Psalms 59:5-15

5 You, Yahweh God of hosts, the God of Israel, Rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.

6 They return at evening, howling like dogs, And prowl around the city.

7 Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, "For," they say, "who hears us?"

8 But you, Yahweh, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations.

9 Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, For God is my high tower.

10 My God will go before me with his lovingkindness. God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.

11 Don't kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.

12 For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, Let them be caught in their pride, For the curses and lies which they utter.

13 Consume them in wrath. Consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, To the ends of the earth. Selah.

14 At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.

15 They shall wander up and down for food, And wait all night if they aren't satisfied.

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.