David wrote Psalm 56 from inside enemy captivity, and its most famous verse is one of Scripture’s most direct declarations: “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.”

Full sung version coming soon.

Lyrics

Be merciful to me, God For man wants to swallow me up

All day long, he attacks and oppresses me My enemies want to swallow me up all day long For they are many who fight proudly against me When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you In God, I praise his word In God, I put my trust I will not be afraid What can flesh do to me

All day long they twist my words All their thoughts are against me for evil They conspire and lurk, watching my steps They are eager to take my life

Shall they escape by iniquity In anger cast down the peoples, God You count my wanderings You put my tears into your container Aren’t they in your book

Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call I know this, that God is for me In God, I will praise his word In the LORD, I will praise his word I have put my trust in God I will not be afraid What can man do to me

Your vows are on me, God I will give thank offerings to you For you have delivered my soul from death And prevented my feet from falling That I may walk before God In the light of the living

I have put my trust in God I will not be afraid What can man do to me You count my wanderings, you hold my tears

In God, I praise his word In the LORD, I praise his word I will not be afraid I will not be afraid

Listen

Psalms 56 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.

Published 2026-05-22 · Last updated 2026-06-06
Written by Reid Wender, Editorial Director at Psalmody Press