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Psalm 59

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam, when Saul ordered his house to be watched in order to kill him.

Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
    protect me from those who rise up against me.(A)
Deliver me from those who work evil;
    from the bloodthirsty, save me.(B)

Even now they lie in wait for my life;
    the mighty stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,(C)
    for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.

Rouse yourself, come to my help and see!(D)
    You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Awake to punish all the nations;
    spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah(E)

Each evening they come back
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.(F)
There they are, bellowing with their mouths,
    with sharp words[a] on their lips,
    for “Who,” they think,[b] “will hear us?”(G)

But you laugh at them, O Lord;
    you hold all the nations in derision.(H)
O my strength, I will watch for you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress.(I)
10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me;
    my God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.(J)

11 Do not kill them, or my people may forget;
    make them totter by your power and bring them down,
    O Lord, our shield.(K)
12 For 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,(L)
13     consume them in wrath;
    consume them until they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob. Selah(M)

14 Each evening they come back
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.(N)
15 They roam about for food
    and growl if they do not get their fill.

16 But I will sing of your might;
    I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been a fortress for me
    and a refuge in the day of my distress.(O)
17 O my strength, I will sing praises to you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress,
    the God who shows me steadfast love.(P)

Footnotes

  1. 59.7 Heb with swords
  2. 59.7 Heb lacks they think

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

11 Saul sent messengers to David’s house to keep watch over him, planning to kill him in the morning. David’s wife Michal told him, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through the window; he fled away and escaped.(A) 13 Michal took an idol[a] and laid it on the bed; she put a net[b] of goats’ hair on its head and covered it with the clothes. 14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”(B) 15 Then Saul sent the messengers to see David for themselves. He said, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 When the messengers came in, the idol[c] was in the bed, with the covering[d] of goats’ hair on its head. 17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go; why should I kill you?’ ”

David Joins Samuel in Ramah

18 Now David fled and escaped; he came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and settled at Naioth.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 19.13 Heb the teraphim
  2. 19.13 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. 19.16 Heb the teraphim
  4. 19.16 Meaning of Heb uncertain

11 Saul sent agents to David’s house to watch for him and kill him in the morning.(A) But his wife Michal(B) warned David, “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead tomorrow!” 12 So she lowered David from the window, and he fled and escaped.(C) 13 Then Michal took the household idol and put it on the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment. 14 When Saul sent agents to seize David, Michal said, “He’s sick.”(D)

15 Saul sent the agents back to see David and said, “Bring him on his bed so I can kill him.” 16 When the agents arrived, to their surprise, the household idol was on the bed with some goat hair on its head.

17 Saul asked Michal, “Why did you deceive me like this? You sent my enemy away, and he has escaped!”

She answered him, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’”

18 So David fled and escaped and went to Samuel at Ramah(E) and told him everything Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel left and stayed at Naioth.(F)

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