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Psalm 57

For the music leader. Do not destroy. A miktam[a] of David, when he fled from Saul into the cave.

57 Have mercy on me, God;
    have mercy on me
    because I[b] have taken refuge in you.
    I take refuge
    in the shadow of your wings
        until destruction passes by.
I call out to God Most High—
    to God, who comes through for me.
He sends orders from heaven and saves me,
    rebukes the one who tramples me. Selah
        God sends his loyal love and faithfulness.

My life is in the middle of a pack of lions.
    I lie down among those who devour humans.
        Their teeth are spears and arrows;
        their tongues are sharpened swords.
Exalt yourself, God, higher than heaven!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!
They laid a net for my feet to bring me down;
    they dug a pit for me,
    but they fell into it instead! Selah

My heart is unwavering, God—
    my heart is unwavering.
I will sing and make music.
    Wake up, my glory!
    Wake up, harp and lyre!
    I will wake the dawn itself!
I will give thanks to you,
my Lord,
    among all the peoples;
I will make music to you among the nations
10     because your faithful love
        is as high as heaven;
    your faithfulness reaches the clouds.
11 Exalt yourself, God, higher than heaven!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!

Psalm 58

For the music leader. Do not destroy. A psalm of David, a miktam.[c]

58 Do you really speak what is right, you gods?
    Do you really judge humans fairly?
No: in your hearts you plan injustice;
    your hands do violence on the earth.

The wicked backslide from the womb;
    liars go astray from birth.
Their venom is like a snake’s venom—
    like a deaf cobra’s—one that shuts its ears
        so it can’t hear the snake charmer’s voice
        or the spells of a skillful enchanter.

God, break their teeth out of their mouths!
    Tear out the lions’ jawbones, Lord!
Let them dissolve like water flowing away.
    When they bend the bow,
    let their arrows be like headless shafts.[d]
Like the snail that dissolves into slime,
    like a woman’s stillborn child,
    let them never see the sun.
Before your pots feel the thorns,
    whether green or burned up,
    God will sweep them away![e]

10 But the righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance done,
    when they wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Then it will be said:
“Yes, there is a reward for the righteous!
    Yes, there is a God who judges people on the earth.”

Psalm 59

For the music leader. Do not destroy. A miktam[f] 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?[g]
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 57:1 Perhaps inscription
  2. Psalm 57:1 Or my soul
  3. Psalm 58:1 Perhaps inscription
  4. Psalm 58:7 Heb uncertain
  5. Psalm 58:9 Heb uncertain
  6. Psalm 59:1 Perhaps inscription
  7. Psalm 59:7 Heb uncertain

Psalm 57[a](A)

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When he had fled from Saul into the cave.(B)

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
    for in you I take refuge.(C)
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings(D)
    until the disaster has passed.(E)

I cry out to God Most High,
    to God, who vindicates me.(F)
He sends from heaven and saves me,(G)
    rebuking those who hotly pursue me—[c](H)
    God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.(I)

I am in the midst of lions;(J)
    I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
    whose tongues are sharp swords.(K)

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.(L)

They spread a net for my feet(M)
    I was bowed down(N) in distress.
They dug a pit(O) in my path—
    but they have fallen into it themselves.(P)

My heart, O God, is steadfast,
    my heart is steadfast;(Q)
    I will sing and make music.
Awake, my soul!
    Awake, harp and lyre!(R)
    I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the skies.(S)

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;(T)
    let your glory be over all the earth.(U)

Psalm 58[d]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[e]

Do you rulers indeed speak justly?(V)
    Do you judge people with equity?
No, in your heart you devise injustice,(W)
    and your hands mete out violence on the earth.(X)

Even from birth the wicked go astray;
    from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
Their venom is like the venom of a snake,(Y)
    like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
that will not heed(Z) the tune of the charmer,(AA)
    however skillful the enchanter may be.

Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;(AB)
    Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!(AC)
Let them vanish like water that flows away;(AD)
    when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.(AE)
May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,(AF)
    like a stillborn child(AG) that never sees the sun.

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns(AH)
    whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.[f](AI)
10 The righteous will be glad(AJ) when they are avenged,(AK)
    when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.(AL)
11 Then people will say,
    “Surely the righteous still are rewarded;(AM)
    surely there is a God who judges the earth.”(AN)

Psalm 59[g]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[h] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house(AO) in order to kill him.

Deliver me from my enemies, O God;(AP)
    be my fortress against those who are attacking me.(AQ)
Deliver me from evildoers(AR)
    and save me from those who are after my blood.(AS)

See how they lie in wait for me!
    Fierce men conspire(AT) against me
    for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
I have done no wrong,(AU) yet they are ready to attack me.(AV)
    Arise to help me; look on my plight!(AW)
You, Lord God Almighty,
    you who are the God of Israel,(AX)
rouse yourself(AY) to punish all the nations;(AZ)
    show no mercy to wicked traitors.[i](BA)

They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,(BB)
    and prowl about the city.
See what they spew from their mouths(BC)
    the words from their lips are sharp as swords,(BD)
    and they think, “Who can hear us?”(BE)
But you laugh at them, Lord;(BF)
    you scoff at all those nations.(BG)

You are my strength,(BH) I watch for you;
    you, God, are my fortress,(BI)
10     my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me
    and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,[j](BJ)
    or my people will forget.(BK)
In your might uproot them
    and bring them down.(BL)
12 For the sins of their mouths,(BM)
    for the words of their lips,(BN)
    let them be caught in their pride.(BO)
For the curses and lies they utter,
13     consume them in your wrath,
    consume them till they are no more.(BP)
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob.(BQ)

14 They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
15 They wander about for food(BR)
    and howl if not satisfied.
16 But I will sing(BS) of your strength,(BT)
    in the morning(BU) I will sing of your love;(BV)
for you are my fortress,(BW)
    my refuge in times of trouble.(BX)

17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
    you, God, are my fortress,
    my God on whom I can rely.(BY)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 57:1 In Hebrew texts 57:1-11 is numbered 57:2-12.
  2. Psalm 57:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 57:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.
  4. Psalm 58:1 In Hebrew texts 58:1-11 is numbered 58:2-12.
  5. Psalm 58:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  6. Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
  7. Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
  8. Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  9. Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
  10. Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign