Psalm 59

Modern

Literal

Deliver Me from My Enemies

¹For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam^a of David, when Saul sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.

Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;

protect me from those who rise against me.

¹For the one directing. “To Do not Destroy.” Of David. a Miktam at the sending of men by Saul, when they watched the house in order to kill him. Snatch me from my enemies, O my God; from those who rise against me, set me on a place up high.

²Deliver me from workers of iniquity,

and save me from men of bloodshed.

²Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from men of blood!

³See how they lie in wait for me.

Fierce men conspire against me

for no transgression or sin of my own, O LORD.

³For behold, they lie in wait for my life; the mighty ones gather against me, not for my transgression and not for my sin, O YHWH.

⁴For no fault of my own,

they move swiftly to attack me.

Arise to help me, and take notice.

⁴Without my fault, they run and prepare themselves. Awake to help me, and see!

⁵O LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel,

rouse Yourself to punish all the nations;

show no mercy to the wicked traitors.

Selah

⁵And You, O YHWH, God of Hosts, the God of Israel, may You awaken to attend to all the nations! You must not be merciful to any of those acting treacherously with wickedness. Selah

⁶They return in the evening, snarling like dogs

and prowling around the city.

⁶they return at the evening; they growl like a dog, and go all around the city.

⁷See what they spew from their mouths—

sharp words from their lips:

“For who can hear us?”

⁷Behold, they belch out with their mouths. Swords are in their lips: “For who hears?”

⁸But You, O LORD, laugh at them;

You scoff at all the nations.

⁸But You, O YHWH, laugh at them! You scoff at all the nations.

⁹I will keep watch for You, O my strength,

because You, O God, are my fortress.

⁹O my strength, I will keep watch for You, for God is my secure height.

¹⁰My God of loving devotion will come to meet me;

God will let me stare down my foes.

¹⁰The God of loving devotion will meet me; God will let me look on my enemies.

¹¹Do not kill them,

or my people will forget.

Scatter them by Your power,

and bring them down,

O Lord, our shield.

¹¹Do not kill them, lest my people forget. Send them staggering by Your strength, and bring them down! O Lord, our shield.

¹²By the sins of their mouths

and the words of their lips,

let them be trapped in their pride,

in the curses and lies they utter.

¹²The sin of their mouth is a word of their lips; let them be captured in their pride and in the cursing and lies they recount.

¹³Consume them in wrath;

consume them till they are no more,

so it may be known to the ends of the earth

that God rules over Jacob.

Selah

¹³Consume them in fury, consume them, and they are no more! And let them know that God is ruling in Jacob to the ends of the earth. Selah

¹⁴They return in the evening,

snarling like dogs

and prowling around the city.

¹⁴and they return in the evening; they growl like a dog, and go round about the city.

¹⁵They scavenge for food,

and growl if they are not satisfied.

¹⁵They wander up and down for food; and if they are not satisfied, then they grumble.

¹⁶But I will sing of Your strength

and proclaim Your loving devotion in the morning.

For You are my fortress,

my refuge in times of trouble.

¹⁶But I will sing of Your power, and I will sing out Your loving devotion in the morning. For You have been a high place for me, and a refuge for me in the day of distress.

¹⁷To You, O my strength, I sing praises,

for You, O God, are my fortress,

my God of loving devotion.

¹⁷O My strength, to You I will sing praises! For God is my secure height, the God of loving devotion to me.