Be Merciful to Me, O God (1 Samuel 21:8–15)
1 RV 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. BSB BSB: 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.
2 RV Mine enemies would swallow me up all the day long: for they be many that fight proudly against me. BSB BSB: My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me.
3 RV What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in thee. BSB BSB: When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.
4 RV In God I will praise his word: in God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid; what can flesh do unto me? BSB BSB: In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
5 RV All the day long they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. BSB BSB: All day long they twist my words; all their thoughts are on my demise.
6 RV They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, even as they have waited for my soul. BSB BSB: They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps while they wait to take my life.
7 RV Shall they escape by iniquity? in anger cast down the peoples, O God. BSB BSB: In spite of such sin, will they escape? In Your anger, O God, cast down the nations.
8 RV Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle; are they not in thy book? BSB BSB: You have taken account of my wanderings. Put my tears in Your bottle—are they not in Your book?
9 RV Then shall mine enemies turn back in the day that I call: this I know, that God is for me. BSB BSB: Then my enemies will retreat on the day I cry for help. By this I will know that God is on my side.
10 RV In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word. BSB BSB: In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise,
11 RV In God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid; what can man do unto me? BSB BSB: in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
12 RV Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render thank offerings unto thee. BSB BSB: Your vows are upon me, O God; I will render thank offerings to You.
13 RV For thou hast delivered my soul from death: hast thou not delivered my feet from falling? that I may walk before God in the light of the living. BSB BSB: For You have delivered my soul from death, and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.