Psalms 59 YLT
Summary: Headed "when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him" (1 Samuel 19), Psalm 59 describes enemies who "howl like dogs and go around the city" at evening, prowling for food (v. 6, 14), a refrain repeated to frame the psalm. Amid this besieged domestic scene, the psalmist asks God not to kill his enemies outright but to "make them totter by your power" as a lasting lesson to his people (v. 11). It closes shifting the dog imagery into a vow: the psalmist himself will sing of God's strength every morning, "for you have been to me a fortress" (v. 16-17).
1To the Overseer. --`Destroy not,' by David. --A secret treasure, in Saul's sending, and they watch the house to put him to death. Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God, From my withstanders set me on high.
2Deliver me from workers of iniquity, And from men of blood save me.
3For, lo, they laid wait for my soul, Assembled against me are strong ones, Not my transgression nor my sin, O Jehovah.
4Without punishment they run and prepare themselves, Stir up to meet me, and see.
5And Thou, Jehovah, God of Hosts, God of Israel, Awake to inspect all the nations. Favour not any treacherous dealers of iniquity. Selah.
6They turn back at evening, They make a noise like a dog, And go round about the city.
7Lo, they belch out with their mouths, Swords are in their lips, for `Who heareth?'
8And Thou, O Jehovah dost laugh at them, Thou dost mock at all the nations.
9O my Strength, unto Thee I take heed, For God is my tower--the God of my kindness.
10God doth go before me, He causeth me to look on mine enemies.
11Slay them not, lest my people forget, Shake them by Thy strength, And bring them down, O Lord our shield.
12The sin of their mouth is a word of their lips, And they are captured in their pride, And from the curse and lying they recount.
13Consume in fury, consume and they are not, And they know that God is ruling in Jacob, To the ends of the earth. Selah.
14And they turn back at evening, They make a noise like a dog, And they go round about the city.
15They--they wander for food, If they are not satisfied--then they murmur.
16And I--I sing of Thy strength, And I sing at morn of Thy kindness, For thou hast been a tower to me, And a refuge for me in a day of adversity.
17O my Strength, unto Thee I sing praise, For God is my tower, the God of my kindness!
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