Psalm 59
Expanded Bible
A Prayer for Protection
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A miktam [C perhaps “inscription”] of David when Saul sent men to ·watch David’s house [L the house] to kill him [1 Sam. 19:11–17].
59 God, ·save [protect] me from my enemies.
·Protect me [Give me refuge] from those who ·come [rise] against me.
2 ·Save [Protect] me from those who do evil
and ·save me from [give me victory over] ·murderers [the bloodthirsty].
3 Look, they are waiting to ambush ·me [my life; Prov. 1:11].
·Cruel [Defiant; Strong] people attack me,
but I have not sinned or ·done wrong [transgressed], Lord.
4 I have done nothing wrong, but they ·are ready to attack me [L run and get ready].
Wake up to ·help [meet] me, and look.
5 You are the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel.
·Arise [L Awake] and ·punish [visit] ·those people [L all the nations].
Do not give those traitors any ·mercy [grace]. ·
6 They come back at ·night [evening].
Like dogs they ·growl [make a commotion] and ·roam around [surround] the city.
7 Notice what ·comes [bubbles up] from their mouths.
·Insults [L Swords] come from their lips,
because they say, “Who’s listening?”
8 But, Lord, you laugh at them [2:4];
you ·make fun of [ridicule] all ·of them [L the nations].
9 God, my strength, I ·am looking to [keep watch for] you,
because God is my ·defender [refuge].
10 My God ·loves [is loyal to] me, and he goes in front of me.
He will help me ·defeat [L look on] my enemies.
11 Lord, our ·protector [L shield], do not kill them, or my people will forget.
With your power ·scatter them [make them wander] and ·defeat them [L bring them down].
12 They sin by what they say;
they sin with their ·words [L lips].
They curse and tell lies,
so let their pride ·trap [capture] them.
13 ·Destroy [Annihilate] them in your anger;
·destroy [annihilate] them ·completely [L so they will be no more]!
Then they will know
that God rules over ·Israel [L Jacob]
and to the ends of the earth. ·
14 They come back at ·night [evening].
Like dogs they ·growl [make a commotion]
and ·roam around [surround] the city.
15 They wander about looking for food,
and they ·howl [grumble] if they ·do not find enough [are not satisfied].
16 But I will sing about your strength.
In the morning I will sing about your ·love [loyalty].
You are my ·defender [refuge],
my place of safety in ·times of trouble [L the day of distress].
17 God, my strength, I will sing ·praises [a psalm] to you.
God, my ·defender [refuge], you are the God who ·loves [is loyal to] me.
1 Samuel 19:11-18
Expanded Bible
11 Saul sent ·messengers [agents; soldiers] to David’s house to watch it and to kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, warned him, saying, “Tonight you must ·run for [save] your life. If you don’t, you will be dead in the morning.” 12 So she let David down out of a window, and he ·ran away [fled] and escaped. 13 Then Michal took an ·idol [household image; L teraphim; C probably household gods; Gen. 31:19], laid it on the bed, covered it with ·clothes [blankets], and put goats’ hair at its head.
14 Saul sent ·messengers [agents; soldiers] to take David prisoner, but Michal said, “He is sick.”
15 Saul sent ·them [L messengers; agents; soldiers] back to see David, saying, “Bring him to me on his bed so I can kill him.”
16 When the ·messengers [agents; soldiers] entered David’s house, they found just an ·idol [household image; 19:13] on the bed with goats’ hair on its head.
17 Saul said to Michal, “Why did ·you trick [deceive; betray] me this way? You let my enemy go so he could ·run away [escape]!”
Michal answered Saul, “David told me ·if I did not help him escape, he would kill me [L “Let me go. Why should I kill you?].”
18 After David had [L fled and] escaped from Saul, he went to Samuel at Ramah and told him everything Saul had done to him. Then David and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there.
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