Psalms 57:1

For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; ²  a prayer ³  of David, written when he fled from Saul into the cave. ⁴  Have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me! For in you I have taken shelter. ⁵  In the shadow of your wings ⁶  I take shelter until trouble passes.

Ru 2:12; 1Sa 22:1; 1Sa 24:3,8; Ps 9:10; Ps 13:5; Ps 17:7,8; Ps 36:7; Ps 56:1; Ps 58:1; Ps 59:1; Ps 61:4; Ps 63:7; Ps 69:13-16; Ps 91:1,4,9; Ps 119:76,77; Ps 125:1; Ps 142:1; Isa 10:25; Isa 26:20; Isa 50:10; Mt 24:22; Lu 13:34; Joh 16:20; Jas 5:10,11; Re 7:14; Re 21:4

¹ sn Psalm 57. The psalmist asks for God’s protection and expresses his confidence that his ferocious enemies will be destroyed by their own schemes.

² tn Heb “do not destroy.” Perhaps this refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. These words also appear in the heading to Pss 58-59, 75.

³ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam), which also appears in the heading to Pss 16, 56, 58-60 is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”

⁴ sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm on the occasion when he fled from Saul and hid in “the cave.” This probably refers to either the incident recorded in 1 Sam 22:1 or to the one recorded in 1 Sam 24:3.

⁵ tn Heb “my life has taken shelter.” The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.

⁶ sn In the shadow of your wings. The metaphor likens God to a protective mother bird (see also Pss 17:8; 36:7).