Psalm 59

God Our Stronghold

For the choir director: “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. When Saul sent agents to watch the house and kill him.(A)

Rescue me from my enemies, my God;(B)
protect me from those who rise up against me.(C)
Rescue me from evildoers,
and save me from men of bloodshed.(D)
Because look, Lord, they set an ambush for me.(E)
Powerful men attack me,
but not because of any sin or rebellion of mine.(F)
For no fault of mine,
they run and take up a position.
Awake to help me, and take notice.(G)
Lord God of Armies, you are the God of Israel.
Rise up to punish all the nations;
do not show favor to any wicked traitors.(H)Selah

They return at evening, snarling like dogs
and prowling around the city.(I)
Look, they spew from their mouths—
sharp words from[a] their lips.(J)
“For who,” they say, “will hear?” (K)
But you laugh at them, Lord;
you ridicule all the nations.(L)
I will keep watch for you, my[b] strength,
because God is my stronghold.(M)
10 My faithful God[c] will come to meet me;
God will let me look down on my adversaries.(N)

11 Do not kill them; otherwise, my people will forget.
By your power, make them homeless wanderers(O)
and bring them down,
Lord, our shield.(P)
12 For the sin of their mouths and the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride.
They utter curses and lies.(Q)
13 Consume them in fury;
consume them until they are gone.(R)
Then people will know throughout[d] the earth
that God rules over Jacob.(S)Selah

14 And they return at evening, snarling like dogs
and prowling around the city.(T)
15 They scavenge for food;
they growl if they are not satisfied.(U)

16 But I will sing of your strength
and will joyfully proclaim
your faithful love in the morning.(V)
For you have been a stronghold for me,
a refuge in my day of trouble.(W)
17 To you, my strength, I sing praises,
because God is my stronghold—
my faithful God.(X)

Footnotes

  1. 59:7 Lit swords are on
  2. 59:9 Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg, Tg; other Hb mss read his
  3. 59:10 Alt Hb tradition reads My God in his faithful love
  4. 59:13 Lit know to the ends of

Psalm 59

For the music leader. Do not destroy. A miktam[a] of David, when Saul sent men to watch the house in order to kill him.

59 Oh, my God, deliver me from my enemies;
    put me out of reach from those who rise up against me.
Deliver me from evildoers;
    save me from the bloodthirsty.
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.
    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!
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

They come back every evening,
    growling like dogs,
    prowling around the city.
See what they belch out with their mouths:
    swords are between their lips!
        Who can listen to them?[b]
But you, Lord, laugh at them.
    You mock all the nations.
I keep looking for you, my strength,
    because God is my stronghold.
10 My loving God will come to meet me.
    God will allow me to look down on my enemies.

11 Don’t kill them, or my people might forget;
    instead, by your power
    shake them up and bring them down,
        you who are our shield and my Lord.
12 For the sin of their mouths,
    the words that they speak,
    let them be captured in their pride.
For the curses and lies they repeat,
13         finish them off in anger;
        finish them off until they are gone!
Then let it be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob. Selah

14 They come back every evening,
    growling like dogs,
    prowling around the city.
15 They roam about for food,
    and if they don’t get their fill,
    they stay all night.
16 But me? I will sing of your strength!
    In the morning I will shout out loud
    about your faithful love
        because you have been my stronghold,
        my shelter when I was distraught.
17 I will sing praises to you, my strength,
    because God is my stronghold,
    my loving God.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 59:1 Perhaps inscription
  2. Psalm 59:7 Heb uncertain