For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.
1Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up.
All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.
2My enemies want to swallow me up all day long,
for they are many who fight proudly against me.
3When I am afraid,
I will put my trust in you.
4In God, I praise his word.
In God, I put my trust.
I will not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me?
5All day long they twist my words.
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
6They conspire and lurk,
watching my steps.
They are eager to take my life.
7Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, God.
8You count my wanderings.
You put my tears into your container.
Aren’t they in your book?
9Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call.
I know this: that God is for me.
10In God, I will praise his word.
In Yahweh, I will praise his word.
11I have put my trust in God.
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12Your vows are on me, God.
I will give thank offerings to you.
13For 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.
David is a key figure in the Bible. He was the son of Jesse, the great-grandson of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:17, 22), and father of King Solomon. In the sovereign choice of God, David the shepherd became David the King and ancestor of the future Messiah, Jesus. He was born in Bethlehem in the land of Judah, being the son of Jesse and the great-grandson of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:17, 22). After the death of King Saul, this shepherd was chosen by God to be the chief shepherd of His people, Israel. He is notable for being the young man who stood up to the giant Goliath on behalf of the people of Israel. David had many flaws in his character, but was beloved by God.
In addition to David's various military and political achievements, he was also renowned as a musician and wrote several of the Psalms. Ruth 4.22; 1 Samuel 16.11-1 Kings 2.12, 32; 8.17-20; 9.4; 2 Kings 21.7; 1 Chronicles 2.15; 3.1-9; 6.31; 10.14-29.30; Psalms 3-9; 11-32; 34-41; 51-65; 68-70; 86; 89.3, 20, 35, 49; 101; 103; 108-110; 122.5; 124; 131; 132.1, 10, 11, 17; 138-145; Isaiah 29.1; Ezekiel 37.24, 25; Matthew 1.1, 6, 17; 12.3; Luke 3.31; 6.3; 20.41-44; John 71.42; Acts 2.25-31; 4.25,26; 7.45, 46; 13. 22, 23, 34, 36; Hebrews 4.7; 11.32; Revelation 3.7; 22.16.
Biographies of Bible Characters, People and Characters in the Bible