Psalms 59
1 God, save me from my enemies! Protect me from those who want to attack 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 Rescue me from men who want to do what is wicked, men who are murderers!
Rescue me from these evil people! Save me from these murderers!
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!
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 It is not because I have committed any sin [against them] that they run and get ready to attack me.
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 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.
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 each evening, snarling like vicious dogs [SIM] as they prowl around this city.
In the evening they return, snarling like dogs as they roam around 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!”
See what evil talk comes pouring out of their mouths! Words sharp as swords, for they say to themselves, “Who can hear us?”
8 But Yahweh, you laugh at them. You (scoff at/ridicule) the [people of the pagan] nations.
But you, Lord, you laugh at them; you pour scorn on all the nations.
9 God, I have confidence in you because you are very strong; you are my refuge.
You are my strength! I will look to you, God, for you are the one who protects me.
10 Because you love me, you will come to save me; you will allow me to watch while you defeat my enemies.
In his trustworthy love, God will come and save me. He will show me how my enemies are defeated.
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.
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 Because what they say [MTY] is sinful, allow them to be trapped for being proud. Because they are [always] cursing and telling lies,
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 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.
Destroy them in your anger! Destroy them completely! Then everyone will know that God rules in Israel!
14 My enemies return each evening, snarling like [vicious] dogs as they prowl around this city.
In the evening they return, snarling like dogs as they roam around the city.
15 They roam around, searching for food; and if they do not find enough, they growl.
They wander around, looking for things to eat, and howl when they're not satisfied.
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 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 God, you are the one who enables me to be strong; you are my refuge; you faithfully love me.
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!
