Psa 59 | HCSB | STEP | For the choir director : “Do Not Destroy .” A Davidic Miktam . When Saul sent agents to watch the house and kill him. Deliver me from my enemies , my God ; protect me from those who rise up against me.

Psalms 59

God Our Stronghold

1 For the choir director: “Do Not Destroy.” ^{▼▼Possibly a tune} A Davidic ^{▼▼Miktam: A musical term of uncertain meaning, possibly denoting a plaintive style}Miktam. When Saul sent agents to watch the house and kill him. ^c

Deliver me from my enemies, my God; ^d
protect me from those who rise up against me. ^e
2 Deliver me from those who practice sin,
and save me from men of bloodshed. ^f
3 Lord, look! They set an ambush for me. ^g
Powerful men attack me,
but not because of any sin or rebellion of mine. ^h
4 For no fault of mine,
they run and take up a position.
Awake to help me, and take notice. ⁱ
5 Lord God of ^{▼▼Hosts/hosts: Military forces consisting of God's angels, sometimes including the sun, moon, and stars, and occasionally, Israel}Hosts, You are the God of Israel,
rise up to punish all the nations;
do not show grace to any wicked traitors. ^{k
,} ^{▼▼Selah: A Hebrew word whose meaning is uncertain; various interpretations include: (1) a musical notation, (2) a pause for silence, (3) a signal for worshipers to fall prostrate on the ground, (4) a term for the worshipers to call out, and (5) a word meaning "forever"}
Selah

6 They return at evening, snarling like dogs
and prowling around the city. ^m
7 Look, they spew from their mouths –
sharp words from ^{▼▼Lit swords are on} their lips. ^o
“For who,” they say, “will hear?” ^p
8 But You laugh at them, Lord;
You ridicule all the nations. ^q
9 I will keep watch for You, my ^{▼▼Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg, Tg; other Hb mss read his} strength,
because God is my stronghold. ^s
10 My faithful God ^{▼▼Alt Hb tradition reads My God in His faithful love} will come to meet me;
God will let me look down on my adversaries. ^u

11 Do not kill them; otherwise, my people will forget.
By Your power, make them homeless wanderers ^v
and bring them down,
Lord, our shield. ^w
12 For the sin of their mouths and the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride.
They utter curses and lies. ^x
13 Consume them in rage;
consume them until they are gone. ^y
Then people will know throughout ^{▼▼Lit know to the ends of} the earth
that God rules over Jacob. ^{aa
,} ^{▼▼Selah: A Hebrew word whose meaning is uncertain; various interpretations include: (1) a musical notation, (2) a pause for silence, (3) a signal for worshipers to fall prostrate on the ground, (4) a term for the worshipers to call out, and (5) a word meaning "forever"}
Selah

14 And they return at evening, snarling like dogs
and prowling around the city. ^ac
15 They scavenge for food;
they growl if they are not satisfied. ^ad

16 But I will sing of Your strength
and will joyfully proclaim
Your faithful love in the morning. ^ae
For You have been a stronghold for me,
a refuge in my day of trouble. ^af
17 To You, my strength, I sing praises,
because God is my stronghold –
my faithful God. ^ag