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Psalm 57-59
Common English Bible
Psalm 57-59
Common English Bible
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.
2 I call out to God Most High—
to God, who comes through for me.
3 He sends orders from heaven and saves me,
rebukes the one who tramples me. Selah
God sends his loyal love and faithfulness.
4 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.
5 Exalt yourself, God, higher than heaven!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
6 They laid a net for my feet to bring me down;
they dug a pit for me,
but they fell into it instead! Selah
7 My heart is unwavering, God—
my heart is unwavering.
I will sing and make music.
8 Wake up, my glory!
Wake up, harp and lyre!
I will wake the dawn itself!
9 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?
2 No: in your hearts you plan injustice;
your hands do violence on the earth.
3 The wicked backslide from the womb;
liars go astray from birth.
4 Their venom is like a snake’s venom—
like a deaf cobra’s—one that shuts its ears
5 so it can’t hear the snake charmer’s voice
or the spells of a skillful enchanter.
6 God, break their teeth out of their mouths!
Tear out the lions’ jawbones, Lord!
7 Let them dissolve like water flowing away.
When they bend the bow,
let their arrows be like headless shafts.[d]
8 Like the snail that dissolves into slime,
like a woman’s stillborn child,
let them never see the sun.
9 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.
2 Deliver me from evildoers;
save me from the bloodthirsty.
3 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.
4 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!
5 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
6 They come back every evening,
growling like dogs,
prowling around the city.
7 See what they belch out with their mouths:
swords are between their lips!
Who can listen to them?[g]
8 But you, Lord, laugh at them.
You mock all the nations.
9 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
- Psalm 57:1 Perhaps inscription
- Psalm 57:1 Or my soul
- Psalm 58:1 Perhaps inscription
- Psalm 58:7 Heb uncertain
- Psalm 58:9 Heb uncertain
- Psalm 59:1 Perhaps inscription
- Psalm 59:7 Heb uncertain
Psalm 57-59
New International Version
Psalm 57-59
New International Version
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)
1 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)
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who vindicates me.(F)
3 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)
4 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)
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.(L)
6 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)
7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;(Q)
I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!(R)
I will awaken the dawn.
9 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)
Psalm 58[d]
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[e]
1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?(V)
Do you judge people with equity?
2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,(W)
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.(X)
3 Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,(Y)
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
5 that will not heed(Z) the tune of the charmer,(AA)
however skillful the enchanter may be.
6 Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;(AB)
Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!(AC)
7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;(AD)
when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.(AE)
8 May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,(AF)
like a stillborn child(AG) that never sees the sun.
9 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.
1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God;(AP)
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.(AQ)
2 Deliver me from evildoers(AR)
and save me from those who are after my blood.(AS)
3 See how they lie in wait for me!
Fierce men conspire(AT) against me
for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
4 I have done no wrong,(AU) yet they are ready to attack me.(AV)
Arise to help me; look on my plight!(AW)
5 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)
6 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,(BB)
and prowl about the city.
7 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)
8 But you laugh at them, Lord;(BF)
you scoff at all those nations.(BG)
9 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
- Psalm 57:1 In Hebrew texts 57:1-11 is numbered 57:2-12.
- Psalm 57:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 57:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.
- Psalm 58:1 In Hebrew texts 58:1-11 is numbered 58:2-12.
- Psalm 58:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
- Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
- Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
- Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign
Psalm 57-59
King James Version
Psalm 57-59
King James Version
57 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.
3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.
4 My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.
6 They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.
7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
8 Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.
10 For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.
11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.
58 Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?
2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Lord.
7 Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
8 As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.
59 Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.
3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord.
4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold.
5 Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.
6 They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?
8 But thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.
9 Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.
10 The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.
11 Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield.
12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak.
13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.
14 And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
15 Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied.
16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.