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For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.

59 Deliver me from my enemies, my God.
    Set me on high from those who rise up against me.
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity.
    Save me from the bloodthirsty men.
For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul.
    The mighty gather themselves together against me,
    not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh.
I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
    Rise up, behold, and help me!
You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel,
    rouse yourself to punish the nations.
    Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.
They return at evening, howling like dogs,
    and prowl around the city.
Behold, they spew with their mouth.
    Swords are in their lips,
    “For”, they say, “who hears us?”
But you, Yahweh, laugh at them.
    You scoff at all the nations.
Oh, my Strength, I watch for you,
    for God is my high tower.
10 My God will go before me with his loving kindness.
    God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.
11 Don’t kill them, or my people may forget.
    Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.
12 For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips,
    let them be caught in their pride,
    for the curses and lies which they utter.
13 Consume them in wrath.
    Consume them, and they will be no more.
Let them know that God rules in Jacob,
    to the ends of the earth. Selah.
14 At evening let them return.
    Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.
15 They shall wander up and down for food,
    and wait all night if they aren’t satisfied.

16 But I will sing of your strength.
    Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning.
For you have been my high tower,
    a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 To you, my strength, I will sing praises.
    For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.

Psalm 59

For the Music Director. To the melody of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men, and they watched the house to kill him.

Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
    give me refuge from those who rise up against me.
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,
    and save me from bloodthirsty people.

For they lie in wait for my life;
    the mighty are gathered against me,
    not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord.
For no guilt of mine, they run and prepare themselves.
    Arise to help me, and take notice.
You, O Lord God of Hosts, the God of Israel,
    awake to punish all the nations;
    do not be gracious to any wicked transgressors. Selah

They return at evening,
    they growl like a dog,
    and go around the city.
Indeed, they burst out with their mouth;
    swords are in their lips;
    for who listens?
But You, O Lord, will laugh at them;
    You will have all the nations in derision.

O my strength, I will wait on You;
    for God is my refuge.

10 The God of lovingkindness will go before me;
    God will cause me to look in triumph 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 For the sin of their mouth
    and the words of their lips,
    may they be snared by their pride,
and because of curses and lies that they speak.
13     Consume them in wrath,
    consume them so they no longer exist;
and let them know that God rules in Jacob
    to the ends of the earth. Selah

14 At evening they return,
    and growl like a dog,
    and go around the city.
15 They roam about to eat,
    and if they are not satisfied, they complain.
16 But I will sing of Your power;
    I will sing aloud of Your lovingkindness in the morning,
for You have been my refuge
    and escape in the day of my trouble.

17 To You, O my strength, I will sing,
    for God is my refuge, and the God of my lovingkindness.

11 Saul sent messengers to David’s house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning. Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you don’t save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 12 So Michal let David down through the window. He went away, fled, and escaped. 13 Michal took the teraphim,[a] and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head, and covered it with clothes. 14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”

15 Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 When the messengers came in, behold, the teraphim was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at 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?’”

18 Now David fled and escaped, and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and lived in Naioth.

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Footnotes

  1. 19:13 teraphim were household idols that may have been associated with inheritance rights to the household property.

11 Saul also sent messengers to the house of David, to watch him and to slay him in the morning. But Michal, wife of David, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead.” 12 So Michal let David down through a window, and he went and fled to safety. 13 Michal took an idol and laid it in the bed, and put a braided goat hair pillow for its head and covered it with clothes.

14 When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.”

15 Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 When the messengers came in, there was the idol in the bed with a goat hair pillow for its head.

17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you betrayed me and sent away my enemy, so that he escaped?”

And Michal said to Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’ ”

18 Now David fled, and he escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah. And he reported to him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth.

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