Psalm 59

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.

¹Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;

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

²Deliver me from those who work evil;

from the bloodthirsty, save me.^*

³Even now they lie in wait for my life;

the mighty stir up strife against me.

For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,^*

⁴for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.

Rouse yourself, come to my help and see!^*

⁵You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.

Awake to punish all the nations;

spare none of those who treacherously plot evil.   Selah^*

⁶Each evening they come back

howling like dogs

and prowling about the city.^*

⁷There they are, bellowing with their mouths,

with sharp words^r on their lips,

for “Who,” they think,^s “will hear us?”^*

⁸But you laugh at them, O Lord;

you hold all the nations in derision.^*

⁹O my strength, I will watch for you,

for you, O God, are my fortress.^*

¹⁰My God in his steadfast love will meet me;

my God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.^*

¹¹Do not kill them, or my people may forget;

make them totter by your power and bring them down,

O Lord, our shield.^*

¹²For 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,^*

¹³consume 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^*

¹⁴Each evening they come back

howling like dogs

and prowling about the city.^*

¹⁵They roam about for food

and growl if they do not get their fill.

¹⁶But 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.^*

¹⁷O my strength, I will sing praises to you,

for you, O God, are my fortress,

the God who shows me steadfast love.^*