Psalms 59:5-15

5 (58-6) Rise up thou to meet me, and behold: even thou, O Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel. Attend to visit all the nations: have no mercy on all them that work iniquity.

6 (58-7) They shall return at evening, and shall suffer hunger like dogs: and shall go round about the city.

7 (58-8) Behold they shall speak with their mouth, and a sword is in their lips: for who, say they, hath heard us?

8 (58-9) But thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them: thou shalt bring all the nations to nothing.

9 (58-10) I will keep my strength to thee: for thou art my protector:

10 (58-11) My God, his mercy shall prevent me.

11 (58-12) God shall let me see over my enemies: slay them not, lest at any time my people forget. Scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord, my protector:

12 (58-13) For the sin of their mouth, and the word of their lips: and let them be taken in their pride. And for their cursing and lying they shall be talked of,

13 (58-14) When they are consumed: when they are consumed by thy wrath, and they shall be no more. And they shall know that God will rule Jacob, and all the ends of the earth.

14 (58-15) They shall return at evening and shall suffer hunger like dogs: and shall go round about the city.

15 (58-16) They shall be scattered abroad to eat, and shall murmur if they be not filled.

Psalms 59:5-15 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.