Psalm 59
Deliver Me from My Enemies
To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.
1
Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
protect me from those who rise up against me;
2
deliver me from those who work evil,
and save me from bloodthirsty men.
3
For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
fierce men stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
4
for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
Awake, come to meet me, and see!
5
You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah
6
Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
7
There they are, bellowing with their mouths
with swords in their lips—
for "Who," they think,t "will hear us?"
8
But you, O Lord, laugh at them;
you hold all the nations in derision.
9
O my Strength, I will watch for you,
for you, O God, are my fortress.
10
My God in his steadfast lovet will meet me;
God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.
11
Kill them not, lest my people forget;
make them tottert by your power and bring them down,
O Lord, our shield!
12
For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter,
13
consume them in wrath;
consume them till they are no more,
that they may know that God rules over Jacob
to the ends of the earth. Selah
14
Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
15
They wander about for food
and growl if they do not get their fill.
16
But I will sing of your strength;
I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress
and a refuge in the day of my distress.
17
O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, are my fortress,
the God who shows me steadfast love.
Psalm 59
For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer3 of David, written when Saul sent men to surround his house and murder him.4
1 Deliver me from my enemies, my God!
Protect me from those who attack me!
2 Deliver me from evildoers!
Rescue me from violent men!
3 For look, they wait to ambush me;
powerful men stalk me,
but not because I have rebelled or sinned, O Lord.
4 Though I have done nothing wrong, they are anxious to attack.
Spring into action and help me! Take notice of me!
5 You, O Lord God, the invincible warrior, the God of Israel,
rouse yourself and punish all the nations!
Have no mercy on any treacherous evildoers! (Selah)
6 They return in the evening;
they growl like a dog
and prowl around outside the city.
7 Look, they hurl insults at me
and openly threaten to kill me,
for they say,
“Who hears?”
8 But you, O Lord, laugh in disgust at them;
you taunt all the nations.
9 You are my source of strength! I will wait for you!
For God is my refuge.
10 The God who loves me will help me;
God will enable me to triumph over my enemies.
11 Do not strike them dead suddenly,
because then my people might forget the lesson.
Use your power to make them homeless vagabonds and then bring them down,
O Lord who shields us!
12 They speak sinful words.
So let them be trapped by their own pride
and by the curses and lies they speak!
13 Angrily wipe them out! Wipe them out so they vanish!
Let them know that God rules
in Jacob and to the ends of the earth! (Selah)
14 They return in the evening;
they growl like a dog
and prowl around outside the city.
15 They wander around looking for something to eat;
they refuse to sleep until they are full.
16 As for me, I will sing about your strength;
I will praise your loyal love in the morning.
For you are my refuge
and my place of shelter when I face trouble.
17 You are my source of strength! I will sing praises to you!
For God is my refuge, the God who loves me.
