Psalm 59

Psalm 59 belongs to Book II of the Psalms (Psalms 42–72). Following Psalm 58, which indicts unjust judges, this psalm continues David's prayers for deliverance from the wicked. The superscription connects the psalm with the time when Saul sent men to watch David's house, an event recorded in 1 Samuel 19.

Structure

• Verses 1–5: The psalmist cries out for deliverance from his enemies and from bloody men. He pleads his innocence and asks the LORD God of hosts to awake and visit all the heathen.
• Verses 6–7: The enemies are portrayed as those who return at evening, making a noise like a dog and going round about the city. Swords are in their lips.
• Verses 8–10: The psalmist declares that the LORD will laugh at them. He calls God "my defence" (a fortress built on a height) and waits upon Him.
• Verses 11–13: He asks that the enemies not be slain at once, lest the people forget, but that they be scattered and brought down. At the same time, he prays that it be known unto the ends of the earth that God rules in Jacob.
• Verses 14–15: The dog imagery of verse 6 returns. The enemies wander about for food and spend the night unsatisfied.
• Verses 16–17: The psalmist resolves to sing of God's power and mercy in the morning. He concludes by praising God as his defence and refuge.

Key Verses

• Psalm 59:1: "Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God…" This verse opens the petition that runs through the entire psalm.
• Psalm 59:11: "Slay them not, lest my people forget." This is a distinctive petition asking that judgment remain a lesson for the people.
• Psalm 59:16: "Yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning." This verse marks the turn from the threats of the night to the praise of the morning.

People and Places

• David: The superscription identifies him as the author of the psalm.
• Saul: The first king of Israel. According to the superscription, he sent men to kill David.
• Jacob: In verse 13, the name refers to the people of Israel as a whole.

Points for Reflection

• The superscription contains the terms "Michtam" and "Altaschith," the precise meaning of both being uncertain. Altaschith is commonly thought to be the name of a tune. Selah, at the end of verses 5 and 13, is also generally regarded as a musical term, though its meaning is unclear.
• The superscription links the psalm to Saul's pursuit of David. However, the text includes expressions such as "the heathen" (verses 5, 8), and some scholars hold that the psalm later came to be used more broadly as a prayer of the community. The account of David escaping through a window with the help of Michal comes from 1 Samuel, not from this psalm.
• Because of its petitions for judgment on enemies, this psalm is often classified as an imprecatory psalm (a psalm asking God to punish one's enemies). Christian readers have read these passages alongside the teaching on loving one's enemies (Luke 6:27–36; Romans 12:19–21). Some interpreters read these petitions as prayers that entrust vengeance to God.
• The statement in verse 8 that God laughs at the wicked resembles Psalm 2:4 (Psalm 2).