Psalms 59:7-17

7 See what pours out of their mouths-- swords from their lips! [They think,] "Who will hear us?"

8 O LORD, you laugh at them. You make fun of all the nations.

9 O my strength, I watch for you! God is my stronghold, my merciful God!

10 God will come to meet me. He will let me gloat over those who spy on me.

11 Do not kill them. Otherwise, my people may forget. Make them wander aimlessly by your power. Bring them down, O Lord, our shield,

12 [because of] the sins from their mouths and the words on their lips. Let them be trapped by their own arrogance because they speak curses and lies.

13 Destroy them in your rage. Destroy them until not one of them is left. Then they will know that God rules Jacob to the ends of the earth. Selah

14 They return in the evening. They howl like dogs. They prowl the city.

15 They wander around to find something to eat. If they are not full enough, they will stay all night.

16 But I will sing about your strength. In the morning I will joyfully sing about your mercy. You have been my stronghold and a place of safety in times of trouble.

17 O my strength, I will make music to praise you! God is my stronghold, my merciful God!

Psalms 59:7-17 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.