Psalm 59
New Living Translation
Psalm 59
For the choir director: A psalm[a] of David, regarding the time Saul sent soldiers to watch David’s house in order to kill him. To be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”
1 Rescue me from my enemies, O God.
    Protect me from those who have come to destroy me.
2 Rescue me from these criminals;
    save me from these murderers.
3 They have set an ambush for me.
    Fierce enemies are out there waiting, Lord,
    though I have not sinned or offended them.
4 I have done nothing wrong,
    yet they prepare to attack me.
    Wake up! See what is happening and help me!
5 O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel,
    wake up and punish those hostile nations.
    Show no mercy to wicked traitors. Interlude
6 They come out at night,
    snarling like vicious dogs
    as they prowl the streets.
7 Listen to the filth that comes from their mouths;
    their words cut like swords.
    “After all, who can hear us?” they sneer.
8 But Lord, you laugh at them.
    You scoff at all the hostile nations.
9 You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me,
    for you, O God, are my fortress.
10 In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me.
    He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies.
11 Don’t kill them, for my people soon forget such lessons;
    stagger them with your power, and bring them to their knees,
    O Lord our shield.
12 Because of the sinful things they say,
    because of the evil that is on their lips,
let them be captured by their pride,
    their curses, and their lies.
13 Destroy them in your anger!
    Wipe them out completely!
Then the whole world will know
    that God reigns in Israel.[b] Interlude
14 My enemies come out at night,
    snarling like vicious dogs
    as they prowl the streets.
15 They scavenge for food
    but go to sleep unsatisfied.[c]
16 But as for me, I will sing about your power.
    Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love.
For you have been my refuge,
    a place of safety when I am in distress.
17 O my Strength, to you I sing praises,
    for you, O God, are my refuge,
    the God who shows me unfailing love.
Psalm 59
New King James Version
The Assured Judgment of the Wicked
To the Chief Musician. Set to [a]“Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David (A)when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him.
59 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
[b]Defend me from those who rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,
And save me from bloodthirsty men.
3 For look, they lie in wait for my life;
(B)The mighty gather against me,
Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord.
4 They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine.
(C)Awake to help me, and behold!
5 You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel,
Awake to punish all the [c]nations;
Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah
6 (D)At evening they return,
They growl like a dog,
And go all around the city.
7 Indeed, they belch with their mouth;
(E)Swords are in their lips;
For they say, (F)“Who hears?”
8 But (G)You, O Lord, shall laugh at them;
You shall have all the [d]nations in derision.
9 I will wait for You, O You [e]his Strength;
(H)For God is my [f]defense.
10 [g]My God of mercy shall (I)come to meet me;
God shall let (J)me see my desire on my enemies.
11 Do not slay them, lest my people forget;
Scatter them by Your power,
And bring them down,
O Lord our shield.
12 (K)For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips,
Let them even be taken in their pride,
And for the cursing and lying which they speak.
13 (L)Consume them in wrath, consume them,
That they may not be;
And (M)let them know that God rules in Jacob
To the ends of the earth. Selah
14 And (N)at evening they return,
They growl like a dog,
And go all around the city.
15 They (O)wander up and down for food,
And [h]howl if they are not satisfied.
16 But I will sing of Your power;
Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;
For You have been my defense
And refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 To You, (P)O my Strength, I will sing praises;
For God is my defense,
My God of mercy.
Footnotes
- Psalm 59:1 Heb. Al Tashcheth
- Psalm 59:1 Lit. Set me on high
- Psalm 59:5 Gentiles
- Psalm 59:8 Gentiles
- Psalm 59:9 So with MT, Syr.; some Heb. mss., LXX, Tg., Vg. my Strength
- Psalm 59:9 Lit. fortress
- Psalm 59:10 So with Qr.; some Heb. mss., LXX, Vg. My God, His mercy; Kt., some Heb. mss., Tg. O God, my mercy; Syr. O God, Your mercy
- Psalm 59:15 So with LXX, Vg.; MT, Syr., Tg. spend the night
Psalm 59
English Standard Version
Deliver Me from My Enemies
To the choirmaster: according to (A)Do Not Destroy. A (B)Miktam[a] of David, (C)when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.
59 (D)Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
    (E)protect me from those who (F)rise up against me;
2 deliver me from (G)those who work evil,
    and save me from (H)bloodthirsty men.
3 For behold, they (I)lie in wait for my life;
    fierce men (J)stir up strife against me.
(K)For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
4     for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
(L)Awake, come to meet me, and see!
5     You, (M)Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
    spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah
6 Each evening they (N)come back,
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.
7 There they are, (O)bellowing with their mouths
    with (P)swords in their lips—
    for (Q)“Who,” they think,[b] “will hear us?”
8 But you, O Lord, (R)laugh at them;
    you hold all the nations in derision.
9 O my Strength, I will watch for you,
    for you, O God, are (S)my fortress.
10 (T)My God in his steadfast love[c] (U)will meet me;
    God will let me (V)look in triumph on my enemies.
11 Kill them not, lest my people forget;
    make them totter[d] by your power and (W)bring them down,
    O Lord, our (X)shield!
12 For (Y)the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
    let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter,
13     (Z)consume them in wrath;
    consume them till they are no more,
that they may (AA)know that God rules over Jacob
    to (AB)the ends of the earth. Selah
14 (AC)Each evening they come back,
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.
15 They (AD)wander about for food
    and growl if they do not get their fill.
16 But I will sing of your strength;
    I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me (AE)a fortress
    and (AF)a refuge in (AG)the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
    for you, O God, (AH)are my fortress,
    (AI)the God who shows me steadfast love.
Footnotes
- Psalm 59:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 59:7 Hebrew lacks they think
- Psalm 59:10 Or The God who shows me steadfast love
- Psalm 59:11 Or wander
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
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