Salmi 59

1 Per il Capo de’ musici. "Non distruggere". Inno di Davide, quando Saul mandò a guardargli la casa per ucciderlo. Liberami dai miei nemici, o mio Dio; ponimi in luogo alto al sicuro dai miei aggressori.

2 Liberami dagli operatori d’iniquità, e salvami dagli uomini di sangue.

3 Perché, ecco essi pongono agguati all’anima mia; uomini potenti si radunano contro a me, senza che in me vi sia misfatto né peccato, o Eterno!

4 Senza che in me vi sia iniquità, essi corrono e si preparano. Dèstati, vieni a me, e vedi!

5 Tu, o Eterno, che sei l’Iddio degli eserciti, l’Iddio d’Israele, lèvati a visitare tutte le genti! Non far grazia ad alcuno dei perfidi malfattori! Sela.

6 Tornan la sera, urlano come cani e vanno attorno per la città.

7 Ecco, vomitano ingiurie dalla lor bocca; hanno delle spade sulle labbra. Tanto, dicono essi, chi ci ode?

8 Ma tu, o Eterno, ti riderai di loro; ti farai beffe di tutte le genti.

9 O mia forza, a te io riguarderò, perché Dio è il mio alto ricetto.

10 L’Iddio mio mi verrà incontro colla sua benignità, Iddio mi farà veder sui miei nemici quel che desidero.

11 Non li uccidere, che talora il mio popolo non lo dimentichi: falli, per la tua potenza, andar vagando ed abbattili, o Signore, nostro scudo.

12 Ogni parola delle loro labbra è peccato della lor bocca; siano dunque presi nei laccio della lor superbia; siano presi per le maledizioni e le menzogne che proferiscono.

13 Distruggili nel tuo furore, distruggili sì che non siano più: e si conoscerà fino alle estremità della terra che Dio signoreggia su Giacobbe. Sela.

14 Tornino pure la sera, urlino come cani e vadano attorno per la città.

15 Vadano vagando per trovar da mangiare, e se non trovano da saziarsi, passino così la notte.

16 Ma io canterò la tua potenza, e al mattino loderò ad alta voce la tua benignità, perché tu sei stato per me un alto ricetto, un rifugio nel giorno della mia distretta.

17 O mia forza, a te salmeggerò, perché Dio è il mio alto ricetto, l’Iddio benigno per me.

Salmi 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.

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.