Psalm 56 is one of the many prayer psalms of the individual that laments enemies who are attacking. As is typical, no specifics are offered on the identity of the enemies or the speaker. The opponents are described as lurkers (NIV “slanderers,” Hb. šôrēr) who hound (NIV “hotly pursue”), and press their attack (vv. 1–2). They conspire, hide (NIV “lurk,” Hb. ṣpn) and watch the speaker’s steps (vv. 5–6). While these enemies are depicted as social prowlers hiding in secret, mention is also made of peoples (Hb. ʿammîm without the definite article; NIV “the nations,” v. 7). This could refer to foreign peoples who may have taken a direct part in the speaker’s distress, but it is more characteristic for an individual prayer psalm to refer to the nations simply as part of the wider tradition of Yah…