Psalm 59:5

5 You are the LORD God of heavenly forces, the God of Israel! Wake up and punish all the nations! Grant no mercy to any wicked traitor! Selah

Psalm 59:5 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 59:5

Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts
Of the armies in heaven, the angels, and of all the inhabitants of the earth; who are all under him, and at his dispose, and can do among them and with them whatsoever he pleases;

the God of Israel;
of the people of Israel, literally understood; and mystically of all the elect of God, Jews and Gentiles. The former epithet is expressive of his power, this of his grace and goodness in a covenant way; and both encouraged the psalmist to address him on the following account:

awake to visit all the Heathen:
either the wicked Israelites that rose up against David, and sought to take away his life, who behaved like Heathens towards him, and were accounted as such by him; and the petition is, that God would arise and punish them, everyone of them, according to their deserts: or else the Gentiles, properly so called, whom he desires the Lord would visit, either in a way of grace, by sending the Gospel to them, and taking out of them a people for his name, as he did, ( Acts 15:14 ) ; foreseeing, by a spirit of prophecy, that the Jews would be rejected for their ill usage of the Messiah; (See Gill on Psalms 59:1), title: or in a way of punishment for their idolatry and impiety; and particularly the antichristian states and powers, called the Heathen, and Gentiles, and nations of the earth, ( Psalms 10:16 ) ( Revelation 11:2 Revelation 11:18 ) ; may be here meant; whom God will visit for their idolatry, blasphemy, and bloodshed;

be not merciful to any wicked transgressors;
that are perfidiously and abominably wicked, as Judas Iscariot, the Romish antichrist. The Targum renders it, "princes of a lie"; that speak lies in hypocrisy, and are given up to believe a lie, as the followers of antichrist. God is merciful to wicked men and to transgressors, but not to wicked transgressors; apostates may be meant, such as deal perfidiously and treacherously, as the word ^F15 used signifies; who sin wilfully and knowingly, after they have received the knowledge of the truth; sin against light and evidence, and obstinately and wickedly persist therein: who sin the sin against the Holy Ghost, the sin unto death, which is not to be prayed for, ( 1 John 4:16 ) ; or otherwise this may seem to be contrary to the command and example of Christ, ( Matthew 5:44 ) ( Luke 23:34 ) .

Selah; on this word, (See Gill on Psalms 3:2).

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 (ydgb) "perfide agentibus", Junius & Tremellius.

Psalm 59:5 In-Context

3 Look at how they lie in ambush for my life! Powerful people are attacking me, LORD— but not because of any error or sin of mine.

4 They run and take their stand— but not because of any fault of mine. Get up when I cry out to you! Look at what's happening!

5 You are the LORD God of heavenly forces, the God of Israel! Wake up and punish all the nations! Grant no mercy to any wicked traitor! Selah

6 They come back every evening, growling like dogs, prowling around the city.

7 See what they belch out with their mouths: swords are between their lips! Who can listen to them?