Psalm 56:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life.

NIV: They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life.

NASB: They attack, they lurk, They watch my steps, As they have waited to take my life.

CSB: They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps while they wait to take my life.

NLT: They come together to spy on me — watching my every step, eager to kill me.

KJV: They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.

NKJV: They gather together, They hide, they mark my steps, When they lie in wait for my life.

David points out in this verse that the Philistines of Gath stirred up strife and watched his steps. They looked for an opportunity to kill him. "Watch my steps" is literally "watch my heels." They resembled vicious dogs snapping at the heels of someone they wanted to tear apart. David had entered Philistine territory to escape from Saul (Psalm 56:1; 1 Samuel 21:10). His hopes of hiding were foiled, however, as the people recognized him (1 Samuel 21:11–15). So, David pretended to be insane so the king of the Philistines would refuse to see him. Both the forces of king Saul (1 Samuel 19:1–2) and the Philistines were eager to see David killed.

Jesus, too, was stalked by His enemies. The scribes and Pharisees dogged His steps, hoping for an opportunity to see Him break the Mosaic law. They watched His every action. Luke 6:6–12 reports that Jesus entered the synagogue and found a man with a withered right hand. The scribes and the Pharisees watched Jesus to see if He would heal on the sabbath. They were hoping to find a reason to accuse Him. But Jesus knew their thoughts and asked them whether it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do harm. They did not answer. When Jesus healed the withered hand, the scribes and Pharisees became furious and discussed plans to deal with Jesus.

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.

When David fled from Saul (1 Samuel 19:1–2, 18; 22:17–19), he was forced to enter enemy territory: the land of the Philistines. When he was recognized, David was captured but pretended to be insane (1 Samuel 21:10–15). This psalm reflects his prayer for safety while subject to these dangers.

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.