King James Version

Psalms 57:1

Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Psalms 57:2. The heading is Hebrew Psalms 57:1.

Heading in the Hebrew text

לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַlamnatsechato excelנָצַחpreposition, with the article, verb, piel, participle, absolute — “to excel”, a verb used as a describing wordH5329properly, to glitter from afar, i.e. to be eminent (as a superintendent, especially of the Temple services and its music); to be permanentexcel, chief musician (singer), oversee(-r), set forward.אַלalAl-taschithאַל תַּשְׁחֵתparticle, negative — “Al-taschith”H516'Thou must not destroy'; probably the opening words to a popular songAl-taschith.תַּ֭שְׁחֵתtashchetAl-taschithאַל תַּשְׁחֵתverb, hiphil, jussive, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “Al-taschith”, a wish or indirect commandH516'Thou must not destroy'; probably the opening words to a popular songAl-taschith.לְדָוִ֣דledavidto Davidדָּוִדpreposition, noun, proper name — “to David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.מִכְתָּ֑םmikhtamMichtamמִכְתָּםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “Michtam”, the ordinary formH4387an engraving, i.e. (techn.) a poemMichtam.בְּבָרְח֥וֹbevarechvoin fleeבָּרַחpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “in flee”, the to-form of the verbH1272to bolt, i.e. figuratively, to flee suddenlychase (away); drive away, fain, flee (away), put to flight, make haste, reach, run away, shoot.מִפְּנֵיmipnefrom a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “from a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…שָׁ֝א֗וּלshaulShaulשָׁאוּלnoun, proper name — “Shaul”H7586Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two IsraelitesSaul, Shaul.בַּמְּעָרָֽהbamarahin caveמְעָרָהpreposition, with the article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “in cave”, the ordinary formH4631a cavern (as dark)cave, den, hole.

חָנֵּ֤נִיchanenibeseechחָנַןverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “beseech”, a commandH2603properly, to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; causatively to implore (i.e. move to favor by petition)beseech, [idiom] fair, (be, find, shew) favour(-able), be (deal, give, grant (gracious(-ly), intreat, (be) merciful, have (shew) mercy (on, upon), have pity upon, pray, make supplication, [idiom] very.אֱלֹהִ֨יםelohimGodאֱלֹהִיםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “God”, the ordinary formH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlativeangels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.חָנֵּ֗נִיchanenibeseechחָנַןverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “beseech”, a commandH2603properly, to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow; causatively to implore (i.e. move to favor by petition)beseech, [idiom] fair, (be, find, shew) favour(-able), be (deal, give, grant (gracious(-ly), intreat, (be) merciful, have (shew) mercy (on, upon), have pity upon, pray, make supplication, [idiom] very.כִּ֥יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…בְךָ֮vekhainבְךָ֮preposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “in”inחָסָ֪יָהchasayahhave hopeחָסָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “have hope”, a completed actionH2620to flee for protection; figuratively, to confide inhave hope, make refuge, (put) trust.נַ֫פְשִׁ֥יnafshicreatureנֶפֶשׁnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “creature”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5315properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally,…וּבְצֵֽלuvetseland in shadeצֵלconjunction, preposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and in shade”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6738shade, whether literal or figurativedefence, shade(-ow).כְּנָפֶ֥יךָkenafeykhawingכָּנָףnoun, common, feminine, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “wing”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3671an edge or extremity; specifically (of a bird or army) a wing, (of a garment or bedclothing) a flap, (of the earth) a quarter, (of a building) a pinnacle[phrase] bird, border, corner, end, feather(-ed), [idiom] flying, [phrase] (one an-) other, overspreading, [idiom] quarters, skirt, [idiom] sort, uttermost part, wing(-ed).אֶחְסֶ֑הechsehhave hopeחָסָהverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “have hope”, an unfinished actionH2620to flee for protection; figuratively, to confide inhave hope, make refuge, (put) trust.עַ֝֗דadevenעַדpreposition — “even”H5704as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, [phrase] how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ([phrase] as) yet.יַעֲבֹ֥רyaavoralienateעָבַרverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “alienate”, an unfinished actionH5674to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way…הַוּֽוֹתhauotcalamityהַוָּהnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “calamity”, the ordinary formH1942by implication, of falling); desire; also ruincalamity, iniquity, mischief, mischievous (thing), naughtiness, naughty, noisome, perverse thing, substance, very wickedness.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(57-1) For the Leader; Al-tashheth. A Psalm of David; Michtam; when he fled from Saul, in the cave. (57-2) Be gracious unto me, O God, be gracious unto me, for in Thee hath my soul taken refuge; yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I take refuge, until calamities be overpast.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; For my soul taketh refuge in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I take refuge, Until these calamities be overpast.

Young’s Literal Translation

To the Overseer. — 'Destroy not.' — A secret treasure of David, in his fleeing from the face of Saul into a cave. Favour me, O God, favour me, For in Thee is my soul trusting, And in the shadow of Thy wings I trust, Until the calamities pass over.

World English Bible

Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until disaster has passed.

Darby Translation

Be gracious unto me, O God, be gracious unto me; for my soul taketh refuge in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings do I take refuge, until the calamities be overpast.

Douay-Rheims

Unto the end, destroy not, for David, for an inscription of a title.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Have mercy, upon me, O God, have mercy upon me: for my soul has trusted in thee: and in the shadow of thy wings will I hope, until the iniquity have passed away.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐλέησον με ὁ Θεὸς, ἐλέησόν με, ὅτι ἐπὶ σοὶ πέποιθεν ἡ ψυχή μου, καὶ ἐν τῇ σκιᾷ τῶν πτερύγων σου ἐλπιῶ, ἕως οὗ παρέλθῃ ἡ ἀνομία.