Psa 57:1 | NETfull | 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

For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; ^{▼▼ 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 ^{▼▼ 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. ^{▼▼ 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. ^{▼▼ 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 ^{▼▼ 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.