Psalms 59
1 TO THE OVERSEER. “DO NOT DESTROY.” A MIKTAM OF DAVID, IN SAUL’S SENDING, AND THEY WATCH THE HOUSE TO PUT HIM TO DEATH. Deliver me from my enemies, O my God, Set me on high from my withstanders.
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!
2 Deliver me from workers of iniquity, And save me from men of blood.
Rescue me from these evil people! Save me from these murderers!
3 For behold, they laid wait for my soul, Strong ones are assembled against me, Not my transgression nor my sin, O YHWH.
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.
4 Without punishment they run and prepare themselves, Stir up to meet me, and see.
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.
5 And You, YHWH, God of Hosts, God of Israel, Awake to inspect all the nations. Do not favor any treacherous dealers of iniquity. (Selah)
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)
6 They return at evening, They make a noise like a dog, And go around the city.
In the evening they return, snarling like dogs as they roam around the city.
7 Behold, they belch out with their mouths, Swords [are] in their lips, for “Who hears?”
See what evil talk comes pouring out of their mouths! Words sharp as swords, for they say to themselves, “Who can hear us?”
8 And You, O YHWH, laugh at them, You mock at all the nations.
But you, Lord, you laugh at them; you pour scorn on all the nations.
9 O my Strength, to You I take heed, For God [is] my tower—the God of my kindness.
You are my strength! I will look to you, God, for you are the one who protects me.
10 God goes before me, He causes me to look on my enemies.
In his trustworthy love, God will come and save me. He will show me how my enemies are defeated.
11 Do not slay them, lest my people forget, Shake them by Your strength, And bring them down, O Lord our shield.
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.
12 The sin of their mouth [is] a word of their lips, And they are captured in their pride, And they recount from the curse and lying.
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!
13 Consume in fury, consume and they are not, And they know that God is ruling in Jacob, To the ends of the earth. (Selah)
Destroy them in your anger! Destroy them completely! Then everyone will know that God rules in Israel!
14 And they return at evening, They make a noise like a dog, And they go around the city.
In the evening they return, snarling like dogs as they roam around the city.
15 They wander for food, If they are not satisfied—then they murmur.
They wander around, looking for things to eat, and howl when they're not satisfied.
16 And I sing of Your strength, And at morning I sing of Your kindness, For You have been a tower to me, And a refuge for me in a day of adversity.
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.
17 O my Strength, I sing praise to You, For God [is] my tower, the God of my kindness!
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!
