Psalm 59–60

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.^q

¹Rescue me from my enemies, my God;^r

protect me from those who rise up against me.^s

²Rescue me from evildoers,

and save me from men of bloodshed.^t

³Because look, Lord, they set an ambush for me.^u

Powerful men attack me,

but not because of any sin or rebellion of mine.^v

⁴For no fault of mine,

they run and take up a position.

Awake to help me, and take notice.^w

⁵Lord God of Armies, you are the God of Israel.

Rise up to punish all the nations;

do not show favor to any wicked traitors.^x

Selah

⁶They return at evening, snarling like dogs

and prowling around the city.^y

⁷Look, they spew from their mouths—

sharp words from^C their lips.^z

“For who,” they say, “will hear?”^aa

⁸But you laugh at them, Lord;

you ridicule all the nations.^ab

⁹I will keep watch for you, my^D strength,

because God is my stronghold.^ac

¹⁰My faithful God^A will come to meet me;

God will let me look down on my adversaries.^ad

¹¹Do not kill them; otherwise, my people will forget.

By your power, make them homeless wanderers^ae

and bring them down,

Lord, our shield.^a

¹²For the sin of their mouths and the words of their lips,

let them be caught in their pride.

They utter curses and lies.^b

¹³Consume them in fury;

consume them until they are gone.^c

Then people will know throughout^B the earth

that God rules over Jacob.^d

Selah

¹⁴And they return at evening, snarling like dogs

and prowling around the city.^e

¹⁵They scavenge for food;

they growl if they are not satisfied.^f

¹⁶But I will sing of your strength

and will joyfully proclaim

your faithful love in the morning.^g

For you have been a stronghold for me,

a refuge in my day of trouble.^h

¹⁷To you, my strength, I sing praises,

because God is my stronghold—

my faithful God.ⁱ

Psalm 60

PRAYER IN DIFFICULT TIMES

For the choir director: according to “The Lily of Testimony.”^j A Miktam of David for teaching. When he fought with Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned and struck Edom in Salt Valley, killing twelve thousand.^k

¹God, you have rejected us;

you have broken us down;

you have been angry. Restore us!^Cl

²You have shaken the land and split it open.

Heal its fissures, for it shudders.^m

³You have made your people suffer hardship;

you have given us wine to drink

that made us stagger.ⁿ

⁴You have given a signal flag to those who fear you,

so that they can flee before the archers.^Do

Selah

⁵Save with your right hand, and answer me,

so that those you love may be rescued.^p

⁶God has spoken in his sanctuary:^E

“I will celebrate!

I will divide up Shechem.^q

I will apportion the Valley of Succoth.^r

⁷Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine,

and Ephraim is my helmet;^s

Judah is my scepter.^t

⁸Moab is my washbasin.^u

I throw my sandal on Edom;^v

I shout in triumph over Philistia.”^w

⁹Who will bring me to the fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?^x

¹⁰God, haven’t you rejected us?

God, you do not march out with our armies.^y

¹¹Give us aid against the foe,

for human help is worthless.^z

¹²With God we will perform valiantly;^aa

he will trample our foes.^ab