< Psalms 59 >
1 God, save me from my enemies! Protect me from those who want to attack me!
“To the chief musician, Al-tashcheth, by David, a Michtham, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to put him to death.” Deliver me from my enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.
2 Rescue me from men who want to do what is wicked, men who are murderers!
Deliver me from the workers of wickedness, and from men of blood do thou save me.
3 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!
For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul, the mighty are gathered in troops against me: not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord.
4 It is not because I have committed any sin [against them] that they run and get ready to attack me.
Without guilt [in me] they run and make themselves ready: awake, [come] toward me, and behold.
5 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.
And thou, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to punish all the nations: be not gracious to any treacherous wicked one. (Selah)
6 They return each evening, snarling like vicious dogs [SIM] as they prowl around this city.
They will return at evening; they will howl like dogs, and go round about the city.
7 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!”
Behold, they sputter with their mouth: swords are in their lips; for who, [say they, ] doth hear?
8 But Yahweh, you laugh at them. You (scoff at/ridicule) the [people of the pagan] nations.
But thou, O Lord, wilt laugh at theme: thou wilt hold in derision all the nations.
9 God, I have confidence in you because you are very strong; you are my refuge.
Because of [the enemy's] strength will I wait upon thee; for God is my defence.
10 Because you love me, you will come to save me; you will allow me to watch while you defeat my enemies.
The God who showeth me kindness will go before me: God will let me see [my desire] upon those who regard me with envy.
11 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.
Slay them not, that my people may not forget: drive them about by thy power; and bring them down, thou our shield, O Lord.
12 Because what they say [MTY] is sinful, allow them to be trapped for being proud. Because they are [always] cursing and telling lies,
The sin of their mouth is the word of their lips: let them be caught through their pride, because of the cursing and lying which they relate.
13 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.
Make an end in fury, make an end [of them], that they my be no more, and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob, as far as the ends of the earth. (Selah)
14 My enemies return each evening, snarling like [vicious] dogs as they prowl around this city.
And they will return in the evening; they will howl like dogs, and go round about the city.
15 They roam around, searching for food; and if they do not find enough, they growl.
They will indeed roam about after something to eat, if they be not satisfied, so that they can be at rest.
16 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.
But I will truly sing of thy strength; yea, I will sing joyfully in the morning of thy kindness; for thou hast been a defence unto me and a refuge on the day when I was distressed.
17 God, you are the one who enables me to be strong; you are my refuge; you faithfully love me.
Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing; for God is my defence, the God of my kindness.