Psaume 59

1 Au maître-chantre. Mictam (cantique) de David; Al-Thascheth (ne détruis pas); quand Saül envoya garder la maison pour le tuer.

2 Mon Dieu, délivre-moi de mes ennemis; garantis-moi de ceux qui s'élèvent contre moi!

3 Délivre-moi des ouvriers d'iniquité, et sauve-moi des hommes sanguinaires!

4 Car voilà, ils sont aux aguets pour m'ôter la vie; des hommes puissants s'assemblent contre moi; sans qu'il y ait en moi d'offense, ni de transgression, ô Éternel.

5 Sans qu'il y ait d'iniquité en moi, ils accourent, ils se préparent; réveille-toi pour venir à moi, et regarde!

6 Toi donc, Éternel, Dieu des armées, Dieu d'Israël, réveille-toi, visite toutes les nations; ne fais grâce à aucun de ces hommes perfides et méchants. Sélah (pause).

7 Ils reviennent le soir; hurlant comme des chiens, ils parcourent la ville.

8 Voilà, ils vomissent l'injure de leur bouche; des épées sont sur leurs lèvres; car, disent-ils, qui nous entend?

9 Mais toi, Éternel, tu te riras d'eux; tu te moqueras de toutes les nations.

10 A cause de leur force, c'est à toi que je regarde; car Dieu est ma haute retraite.

11 Mon Dieu, dans sa bonté, me préviendra; Dieu me fera contempler avec joie mes ennemis.

12 Ne les tue pas, de peur que mon peuple ne l'oublie; agite-les par ta puissance, et précipite-les, Seigneur, notre bouclier!

13 Chaque parole de leurs lèvres est un péché de leur bouche; qu'ils soient donc pris dans leur orgueil, à cause des imprécations et des mensonges qu'ils profèrent!

14 Consume-les avec fureur, consume-les et qu'ils ne soient plus; et qu'on sache que Dieu règne en Jacob et jusqu'aux extrémités de la terre. (Sélah. )

15 Qu'ils reviennent le soir, hurlant comme des chiens, et parcourant la ville;

16 Qu'ils aillent çà et là, cherchant à manger, et qu'ils passent la nuit sans être rassasiés!

17 Mais moi, je chanterai ta force; je célébrerai dès le matin ta bonté; car tu as été ma haute retraite et mon refuge au jour de la détresse.

18 Toi, ma force, je te psalmodierai. Car Dieu est ma haute retraite et le Dieu qui me fait voir sa bonté.

Psaume 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.