Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

For the music director; set to [a]Al-tashheth. A [b]Mikhtam of David, [c]when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him.

59 (A)Rescue me from my enemies, my God;
[d](B)Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.
Rescue me from (C)those who practice injustice,
And save me from (D)men of bloodshed.
For behold, they (E)have [e]set an ambush for my [f]life;
[g]Fierce men (F)attack me,
(G)Not for my wrongdoing nor for my sin, Lord,
[h](H)For no guilt of mine, they run and take their stand against me.
(I)Stir Yourself to [i]help me, and see!
You, (J)Lord God of armies, the God of Israel,
Awake to [j](K)punish all the nations;
(L)Do not be gracious to any who deal treacherously in wrongdoing. Selah
They (M)return at evening, they howl like a (N)dog,
And prowl around the city.
Behold, they (O)gush forth with their mouths;
(P)Swords are in their lips,
For, they say, “(Q)Who hears?”
But You, Lord, (R)laugh at them;
You (S)scoff at all the nations.

Because of [k]his (T)strength I will watch for You,
For God is my (U)refuge.
10 [l]My God (V)in His faithfulness will meet me;
God will let me (W)look triumphantly upon my enemies.
11 Do not kill them, (X)or my people will forget;
[m](Y)Scatter them by Your power and bring them down,
Lord, (Z)our shield.
12 [n]On account of the (AA)sin of their mouths and the words of their lips,
May they even be (AB)caught in their pride,
And on account of (AC)curses and lies which they tell.
13 [o](AD)Destroy them in wrath, [p]destroy them so that they will no longer exist;
So that people may (AE)know that God [q]rules in Jacob,
To the ends of the earth. Selah
14 They (AF)return at evening, they howl like a dog,
And prowl around the city.
15 They (AG)wander about [r]for food
And [s]murmur if they are not satisfied.

16 But as for me, I will (AH)sing of Your strength;
Yes, I will (AI)joyfully sing of Your faithfulness in the (AJ)morning,
For You have been my (AK)refuge
And a (AL)place of refuge on the day of my distress.
17 (AM)My strength, I will sing praises to You;
For God is my (AN)refuge, the [t]God who shows me favor.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 59 Title Lit Do Not Destroy
  2. Psalm 59 Title Possibly Epigrammatic Poem or Atonement Psalm
  3. Psalm 59 Title 1 Sam 19:11
  4. Psalm 59:1 Or May You put me in an inaccessibly high place
  5. Psalm 59:3 Or lain in wait
  6. Psalm 59:3 Lit soul
  7. Psalm 59:3 Or Strong
  8. Psalm 59:4 Lit Without guilt
  9. Psalm 59:4 Lit meet
  10. Psalm 59:5 Lit visit
  11. Psalm 59:9 LXX, some mss and some ancient versions my strength (cf. v 17)
  12. Psalm 59:10 Many mss and some ancient versions The God of my faithfulness
  13. Psalm 59:11 Or Make them wander
  14. Psalm 59:12 Or The sin of their mouth is the word of their lips,
  15. Psalm 59:13 Lit Bring to an end
  16. Psalm 59:13 Lit Bring to an end
  17. Psalm 59:13 Or is Ruler
  18. Psalm 59:15 Lit to eat
  19. Psalm 59:15 Another reading is linger all night
  20. Psalm 59:17 Lit God of my favor

Psalm 59[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house(A) in order to kill him.

Deliver me from my enemies, O God;(B)
    be my fortress against those who are attacking me.(C)
Deliver me from evildoers(D)
    and save me from those who are after my blood.(E)

See how they lie in wait for me!
    Fierce men conspire(F) against me
    for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
I have done no wrong,(G) yet they are ready to attack me.(H)
    Arise to help me; look on my plight!(I)
You, Lord God Almighty,
    you who are the God of Israel,(J)
rouse yourself(K) to punish all the nations;(L)
    show no mercy to wicked traitors.[c](M)

They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,(N)
    and prowl about the city.
See what they spew from their mouths(O)
    the words from their lips are sharp as swords,(P)
    and they think, “Who can hear us?”(Q)
But you laugh at them, Lord;(R)
    you scoff at all those nations.(S)

You are my strength,(T) I watch for you;
    you, God, are my fortress,(U)
10     my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me
    and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,[d](V)
    or my people will forget.(W)
In your might uproot them
    and bring them down.(X)
12 For the sins of their mouths,(Y)
    for the words of their lips,(Z)
    let them be caught in their pride.(AA)
For the curses and lies they utter,
13     consume them in your wrath,
    consume them till they are no more.(AB)
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob.(AC)

14 They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
15 They wander about for food(AD)
    and howl if not satisfied.
16 But I will sing(AE) of your strength,(AF)
    in the morning(AG) I will sing of your love;(AH)
for you are my fortress,(AI)
    my refuge in times of trouble.(AJ)

17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
    you, God, are my fortress,
    my God on whom I can rely.(AK)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
  2. Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
  4. Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign