Psalms 59
1 For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.
God, save me from my enemies! Protect me from those who want to attack me!
2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Save me from the bloodthirsty men.
Rescue me from men who want to do what is wicked, men who are murderers!
3 For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, LORD.
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!
4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me!
It is not because I have committed any sin [against them] that they run and get ready to attack me.
5 You, LORD God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. (Selah)
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.
6 They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city.
They return each evening, snarling like vicious dogs [SIM] as they prowl around this city.
7 Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, “For”, they say, “who hears us?”
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!”
8 But you, LORD, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations.
But Yahweh, you laugh at them. You (scoff at/ridicule) the [people of the pagan] nations.
9 Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, for God is my high tower.
God, I have confidence in you because you are very strong; you are my refuge.
10 My God will go before me with his loving kindness. God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.
Because you love me, you will come to save me; you will allow me to watch while you defeat my enemies.
11 Don’t kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.
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.
12 For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride, for the curses and lies which they utter.
Because what they say [MTY] is sinful, allow them to be trapped for being proud. Because they are [always] cursing and telling lies,
13 Consume them in wrath. Consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth. (Selah)
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.
14 At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.
My enemies return each evening, snarling like [vicious] dogs as they prowl around this city.
15 They shall wander up and down for food, and wait all night if they aren’t satisfied.
They roam around, searching for food; and if they do not find enough, they growl.
16 But I will sing of your strength. Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning. For you have been my high tower, a refuge in the day of my distress.
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.
17 To you, my strength, I will sing praises. For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.
God, you are the one who enables me to be strong; you are my refuge; you faithfully love me.
