Psa 57:1 | NET2full | STEP | For the music director , according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David , written when he fled from Saul into the cave . Have mercy on me, O God . Have mercy on me. For in you I have taken shelter . In the shadow of your wings I take shelter until trouble passes .

‏ Psalms 57:1

Psalm 57 ^{▼▼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.}

For the music director, according to the al-tashcheth style; ^{▼▼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.} a prayer ^{▼▼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.”} of David, written when he fled from Saul into the cave. ^{▼▼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.}

1 Have mercy on me, O God. Have mercy on me.
For in you I have taken shelter. ^{▼▼tn Heb “my life has taken shelter.” The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.}
In the shadow of your wings ^{▼▼sn In the shadow of your wings. The metaphor likens God to a protective mother bird (see also Pss 17:8; 36:7).} I take shelter
until trouble passes.

‏ Psalms 57:1

Psalm 57 ▼▼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.

Psalm 57 ^{▼▼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.}