Psalms59
World English Bible · Public Domain
1 Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Save me from the bloodthirsty men.
3 For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh.
4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me!
5 You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.
6 They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city.
7 Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, “For”, they say, “who hears us?”
8 But you, Yahweh, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations.
9 Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, for God is my high tower.
10 My God will go before me with his loving kindness. God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.
11 Don’t kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.
12 For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride, for the curses and lies which they utter.
13 Consume them in wrath. Consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth. Selah.
14 At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.
15 They shall wander up and down for food, and wait all night if they aren’t satisfied.
16 But I will sing of your strength. Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning. For you have been my high tower, a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 To you, my strength, I will sing praises. For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.
Study
Psalms 59Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Psalms 59. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: David prays for deliverance from his enemies. (1–7). He foresees their destruction. (8–17).
vv1-7
In these words we hear the voice of David when a prisoner in his own house; the voice of Christ when surrounded by his merciless enemies; the voice of the church when under bondage in the world; and the voice of the Christian when under temptation, affliction, and persecution. And thus earnestly should we pray daily, to be defended and delivered from our spiritual enemies, the temptations of Satan, and the corruptions of our own hearts. We should fear suffering as evil-doers, but not be ashamed of the hatred of workers of iniquity. It is not strange, if those regard not what they themselves say, who have made themselves believe that God regards not what they say. And where there is no fear of God, there is nothing to secure proper regard to man.
vv8-17
It is our wisdom and duty, in times of danger and difficulty, to wait upon God; for he is our defence, in whom we shall be safe. It is very comfortable to us, in prayer, to look to God as the God of our mercy, the Author of all good in us, and the Giver of all good to us. The wicked can never be satisfied, which is the greatest misery in a poor condition. A contented man, if he has not what he would have, yet he does not quarrel with Providence, nor fret within himself. It is not poverty, but discontent that makes a man unhappy. David would praise God because he had many times, and all along, found Him his refuge in the day of trouble. He that is all this to us, is certainly worthy of our best affections, praises, and services. The trials of his people will end in joy and praise. When the night of affliction is over, they will sing of the Lord's power and mercy in the morning. Let believers now, in assured faith and hope, praise Him for those mercies, for which they will rejoice and praise him for ever.
Key Words
נָצַח: properly, to glitter from afar, i.e. to be eminent (as a superintendent, especially of the Temple services and its music); to be permanent
עַל: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
אַל תַּשְׁחֵת: 'Thou must not destroy'; probably the opening words to a popular song
מִכְתָּם: an engraving, i.e. (techn.) a poem
דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse
שָׁאוּל: Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites
שָׁלַח: to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
שָׁמַר: properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.
בַּיִת: a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
מוּת: to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill
Cross References
Psalms 59The historical occasion of Saul sending men to watch David's house to kill him.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel description of malicious words as sharp, destructive weapons like swords.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel imagery of God laughing in derision at the proud, futile plots of wicked men.
Supported by JFB
The refrains match; David calls God his strength and defense in both verses.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Pool compares the 'heathen' inside Israel to the 'strangers' acting like barbarians in Psalm 54.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Thematic parallel of a killer being spared immediate death to be a wandering, scattered monument of judgment.
Supported by JFB
Both proclaim that God's judgments make His rule over Israel known to all the earth.
Supported by JFB
The deliberate, ironic repetition of the wicked returning like growling, disappointed dogs in the evening.
Supported by JFB
The Lord laughs at the schemes of the wicked, knowing their day of judgment is coming.
Supported by JFB
God preventing or anticipating His servant with the blessings of His goodness and timely mercy.
Supported by JFB
Similar assurance of seeing God's justice executed and triumphing over malicious foes.
Supported by JFB
God's judgments globally exalt His sovereignty, demonstrating that He rules over the earth.
Supported by JFB
The contrasting transition from a night of danger to singing God's mercy in the morning.
Supported by JFB
Poole links Israel's wicked elites to heathens, echoing Amos comparing backslidden Israel to Ethiopians.
Supported by Matthew Poole