Psalms 59
1 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise against me.
God, save me from my enemies! Protect me from those who want to attack me!
2 Deliver me from workers of iniquity, and save me from men of bloodshed.
Rescue me from men who want to do what is wicked, men who are murderers!
3 See how they lie in wait for me. Fierce men conspire against me for no transgression or sin of my own, O LORD.
Look! They are waiting to kill me! Fierce men have gathered to assault me. Yahweh, they are doing that even though I have not done what is wrong!
4 For no fault of my own, they move swiftly to attack me. Arise to help me, and take notice.
It is not because I have committed any sin [against them] that they run and get ready to attack me.
5 O LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, rouse Yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to the wicked traitors.
Yahweh my God, commander of the armies of heaven, the one we Israelis [worship], arise and punish the [ungodly/heathen people of] all the nations; do not be merciful to those [wicked people] who have (acted treacherously toward/secretly planned to harm) us.
6 They return in the evening, snarling like dogs and prowling around the city.
They return each evening, snarling like vicious dogs [SIM] as they prowl around this city.
7 See what they spew from their mouths— sharp words from their lips: “For who can hear us?”
They loudly say terrible things; they say [MTY] many things that [injure people like] [MET] swords do, but they think, “No one will [RHQ] hear us!”
8 But You, O LORD, laugh at them; You scoff at all the nations.
But Yahweh, you laugh at them. You (scoff at/ridicule) the [people of the pagan] nations.
9 I will keep watch for You, O my strength, because You, O God, are my fortress.
God, I have confidence in you because you are very strong; you are my refuge.
10 My God of loving devotion will come to meet me; God will let me stare down my foes.
Because you love me, you will come to save me; you will allow me to watch while you defeat my enemies.
11 Do not kill them, or my people will forget. Scatter them by Your power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield.
But do not kill them [immediately] in order that my people will not forget [how you punished them]! [Instead], Lord, [you who are like a] shield [that protects us] [MET], scatter them by your power, and [then] defeat them.
12 By the sins of their mouths and the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride, in the curses and lies they utter.
Because what they say [MTY] is sinful, allow them to be trapped for being proud. Because they are [always] cursing and telling lies,
13 Consume them in wrath; consume them till they are no more, so it may be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob.
because you are angry, get rid of them; destroy them completely in order that people will know that you rule over us, your Israeli people, and that you rule over all the earth.
14 They return in the evening, snarling like dogs and prowling around the city.
My enemies return each evening, snarling like [vicious] dogs as they prowl around this city.
15 They scavenge for food, and growl if they are not satisfied.
They roam around, searching for food; and if they do not find enough, they growl.
16 But I will sing of Your strength and proclaim Your loving devotion in the morning. For You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
But [as for me], I will sing about your power; [every] morning I will sing joyfully about your faithfully loving [us]. I will sing about how you protected me when I was [very] distressed.
17 To You, O my strength, I sing praises, for You, O God, are my fortress, my God of loving devotion.
God, you are the one who enables me to be strong; you are my refuge; you faithfully love me.
