Psalms 59:1-10

1 To the Chief Musician. Set to 'Do Not Destroy.' A Michtam of David when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Defend me from those who rise up against me.

2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, And save me from bloodthirsty men.

3 For look, they lie in wait for my life; The mighty gather against me, Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord.

4 They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. Awake to help me, and behold!

5 You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, Awake to punish all the nations; Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah

6 At evening they return, They growl like a dog, And go all around the city.

7 Indeed, they belch with their mouth; Swords are in their lips; For they say, "Who hears?"

8 But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them; You shall have all the nations in derision.

9 I will wait for You, O You his Strength; For God is my defense;

10 My God of mercy shall come to meet me; God shall let me see my desire on my enemies.

Psalms 59:1-10 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew Al Tashcheth
• [b]. Following Masoretic Text and Syriac; some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Targum, and Vulgate read my Strength.
• [c]. Following Qere; some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, and Vulgate read My God, His mercy; Kethib, some Hebrew manuscripts and Targum read O God, my mercy; Syriac reads O God, Your mercy.