Psalms 59
1 To the chief music-maker; put to At-tashheth. Michtam. Of David. When Saul sent, and they were watching the house, to put him to death. Take me out of the hands of the cruel ones, O my God; keep me safe from those who come up against me.
“For the leader of the music. To the tune of “Do not destroy.” A psalm of David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.” Deliver me from my enemies, O my God! Defend me from them that rise up against me!
2 Take me out of the power of the workers of evil, and keep me safe from the men of blood.
Deliver me from the doers of iniquity, And save me from men of blood!
3 For see, they are watching in secret for my soul; the strong have come together against me? but not because of my sin, or my evil-doing, O Lord.
For, lo! they lie in wait for my life; The mighty are gathered against me, Without any offence or fault of mine, O LORD!
4 For no sin of mine they go quickly and get themselves ready; be awake and come to my help, and see.
Without any offence of mine, they run and prepare themselves; Awake to help me, and behold!
5 You, O Lord God of armies, are the God of Israel; come now and give punishment to the nations; have no mercy on any workers of deceit. (Selah)
Do thou, O Jehovah, God of hosts, God of Israel, Awake to punish all the nations! Show no mercy to any wicked transgressors! (Pause)
6 They come back in the evening; they make a noise like a dog, and go round the town.
Let them return at evening, Let them howl like dogs, And go round about the city!
7 See, hate is dropping from their lips; curses are on their tongues: they say, Who gives attention to it?
Behold! with their mouths they belch out malice; Swords are upon their lips; “For who,” say they, “will hear?”
8 But you are laughing at them, O Lord; you will make sport of all the nations.
Yet thou, O LORD! wilt laugh at them; Thou wilt hold all the nations in derision!
9 O my strength, I will put my hope in you; because God is my strong tower.
O my Strength! to thee will I look! For God is my defence;
10 The God of my mercy will go before me: God will let me see my desire effected on my haters.
My God will come to meet me with his mercy; God will cause me to look with joy upon my enemies.
11 Put them not to death, for so my people will keep the memory of them: let them be sent in all directions by your power; make them low, O Lord our saviour.
Slay them not, lest my people forget; Scatter them by thy power, and cast them down, O Lord, our shield!
12 Because of the sin of their mouths and the word of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride; and for their curses and their deceit,
The word of their lips is the sin of their mouth; Let them be overtaken in their pride, For the curses and the falsehood which they utter!
13 Put an end to them in your wrath, put an end to them, so that they may not be seen again; let them see that God is ruling in Jacob and to the ends of the earth. (Selah)
Consume them in thy wrath; consume them that they be no more, That they may know that God ruleth in Jacob, Even to the ends of the earth! (Pause)
14 And in the evening let them come back, and make a noise like a dog, and go round the town.
Let them return at evening, Let them howl like dogs, And go round about the city!
15 Let them go wandering up and down in search of food, and be there all night if they have not enough.
Let them wander about for food, When they have passed the night unsatisfied!
16 But I will make songs of your power; yes, I will give cries of joy for your mercy in the morning; because you have been my strength and my high tower in the day of my trouble.
But I will sing of thy power; Yea, in the morning will I sing aloud of thy mercy; For thou hast been my defence, My refuge in the day of my distress.
17 To you, O my strength, will I make my song: because God is my high tower, even the God of my mercy.
To thee, O my Strength! will I sing! For God is my defence; a God of mercy to me.
