Psalms – Chapter 56

Old Testament12 Verses

1Unto the end, destroy not, for David, for an inscription of a title, when he fled from Saul into the cave.

2Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me: for my soul trusteth in thee. And in the shadow of thy wings will I hope, until iniquity pass away.

3I will cry to God the most high; to God who hath done good to me.

4He hath sent from heaven and delivered me: he hath made them a reproach that trod upon me. God hath sent his mercy and his truth,

5And he hath delivered my soul from the midst of the young lions. I slept troubled. The sons of men, whose teeth are weapons and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

6Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth.

7They prepared a snare for my feet; and they bowed down my soul. They dug a pit before my face, and they are fallen into it.

8My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready: I will sing, and rehearse a psalm.

9Arise, O my glory, arise psaltery and harp: I will arise early.

10I will give praise to thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing a psalm to thee among the nations.

11For thy mercy is magnified even to the heavens: and thy truth unto the clouds.

12Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth.

Reflection for Today

As Catholics read Psalms Chapter 56, we do so within the living Tradition that has guarded this text for two millennia.

The saints did not treat Scripture as antiquarian literature. St. Teresa of Avila, St. Francis de Sales, and countless others used passages such as this to fuel daily conversion. the Church as mother and teacher remains a practical lesson for modern disciples.

As you continue through Psalms, carry this chapter's lesson into your family, parish, and work. Catholic faith is always ecclesial—God speaks to us as members of Christ's Body, not as isolated individuals.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

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