Psalm 56

Common Metre (8,6,8,6)

Suggested Tunes:

(vv.1-8) 40 Cheshire, 57 Elgin

(vv.9-13) 37 Bristol, 70 Gräfenberg

1    Shew mercy, Lord, to me, for man

            would swallow me outright;

      He me oppresseth, while he doth

            against me daily fight.

2    They daily would me swallow up

            that hate me spitefully;

      For they be many that do fight

            against me, O Most High.

3    When I’m afraid I’ll trust in thee:

4         In God I’ll praise his word;

      I will not fear what flesh can do,

            my trust is in the Lord.

5    Each day they wrest my words; their thoughts

            ’gainst me are all for ill.

6    They meet, they lurk, they mark my steps,

            waiting my soul to kill.

7    But shall they by iniquity

            escape thy judgments so?

      O God, with indignation down

            do thou the people throw.

8    My wand’rings all what they have been

            thou know’st, their number took;

      Into thy bottle put my tears:

            are they not in thy book?

9    My foes shall, when I cry, turn back;

            I know’t, God is for me.

10  In God his word I’ll praise; his word

            in God shall praised be.

11  In God I trust; I will not fear

            what man can do to me.

12  Thy vows upon me are, O God:

            I’ll render praise to thee.

13  Wilt thou not, who from death me sav’d,

            my feet from falls keep free,

      To walk before God in the light

            of those that living be?