Psalms 59:16-17

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 ¹a fortress and ²a refuge in ³the day of my distress.

17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, ⁴are my fortress, ⁵the God who shows me steadfast love.

Psalms 59:16-17 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References

• 1. ver. 9
• 2. 2 Samuel 22:3
• 3. Psalms 18:6
• 4. [See ver. 16 above]
• 5. ver. 10