59 1 David being in great danger of Saul, who sent to slay him in his bed, prayeth unto God, 3 Declaring his innocency, and their fury, 5 Desiring God to destroy all those that sin of malicious wickedness. 11 Whom though he keep alive for a time to exercise his people, yet in the end he will consume them in his wrath, 13 That he may be known to be the God of Jacob to the end of the world. 16 For this he singeth praises to God assured of his mercies.
To him that excelleth. Destroy not. A Psalm of David, on [a]Michtam. (A)When Saul sent and they did watch the house to kill him.
1 O my God, [b]deliver me from mine enemies; defend me from them that rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from the wicked doers, and save me from the bloody men.
3 For lo, they have laid wait for my soul; the mighty men are gathered against me, not for mine [c]offense, nor for my sin, O Lord.
4 They run and prepare themselves without a fault on my part: arise therefore to assist me, and behold.
5 Even thou, O Lord God of hosts, O God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen, and be not [d]merciful unto all that transgress maliciously. Selah.
6 They go to and fro in the evening: they bark like [e]dogs, and go about the city.
7 Behold, they [f]brag in their talk, and swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?
8 But thou, O Lord, shalt have them in derision, and thou shalt laugh at all the heathen.
9 [g]He is strong: but I will wait upon thee: for God is my defense.
10 My merciful God will [h]prevent me: God will let me see my desire upon mine enemies.
11 Slay them [i]not, lest my people forget it: but scatter them abroad by thy power, and put them down, O Lord, our shield,
12 For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips: and let them be [j]taken in their pride, even for their perjury and lies, that they speak.
13 [k]Consume them in thy wrath: consume them that they be no more: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob, even unto the ends of the world. Selah.
14 And in the evening they [l]shall go to and fro, and bark like dogs, and go about the city.
15 They shall run here and there for meat, and surely they shall not be satisfied, though they tarry all night.
16 But I will sing of thy [m]power, and will praise thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble.
17 Unto thee, O my [n]Strength will I sing: for God is my defense, and my merciful God.
Footnotes
- Psalm 59:1 Read Ps. 16.
- Psalm 59:1 Though his enemies were even at hand to destroy him, yet he assureth himself that God had ways now in hand to deliver him.
- Psalm 59:3 For I am innocent to themwards, and have not offended them.
- Psalm 59:5 Seeing it appertaineth to God’s judgments to punish the wicked, he desiresth God to execute his vengeance on the reprobate, who maliciously persecute his Church.
- Psalm 59:6 He compareth their cruelty to hungry dogs, showing that they are never weary in doing evil.
- Psalm 59:7 They boast openly in their wicked devices, and every word is as a sword: for they neither fear God nor are ashamed of men.
- Psalm 59:9 Though Saul have never so great power, yet I know that thou dost bridle him: therefore will I patiently hope on thee.
- Psalm 59:10 He will not fail to succor me when need requireth.
- Psalm 59:11 Altogether, but by little and little, that the people seeing oftentimes thy judgments, may be mindful of thee.
- Psalm 59:12 That in their misery and shame they may be as glasses and examples of God’s vengeance.
- Psalm 59:13 When thy time shall come, and when they have sufficiently served for an example of thy vengeance unto others.
- Psalm 59:14 He mocketh at their vain enterprises, being assured that they shall not bring their purpose to pass.
- Psalm 59:16 Which didst use the policy of a weak woman to confound the enemy’s strength, as 1 Sam. 19:12.
- Psalm 59:17 Confessing himself to be void of all virtue and strength, he attributeth the whole to God.