Psalms 59

God Our Stronghold

1

For the choir director: "Do Not Destroy." A Davidic Miktam. When Saul sent [agents] to watch the house and kill him.

1 Deliver me from my enemies, my God;^[a] protect me from those who rise up against me.^[b]

2 Deliver me from those who practice sin, and save me from men of bloodshed.

3 Lord, look! They set an ambush for me. Powerful men attack me, but not because of any sin or rebellion of mine.^[c]

4 For no fault of mine, they run and take up a position. Awake to help me, and take notice.

5 You, Lord God of Hosts, God of Israel, rise up to punish all the nations; do not show grace to any wicked traitors. Selah

6 They return at evening, snarling like dogs and prowling around the city.

7 Look, they spew from their mouths- sharp words from^[d] their lips.^[e] "For who," [they say,] "will hear?"

8 But You laugh^[f] at them, Lord; You ridicule all the nations.

9 I will keep watch for You, my^[g] strength, because God is my stronghold.

10 My faithful God^[h] will come to meet me; God will let me look down on my adversaries.

11 Do not kill them; otherwise, my people will forget. By Your power, make them homeless wanderers and bring them down, Lord, our shield.^[i]

12 The sin of their mouths is the word of their lips, so let them be caught in their pride. They utter curses and lies.

13 Consume [them] in rage; consume [them] until they are gone. Then they will know to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob. Selah

14 And they return at evening, snarling like dogs and prowling around the city.

15 They scavenge for food; they growl if they are not satisfied.

16 But I will sing of Your strength and will joyfully proclaim Your faithful love in the morning. For You have been a stronghold for me, a refuge in my day of trouble.

17 To You, my strength, I sing praises, because God is my stronghold- my faithful God.

Psalms 59 Commentary

Chapter 59

David prays for deliverance from his enemies. (1-7) He foresees their destruction. (8-17)

Verses 1-7 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.

Verses 8-17 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ps 143:9
• [b]. Ps 18:17; 91:14; 2 Sm 22:18
• [c]. 1 Sm 20:1; 24:11
• [d]. Lit swords are on
• [e]. Ps 52:2; 57:4; 64:3
• [f]. Ps 2:4; 37:13
• [g]. Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg, Tg; other Hb mss read his
• [h]. Alt Hb traditions read God in His faithful love, or My God, His faithful love
• [i]. Gn 15:1; Dt 33:29; 2 Sm 22:3,31
• [j]. Ps 104:35
• [k]. Ps 5:3; 88:13; 92:2

Chapter Summary

To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. The history of Saul's sending messengers to watch the house of David, and to kill him when he rose in the morning, is in 1 Samuel 19:11; which was the occasion of his writing this psalm; though the title of the Syriac version of it is, "David said or composed this, when he heard that the priests were slain by Saul:" and in the same is added, "but unto us it declares the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith, and the rejection of the Jews." And which perhaps is designed in Psalm 59:5; and some interpreters are of opinion that the whole psalm is to be understood of Christ, of whom David was a type, especially in his sufferings; and there are some things in it which better agree with him than with David, as particularly his being without sin, Psalm 59:3.