Psalm 57

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
1Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul into the cave. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy, for in You my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of Your wings I will take shelter until the danger has passed.For the Chief Musician; set to Al-tashheth. A Psalm of David. Michtam; when he fled from Saul, in the cave. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; For my soul taketh refuge in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I take refuge, Until these calamities be overpast.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
to the choirmasterלַמְנַצֵּ֣חַlam-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)

al-אַל־'al-H0516
Do Not Destroy

אַל תַּשְׁחֵת (al tash.chet) § Al-taschith = "do not destroy" (Hiphil) a command to the chief musician, or perhaps the title of a melody used for several Psalms

tashchethתַּ֭שְׁחֵתTASH-chetH0516
Do Not Destroy

אַל תַּשְׁחֵת (al tash.chet) § Al-taschith = "do not destroy" (Hiphil) a command to the chief musician, or perhaps the title of a melody used for several Psalms

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 fled heבְּבָרְח֥וֹbe-va-re-CHOH1272
to flee

בָּרַח (ba.rach) 1) to go through, flee, run away, chase, drive away, put to flight, reach, shoot (extend), hurry away 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go, pass through 1a2) to flee 1a3) to hasten, come quickly 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to pass through 1b2) to cause to flee, put to flight 1b3) to drive away

from beforeמִפְּנֵי־mi-pe-nei-SHA-H6440G
face: before

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) : before/to/front 1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

Saulשָׁ֝א֗וּלSHA-'ULH7586G
Saul

שָׁאוּל (sha.ul) A king of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.2; son of: Kish (H7027); married to Ahinoam (H0293) and Rizpah (H7532); father of: Jonathan (H3083H), Abinadab (H0041H), Malchi-shua (H4444), Merab (H4764), Michal (H4324), Ish-bosheth (H0378), Armoni (H0764), Mephibosheth (H4648H) § Saul or Shaul = "desired" 1) a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the 1st king of Israel 2) an early king of Edom and a successor of Samlah 3) a son of Simeon 4) a Levite, son of Uzziah

in the caveבַּמְּעָרָֽה׃ba-me-'a-RAHH4631
cave

מְעָרָה (me.a.rah) cave, den, hole

show favor to meחָנֵּ֤נִיcho-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 Godאֱלֹהִ֨ים׀'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)

show favor to meחָנֵּ֗נִיcho-ne-niH2603A
to entreat

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

forכִּ֥יkiH3588A
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

it takes refugeחָסָ֪יָהcha-SA-yahH2620
to seek refuge

חָסָה (cha.sah) 1) (Qal) to seek refuge, flee for protection 1a) to put trust in (God), confide or hope in (God) (fig.)

self myנַ֫פְשִׁ֥יnaf-SHIH5315G
soul

נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) 1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion 1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man 1b) living being 1c) living being (with life in the blood) 1d) the man himself, self, person or individual 1e) seat of the appetites 1f) seat of emotions and passions 1g) activity of mind 1g1) uncertain 1h) activity of the will 1h1) uncertain 1i) activity of the character 1i1) uncertain

and in [the] shadow ofוּבְצֵֽל־u-ve-tzel-H6738
shadow

צֵל (tsel) 1) shadow, shade 1a) shadow (on dial) 1b) shadow, shade (as protection) 1c) shadow (symbolic of transitoriness of life) Also means: tse.lel (צֵלֶל "shadow" H6752)

wings yourכְּנָפֶ֥יךָke-na-FEI-khaH3671
wing

כָּנָף (ka.naph) 1) wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt 1a) wing 1b) extremity 1b1) skirt, corner (of garment)

I take refugeאֶחְסֶ֑ה'ech-SEHH2620
to seek refuge

חָסָה (cha.sah) 1) (Qal) to seek refuge, flee for protection 1a) to put trust in (God), confide or hope in (God) (fig.)

untilעַ֝֗ד'AdH5704
till

עַד (ad) prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

it will pass byיַעֲבֹ֥רya-'a-VORH5674A
to pass

עָבַר (a.var) 1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over 1a2) to pass beyond 1a3) to pass through, traverse 1a3a) passers-through (participle) 1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant) 1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by 1a4a) passer-by (participle) 1a4b) to be past, be over 1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance 1a6) to pass away 1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory) 1a6b) to vanish …

destructionsהַוּֽוֹת׃ha-VOTH1942
desire

הַוָּה (hav.vah) 1) desire 1a) desire (in bad sense) 2) chasm (fig. of destruction) 2a) engulfing ruin, destruction, calamity

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