Psalm 56

The prophet prays in his affliction, and praises God for his delivery.

Does this psalm differ from what you were expecting? Don't be confused. There are two systems for arranging the psalms: the Septuagint and the Masoretic. We use the Septuagint system here. In the Masoretic system, which is used in most modern Bible translations, this psalm is called Psalm 57, and the previous psalm is known as Psalm 56.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 Unto the end, destroy not, for David, for an inscription of a title, when he fled from Saul into the cave. [1 Samuel 24.] Destroy not... Suffer me not to be destroyed.

2 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me: for my soul trusteth in thee. And in the shadow of thy wings will I hope, until iniquity pass away.
3 I will cry to God the most high; to God who hath done good to me.
4 He hath sent from heaven and delivered me: he hath made them a reproach that trod upon me. God hath sent his mercy and his truth,
5 And he hath delivered my soul from the midst of the young lions. I slept troubled. The sons of men, whose teeth are weapons and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
6 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth.
7 They prepared a snare for my feet; and they bowed down my soul. They dug a pit before my face, and they are fallen into it.
8 My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready: I will sing, and rehearse a psalm.
9 Arise, O my glory, arise psaltery and harp: I will arise early.
10 I will give praise to thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing a psalm to thee among the nations.
11 For thy mercy is magnified even to the heavens: and thy truth unto the clouds.
12 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 In finem, ne disperdas. David in tituli inscriptionem, cum fugeret a facie Saul in speluncam.

2 Miserere mei, Deus, miserere mei,
quoniam in te confidit anima mea.
Et in umbra alarum tuarum sperabo,
donec transeat iniquitas.
3 Clamabo ad Deum altissimum,
Deum qui benefecit mihi.
4 Misit de cælo, et liberavit me;
dedit in opprobrium conculcantes me.
Misit Deus misericordiam suam et veritatem suam,
5 et eripuit animam meam de medio catulorum leonum.
Dormivi conturbatus.
Filii hominum dentes eorum arma et sagittæ,
et lingua eorum gladius acutus.
6 Exaltare super cælos, Deus,
et in omnem terram gloria tua.
7 Laqueum paraverunt pedibus meis,
et incurvaverunt animam meam.
Foderunt ante faciem meam foveam,
et inciderunt in eam.
8 Paratum cor meum, Deus, paratum cor meum;
cantabo, et psalmum dicam.
9 Exsurge, gloria mea;
exsurge, psalterium et cithara:
exsurgam diluculo.
10 Confitebor tibi in populis, Domine,
et psalmum dicam tibi in gentibus:
11 quoniam magnificata est usque ad cælos misericordia tua,
et usque ad nubes veritas tua.
12 Exaltare super cælos, Deus,
et super omnem terram gloria tua.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition