Psalm 59

PSALM 59

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house 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,

and save me from bloodthirsty men.

³For, lo, they lie in wait for my life;

fierce men band themselves against me.

For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,

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

Rouse thyself, come to my help, and see!

⁵Thou, Lord God of hosts, art 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,

and snarling with^u their lips—

for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”

⁸But thou, O Lord, dost laugh at them;

thou dost hold all the nations in derision.

⁹O my Strength, I will sing praises to thee;^v

for thou, O God, art my fortress.

¹⁰My God in his steadfast love will meet me;

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

¹¹Slay them not, lest my people forget;

make them totter by thy 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 which they utter,

¹³consume them in wrath,

consume them till they are no more,

that men may know that God rules over Jacob

to the ends of the earth. 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 thy might;

I will sing aloud of thy steadfast love in the morning.

For thou hast been to me a fortress

and a refuge in the day of my distress.

¹⁷O my Strength, I will sing praises to thee,

for thou, O God, art my fortress,

the God who shows me steadfast love.