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(A)A Prayer for Safety[a]

59 Save me from my enemies, my God;
    protect me from those who attack me!
Save me from those evil people;
    rescue me from those murderers!

Look! They are waiting to kill me;
    cruel people are gathering against me.
It is not because of any sin or wrong I have done,
    nor because of any fault of mine, O Lord,
    that they hurry to their places.

Rise, Lord God Almighty, and come to my aid;
    see for yourself, God of Israel!
Wake up and punish the heathen;
    show no mercy to evil traitors!

They come back in the evening,
    snarling like dogs as they go about the city.
Listen to their insults and threats.
Their tongues are like swords in their mouths,
    yet they think that no one hears them.

But you laugh at them, Lord;
    you mock all the heathen.
I have confidence in your strength;
    you are my refuge, O God.
10 My God loves me and will come to me;
    he will let me see my enemies defeated.

11 Do not kill them, O God, or my people may forget.
    Scatter them by your strength and defeat them,
    O Lord, our protector.
12 Sin is on their lips; all their words are sinful;
    may they be caught in their pride!
Because they curse and lie,
13     destroy them in your anger;
    destroy them completely.
Then everyone will know that God rules in Israel,
    that his rule extends over all the earth.

14 My enemies come back in the evening,
    snarling like dogs as they go about the city,
15     like dogs roaming about for food
    and growling if they do not find enough.

16 But I will sing about your strength;
    every morning I will sing aloud of your constant love.
You have been a refuge for me,
    a shelter in my time of trouble.
17 I will praise you, my defender.
    My refuge is God,
    the God who loves me.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 59:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by David, after Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.

Psalm 59[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house(A) in order to kill him.

Deliver me from my enemies, O God;(B)
    be my fortress against those who are attacking me.(C)
Deliver me from evildoers(D)
    and save me from those who are after my blood.(E)

See how they lie in wait for me!
    Fierce men conspire(F) against me
    for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
I have done no wrong,(G) yet they are ready to attack me.(H)
    Arise to help me; look on my plight!(I)
You, Lord God Almighty,
    you who are the God of Israel,(J)
rouse yourself(K) to punish all the nations;(L)
    show no mercy to wicked traitors.[c](M)

They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,(N)
    and prowl about the city.
See what they spew from their mouths(O)
    the words from their lips are sharp as swords,(P)
    and they think, “Who can hear us?”(Q)
But you laugh at them, Lord;(R)
    you scoff at all those nations.(S)

You are my strength,(T) I watch for you;
    you, God, are my fortress,(U)
10     my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me
    and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,[d](V)
    or my people will forget.(W)
In your might uproot them
    and bring them down.(X)
12 For the sins of their mouths,(Y)
    for the words of their lips,(Z)
    let them be caught in their pride.(AA)
For the curses and lies they utter,
13     consume them in your wrath,
    consume them till they are no more.(AB)
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob.(AC)

14 They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
15 They wander about for food(AD)
    and howl if not satisfied.
16 But I will sing(AE) of your strength,(AF)
    in the morning(AG) I will sing of your love;(AH)
for you are my fortress,(AI)
    my refuge in times of trouble.(AJ)

17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
    you, God, are my fortress,
    my God on whom I can rely.(AK)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
  2. Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
  4. Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign