Psalm 56:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

NIV: in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?

NASB: In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can mankind do to me?

CSB: in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mere humans do to me?

NLT: I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?

KJV: In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

NKJV: In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

This repeats nearly word-for-word what was written in the early verses of this psalm (Psalm 56:4). David does not imply that he never experiences anxiety. Rather, David was honest about experiencing terror when danger lurked (Psalm 55:4–6; 56:3). This is a reminder as well as a declaration: that David will not despair or fail to trust God in the face of fear. Ultimately, no person can overcome God's purposes. The Lord is on the believer's side (Psalm 56:9)—nothing can happen to a child of God which is not ultimately for good purposes (Psalm 56:8; Romans 8:28).

Here, David refers to earthly enemies using the literal word for a human being: ā'dām, a reference to the first man being formed out of dirt—adamah—by God (Genesis 2:7). The prior expression (Psalm 56:4) used the word for "flesh"—bāsār—as another comparison to God's infinitely powerful nature (2 Chronicles 32:8; Psalm 78:39). Those who persecute God's people (John 16:33) are "mere mortals," as several translations put it. The Lord is immortal and all-powerful (1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Chronicles 29:11).

Even when earthly struggles end in death, this is not a "defeat" for those who follow God. Death could not subdue Jesus; He conquered death and has given eternal life to all who believe on Him as Savior (John 3:16–18, 36). Death for the believer is not a tragedy (1 Corinthians 15:54–58). Paul writes, "We are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). Awaiting trial that might result in his execution, Paul exuded strong faith. He writes, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21).

Psalm 56:5–11 describes the hateful actions of David's enemies. He pleads with the Lord to punish these foes. He recalls the misery of his flight from Saul in the wilderness (1 Samuel 19:18; 20:1). David was assured God knew his troubles. Poetically, David speaks of God's precious awareness of suffering. He believed the Lord would answer his prayers and defeat his enemies. With confidence that God was on his side, David vowed to praise God's Word, trust in Him, and not be afraid.

David prays for God's protection as he is "oppressed" and "trampled" by his enemies. This refers to his experience in enemy territory near the city of Gath (1 Samuel 21:10–15). Despite natural fear, David chooses to trust in God. He knows the Lord will bring judgment to evil people, and that God sees everything which David has experienced. David resolves to praise the Lord once this danger has passed.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.