Psalms 59
A Cry for Deliverance from Treacherous Enemies 1–5
The Violent Behavior of the Wicked 6–10
A Prayer for Judgment and God’s Glory 11–13
The Final Outcome: Shame for the Wicked, Praise for God 14–17
Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain
Study Notes for Psalm 59
Verse 1
Deliver me from mine enemies — The title ties the psalm to the night Saul ‘sent, and they watched the house to kill him’; Michal ‘let David down through a window’ (1 Sam 19:11–12). ‘Altaschith’ means ‘Thou must not destroy’ and heads Pss 57, 58, 59 and 75. ‘Deliver’ is natsal, to snatch away.
Verse 3
the mighty are gathered against me — ‘Lie in wait’ is arab, to set an ambush, and ‘gathered’ is gur, the verb of Ps 56:6, ‘They gather themselves together, they hide themselves’. David pleads ‘not for my transgression, nor for my sin’, as he later tells Saul, ‘there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand’ (1 Sam 24:11).
Verse 5
LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel — The titles are stacked: the LORD, Elohim of the armies, the God of Israel. He is asked to ‘awake to visit all the heathen’ (goyim, the nations), the same word as in v.8, where ‘thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.’
Verse 6
like a dog — Keleb. The ‘noise’ is hamah, a loud sound, and the pack ‘go round about’ (sabab) the city at evening. Saul’s men were sent to watch David’s house and ‘to slay him in the morning’ (1 Sam 19:11). V.14 repeats these words as a prayer, and v.15 shows the same pack wandering for food.
Verse 7
swords are in their lips — Naba is to gush forth, the verb of ‘the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness’ (Prov 15:2). The same figure stands in Ps 57:4, ‘their tongue a sharp sword’. Their boast, ‘who, say they, doth hear?’, is answered in v.8: ‘But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them.’
Verse 10
The God of my mercy shall prevent me — ‘Mercy’ is chesed, covenant love, and the psalm closes on the same title (v.17). ‘Prevent’ is old English for qadam, to go before, as in ‘thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness’ (Ps 21:3) and ‘let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us’ (Ps 79:8).
Verse 11
Slay them not, lest my people forget — Israel was told, ‘beware lest thou forget the LORD’ (Deut 6:12), and the prayer asks that Israel see what became of them. ‘Scatter’ is nua, to make wander, the verb of v.15, ‘Let them wander up and down for meat’. ‘Shield’ is magen, as in Ps 3:3.
Verse 13
God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth — ‘Consume’ is kalah, to bring to an end, said twice; the aim is knowledge, ‘let them know’. ‘Ruleth’ is mashal: the LORD’s rule begins in Jacob and reaches ‘the ends of the earth’. Ps 83:18 states the same purpose: ‘That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.’
Verse 14
at evening let them return — The words of v.6 come back as a prayer, and v.15 supplies what follows: ‘Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied.’ The pack that circled the city is left to roam for food. ‘Dogs’ also stand for enemies in Ps 22:16, ‘For dogs have compassed me’.
Verse 16
I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning — ‘But I’ answers the evening pack of vv.6 and 14. ‘Sing aloud’ is ranan, to ring out; ‘defence’ is misgab, a high place out of reach, the word of vv.9 and 17. ‘Mercy’ is chesed again (vv.10, 17). Morning was the hour set for David’s death (1 Sam 19:11).