Psalms 57
1 God, be merciful to me! Act mercifully toward me because I come to you to protect me. I ask you to protect me [like little birds are protected under their mother’s] wings [MET] until the storm/danger is ended.
For the leader. Al tashheth. A michtam of David, when he fled from Saul into a cave. Be gracious, O God, be gracious to me, for in you I take shelter. In your sheltering wings I take refuge, till ruin be over past.
2 God, you who are greater than all other gods, I cry out to you, the one who enables me to do all that you desire.
I cry to the Most High God, to the God who accomplishes for me.
3 You will answer me from heaven and rescue me, but you will cause those who oppress me to be [defeated and] disgraced! (Think about that!) God will [always] faithfully love me and (will be faithful/will do what he promises).
He will send me his succour from heaven, he will thrust away those who would trample me. (Selah)
4 [Sometimes] I am surrounded by [my enemies who are like] lions that [kill] humans; [they are like] lions that chew with their teeth [animals that they kill]; but my enemies have spears and arrows, not teeth; and [the false things that] they say [MTY] [hurt people as much as] sharp swords [hurt people] [MET].
In the midst of lions I lie, who devour human prey. Their teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue is a sharpened sword.
5 God, show in the heavens that you are very great! And show your glory to people all over the earth!
Be exalted, God, o’er the heavens, and your glory o’er all the earth.
6 [It is as if] [MET, HYP] my enemies spread a net to seize me, and I became very distressed [IDM]. [It is as if] [MET, HYP] they dug a deep pit along the path where I walk, but they themselves fell into it!
They set a net for my feet, but in it was their own foot caught. Before me they dug a pit, but they fell into it themselves. (Selah)
7 God, I have complete confidence [DOU] in you. I will sing to you, and I will praise you while I sing.
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast. I would sing, I would make music;
8 I will awaken myself; I will arise before the sun rises and [praise you while I play] my harp or my (lyre/small harp).
awake, my soul. Awake, harp and lyre; I would wake the dawn.
9 Lord, I will thank you among [all] the people; and I will sing to praise you among [many] ethnic groups,
I would praise you among the peoples, O Lord, and make music among the nations to you;
10 because your faithful love for us is [as great as the distance from the earth] to the sky, and because your (faithfulness/faithfully doing what you promise) is [as great as the distance] up to the clouds [MET].
for great to heaven is your love, and your faithfulness to the clouds.
11 God, show in the heavens that you are very great! And show your glory [to people] all over the earth!
Be exalted, God, o’er the heavens, and your glory o’er all the earth.
