Psalms 59
1 For the music director. According to “Do Not Destroy.” A psalm (miktam) of David, concerning the time Saul sent out soldiers to watch David's house in order to kill him. Rescue me from my enemies, God! Protect me from those who are attacking 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 Rescue me from these evil people! Save me from these murderers!
Deliver me from the doers of iniquity, And save me from men of blood!
3 See how they're lying in wait to kill me! Powerful men are gathered against me, Lord, even though I have not sinned or done anything wrong.
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 Even though I'm not guilty they hurry to prepare an attack on me. Please stand up, come and help me, and see what's going on.
Without any offence of mine, they run and prepare themselves; Awake to help me, and behold!
5 You are God, the Lord Almighty, God of Israel. Stand up, and punish all the nations. Don't have any mercy on these evil traitors. (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 In the evening they return, snarling like dogs as they roam around the city.
Let them return at evening, Let them howl like dogs, And go round about the city!
7 See what evil talk comes pouring out of their mouths! Words sharp as swords, for they say to themselves, “Who can hear us?”
Behold! with their mouths they belch out malice; Swords are upon their lips; “For who,” say they, “will hear?”
8 But you, Lord, you laugh at them; you pour scorn on all the nations.
Yet thou, O LORD! wilt laugh at them; Thou wilt hold all the nations in derision!
9 You are my strength! I will look to you, God, for you are the one who protects me.
O my Strength! to thee will I look! For God is my defence;
10 In his trustworthy love, God will come and save me. He will show me how my enemies are defeated.
My God will come to meet me with his mercy; God will cause me to look with joy upon my enemies.
11 Don't kill them right away, otherwise my people will quickly forget what you have done. By your power make them stagger around and then fall down, Lord our protection.
Slay them not, lest my people forget; Scatter them by thy power, and cast them down, O Lord, our shield!
12 Let them be caught out by the evil things they say, the words they proudly speak—brought down by their curses and the lies they tell!
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 Destroy them in your anger! Destroy them completely! Then everyone will know that God rules in Israel!
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 In the evening they return, snarling like dogs as they roam around the city.
Let them return at evening, Let them howl like dogs, And go round about the city!
15 They wander around, looking for things to eat, and howl when they're not satisfied.
Let them wander about for food, When they have passed the night unsatisfied!
16 But I will sing of your strength; in the morning I will sing for joy about your trustworthy love. For you have been my protection; my place of safety in my time of 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 You are my strength, I sing praises to you, for you are the one who protects me—the God who shows me his trustworthy love!
To thee, O my Strength! will I sing! For God is my defence; a God of mercy to me.
