his confidence in God's word, and promiseth to praise him._ To the chief Musician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 56 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE A Song by David in Captivity. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 56:1-3, In a few words, David Describes his Captive Condition, and Composes a _Refrain_ of Praise, Stanza II., P...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _BE MERCIFUL UNTO ME, O GOD: FOR MAN WOULD SWALLOW ME UP; HE FIGHTING DAILY OPPRESSETH ME._ Psalms 56:1.-David entreats for deliverance from his many and virulent enemies (Psalms 56:1); his trust amid...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    56:1 Jonathelem-rechokim. (k-6) 'The mute dove in the distance,' or 'the dove of the distant terebinths.' Michtam; (l-9) See Psalms 16 . man (m-24) _ Enosh_ . up. (n-28) Strictly, 'pant after me,' li...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Title.—(RV) 'For the Chief Musician; set to Jonath elem rehokim. A _Psalm_ of David: Michtam: when the Philistines took him in Gath.' For Michtam see on Psalms 16. JONATH ELEM REHOKIM ('the dove of th...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DAILY] RV 'all the day long.' So in Psalms 56:2....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    PSALMS 42:72 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. Words marked with a *star are described in the word list at the end. The translated Bible text has yet to go through Advanced Che...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    MAN... — Heb., _enôsh,_ either as in Psalms 9:19, “mortal man,” or, contemptuously, “a rabble, a multitude.”...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    לַ † מְנַצֵּ֤חַ ׀ עַל ־יֹ֬ונַת אֵ֣לֶם רְ֭חֹקִים...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 56:1 THE superscription dates this psalm from the time of David's being in Gath. Probably his first stay there is meant, during which he had recourse to feigned insanity in order to secure his...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “WHAT CAN MAN DO UNTO ME?” Psalms 56:1 This psalm was composed under the same circumstances as Psalms 34:1. See 1 Samuel 21:1. What a strange medley is here shown-David feigning madness and composing...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The keynote of this psalm is the concluding declaration of the previous one, "I will trust in Thee." Here again are evident the same circumstances of oppression (verses Psa 56:5-7). The song opens and...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    "To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam of David, (a) when the Philistines took him in Gath." Be merciful unto me, O God: for (b) man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Destroy not. Suffer me not to be destroyed, (Challoner; Menochius) or I will not allow my men to destroy an implacable foe, (Haydock) as they entreat me to do. This conduct is worthy of eternal memory...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS The Psalmist is again before the throne in this Psalm. Though in distress from men, yet happy in communion with God. His plea is for the Lord to comfort him, while his enemies buffet him. An...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    I cannot begin this Psalm without first taking notice of the title. It is addressed to the chief musician. I have already thrown out my views of who this chief musician is. The next object is what it...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    1_Be merciful unto me, O God! for man swallows me up _(330) It would be difficult to determine whether he speaks here of foreign or domestic enemies. When brought to King Achish he was as a sheep betw...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 56 expresses the sense of the bitter and relentless enmity of the wicked, but the tears of the godly are put in God's bottle. God is owned as the Most High, the title of promise but not of cove...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BE MERCIFUL UNTO ME, O GOD,.... For David could expect no mercy at the hands of men, among whom he was, whose tender mercies were cruel; he being at Gath, the city of Goliath, whom he had slain, and w...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Psalms 56:1 «To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath. » Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppres...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Be merciful unto me, O God_ This petition includes all the good we can come unto the throne of grace for: if we obtain mercy there, we obtain all we can desire, and need no more to make us happy. It...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    COMFORT IN THE MIDST OF PERSECUTION. To the chief musician upon Jonathelem-rechokim, the word not only denoting the melody according to which the hymn was to be sung, "The dove of silence of distant p...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Be merciful unto me, O God; for man would swallow me up, panting for his soul with greedy desire, with snorts of rage; HE, FIGHTING DAILY, OPPRESSETH ME. The contrast is that of the majesty of God and...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-7 Be merciful unto me, O God. This petition includes all the good for which we come to throne of grace. If we obtain mercy there, we need no more to make us happy. It implies likewise our best plea...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    PSALM 56 JONATH-ELEM-REEHOKIM is supposed to be the name of a song; but many render it, as the words signify, _concerning the dumb dove afar off_; all which agrees very well to David in his present ci...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 56:1 Musician H5329 (H8764) Lands H3128 Michtam H4387 David H1732 Philistines H6430 captured H270 (H8800) Gath...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE HEADING (PSALMS 56:1 A). ‘For the Chief Musician; set to Yonath elem rehokim (‘the silent dove of far off places (or ‘men')'). A Psalm of David. Michtam; when the Philistines took him in Gath. Th...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    JONATH-ELEM-RECHOKIM Meaning, "the cry of the dove of distant terebinth trees." MICHTAM Michtam, a prayer....

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam (a golden Psalm) of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath. Psalms 56:1. _Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up: he figh...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 56:1. _Be merciful unto me, O God for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me._ «Man has no mercy upon me, but, O God, be thou merciful unto me! If thy justice doth for a whil...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: David pours out complaint about enemies. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: When we are surrounded on all sides with difficulties and dangers because of enemies, we have but one retreat t...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    The title of this psalm, which relates to the manner of singing and playing, is upon the remote and silent dove. To which _michtam_ is added, the golden ode of David. In the LXX, the title of this and...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up._ THE DEPRECABLE AND THE DESIRABLE I. The deprecable in relation to man. 1. Craven-heartedness. A man whose heart is morally sound is bold a...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 56:1. Many take this to be an individual lament, but it could also be a psalm of anticipated thanksgiving. The description of troubles and prayer changes into gratitude that...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION _Superscription_.—“To the Chief Musician upon Jonath-Elem-Rechokim.” The phrase “_Jonath-Elem-Rechokim_” occurs nowhere else in the Bible; and Biblical critics are by no means agreed as t...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THIS and the following have been called "twin psalms." They begin with the same words, are nearly of the same length, and have each a refrain which divides them into two portions. Formally,...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Psa 56:1-13. This is the prayer of David when he heard a mourning dove. That is, a mourning: m-o-u-r-n-i-n-g dove, out in the distant terebinth trees. He no doubt heard these doves cooing off in the d...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 15:54; 1 Samuel 21:11; 1 Samuel 29:4; Hosea 8:8;...

Continues after advertising