Psalm 56

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
1Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.For the choirmaster. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath. Be merciful to me, O God, for men are hounding me; all day they press their attack.For the Chief Musician; set to Jonath elem rehokim. A Psalm of David. Michtam; when the Philistines took him in Gath. Be merciful unto me, O God; for man would swallow me up: All the day long he fighting oppresseth me.

In context

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Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
to the choirmasterלַמְנַצֵּ֤חַ׀lam-na-TZE-achH5329
to conduct

נָצַח (na.tsach) 1) to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring 1a) (Niphal) enduring (participle) 1b) (Piel) to act as overseer or superintendent or director or chief Aramaic equivalent: ne.tsach (נְצַח "to distinguish oneself" H5330)

onעַל־'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

yonath-י֬וֹנַתYO-natH3128
Dove on Far-off Terebinths

יוֹנַת אֵלֶם רְחֹקִים (yo.nat e.lem re.cho.qim) § Jonath-elem-recho-kim = "the silent dove of far-off places" 1) meaning uncertain 1a) probably name of melody 1b) only used in title of Ps 56:1

elem-אֵ֣לֶם'E-lemH3128
Dove on Far-off Terebinths

יוֹנַת אֵלֶם רְחֹקִים (yo.nat e.lem re.cho.qim) § Jonath-elem-recho-kim = "the silent dove of far-off places" 1) meaning uncertain 1a) probably name of melody 1b) only used in title of Ps 56:1

rechokimרְ֭חֹקִיםRE-cho-kimH3128
Dove on Far-off Terebinths

יוֹנַת אֵלֶם רְחֹקִים (yo.nat e.lem re.cho.qim) § Jonath-elem-recho-kim = "the silent dove of far-off places" 1) meaning uncertain 1a) probably name of melody 1b) only used in title of Ps 56:1

of Davidלְדָוִ֣דle-da-VIDH1732
David

דָּוִד (da.vid) A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17; son of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I); brother of: Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684) and Elihu (H0453J); married to Michal (H4324), Abigail (H0026), Ahinoam (H0293H), Maacah (H4601I), Haggith (H2294), Abital (H0037), Eglah (H5698) and Bathsheba (H1339); …

a miktamמִכְתָּ֑םmikh-TAMH4387
Miktam

מִכְתָּם (mikh.tam) michtam a technical term found in psalm titles meaning uncertain

when seizedבֶּֽאֱחֹ֨זbe-'e-CHOZH0270
to grasp

אָחַז (a.chaz) 1) grasp, take hold, seize, take possession 1a) (Qal) to grasp, take hold of 1b) (Niphal) to be caught, grasped, be settled 1c) (Piel) to enclose, overlay 1d) (Hophal) fastened

[the] Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּ֣יםfe-lish-TIMH6430G
Philistine

פְּלִשְׁתִּי (pe.lish.ti) Philistine = "immigrants" an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan Another spelling of pe.le.shet (פְּלֶ֫שֶׁת "Philistia" H6429)

in Gathבְּגַֽת׃be-GATH1661
Gath

גַּיְא (gay) valley, a steep valley, narrow gorge Another spelling of gat (גַּת "Gath" H1661)

show favor to meחָנֵּ֣נִיcho-ne-niH2603A
to entreat

חַנּוֹת (chan.not) verb 1) (Qal) (TWOT) to intreat, to pity, be gracious n fem pl 2) (Qal) (CLBL) gracious

O Godאֱ֭לֹהִים'E-lo-HIMH0430G
God

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

forכִּֽי־ki-H3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

he has crushed meשְׁאָפַ֣נִיshe-'a-FA-niH7602B
to crush

שָׁאַף (sha.aph) 1) to crush, trample, trample upon 1a) (Qal) to trample upon, crush

manאֱנ֑וֹשׁ'e-NO-oshH0582
human

אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) 1) man, mortal man, person, mankind 1a) of an individual 1b) men (collective) 1c) man, mankind Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)

allכָּל־kol-H3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

the dayהַ֝יּ֗וֹםhai-YOMH3117G
day

יוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

[one who] fightsלֹחֵ֥םlo-CHEMH3898A
to fight

לָחַם (la.cham) 1) to fight, do battle, make war 1a) (Qal) to fight, do battle 1b) (Niphal) to engage in battle, wage war

he oppresses meיִלְחָצֵֽנִי׃yil-cha-TZE-niH3905
to oppress

לָחַץ (la.chats) 1) to squeeze, press, oppress 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to squeeze, press 1a2) to oppress 1b) (Niphal) to squeeze oneself

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.