Psalms 59
1 `In Jeroms translacioun thus, To the ouercomer, that thou lese not Dauid, meke and simple, `whanne Saul sente and kepte the hous, to slee hym. `In Ebreu thus, To the ouercomyng, leese thou not the semeli song of Dauid, and so forth. Mi God, delyuer thou me fro myn enemyes; and delyuer thou me fro hem that risen ayens me.
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 Delyuer thou me fro hem that worchen wickidnesse; and saue thou me fro menquelleris.
Rescue me from these evil people! Save me from these murderers!
3 For lo! thei han take my soule; stronge men fellen in on me.
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 Nethir my wickidnesse, nether my synne; Lord, Y ran with out wickidnesse, and dresside `my werkis.
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 Rise vp thou in to my meetyng, and se; and thou, Lord God of vertues, art God of Israel. Yyue thou tent to visite alle folkis; do thou not merci to alle that worchen wickidnesse.
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 Thei schulen be turned at euentid, and thei as doggis schulen suffre hungir; and thei schulen cumpas the citee.
In the evening they return, snarling like dogs as they roam around the city.
7 Lo! thei schulen speke in her mouth, and a swerd in her lippis; for who herde?
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 thou, Lord, schalt scorne hem; thou schalt bringe alle folkis to nouyt.
But you, Lord, you laugh at them; you pour scorn on all the nations.
9 I schal kepe my strengthe to thee;
You are my strength! I will look to you, God, for you are the one who protects me.
10 for God is myn vptaker, my God, his mercy schal come byfore me.
In his trustworthy love, God will come and save me. He will show me how my enemies are defeated.
11 God schewide to me on myn enemyes, slee thou not hem; lest ony tyme my puples foryete. Scatere thou hem in thi vertu; and, Lord, my defender, putte thou hem doun.
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 Putte thou doun the trespas of her mouth, and the word of her lippis; and be thei takun in her pride. And of cursyng and of leesyng; thei schulen be schewid in the endyng.
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 In the ire of ending, and thei schulen not be; and thei schulen wite, that the Lord schal be Lord of Jacob, and of the endis of erthe.
Destroy them in your anger! Destroy them completely! Then everyone will know that God rules in Israel!
14 Thei schulen be turned at euentid, and thei as doggis schulen suffre hungur; and thei schulen cumpas the citee.
In the evening they return, snarling like dogs as they roam around the city.
15 Thei schulen be scaterid abrood, for to eete; sotheli if thei ben not fillid, and thei schulen grutche.
They wander around, looking for things to eat, and howl when they're not satisfied.
16 But Y schal synge thi strengthe; and eerli Y schal enhaunse thi merci. For thou art maad myn vptaker; and my refuyt, in the dai of my tribulacioun.
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 Myn helper, Y schal synge to thee; for thou art God, myn vptaker, my God, my mercy.
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!
