1 To him that excelleth. Destroy not. A Psalme of David on Michtam. When Saul sent and they did watch the house to kill him. O my God, deliuer mee from mine enemies: defend me from them that rise vp against me. 2 Deliuer me from the wicked doers, and saue me from the bloody men. 3 For loe, they haue layd waite for my soule: the mightie men are gathered against me, not for mine offence, nor for my sinne, O Lord. 4 They runne and prepare themselues without a fault on my part: arise therefore to assist me, and beholde. 5 Euen thou, O Lord God of hostes, O God of Israel awake to visit all the heathen, and be not merciful vnto all that transgresse maliciously. Selah. 6 They goe to and from in the euening: they barke like dogs, and goe about the citie. 7 Behold, they brag in their talke, and swords are in their lips: for, Who, say they, doeth heare? 8 But thou, O Lord, shalt haue them in derision, and thou shalt laugh at all the heathen. 9 He is strong: but I will waite vpon thee: for God is my defence. 10 My mercifull God will preuent me: God wil let me see my desire vpon mine enemies. 11 Slay them not, least my people forget it: but scatter them abroad by thy power, and put them downe, O Lord our shield, 12 For the sinne of their mouth, and the words of their lips: and let them be taken in their pride, euen for their periurie and lies, that they speake. 13 Consume them in thy wrath: consume them that they be no more: and let them knowe that God ruleth in Iaakob, euen vnto the ends of the world. Selah. 14 And in the euening they shall go to and from, and barke like dogs, and go about the citie. 15 They shall runne here and there for meate: and surely they shall not be satisfied, though they tary all night. 16 But I wil sing of thy power, and will prayse thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast bene my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. 17 Vnto thee, O my Strength, wil I sing: for God is my defence, and my mercifull God.
Psalm 59 Geneva Bible (1599)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Original 16th-century spelling.
Cross references (17)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Samuel 19:11–24; Psalm 18:48; Luke 1:74–75; Isaiah 33:16; Psalm 57:1
- 2 Psalm 139:19; Psalm 26:9; Psalm 55:23; Psalm 27:2
- 3 Psalm 56:6; Psalm 69:4; 1 Samuel 24:11; John 15:25; Proverbs 12:6
- 4 Psalm 35:23; Proverbs 1:16; Psalm 5:6; Acts 23:15; 1 Samuel 19:12–24
- 5 Psalm 84:8; Psalm 55:15; Psalm 9:15; Genesis 33:20; Isaiah 1:10
- 6 Psalm 59:14; Psalm 22:16; 1 Samuel 19:11
- 7 Psalm 57:4; Proverbs 15:2; Psalm 10:11; Psalm 73:11; Psalm 10:13
- 8 Proverbs 1:26; Psalm 37:13; Psalm 2:4; Psalm 59:5; Matthew 18:17
- 9 Psalm 9:9; Isaiah 26:3–4; Psalm 62:2; Psalm 27:14; Psalm 59:17
- 10 1 Peter 5:10; Psalm 21:3; Psalm 54:7; Psalm 59:17; Psalm 92:11
- 11 Psalm 3:3; Deuteronomy 28:64; Revelation 9:6; Luke 1:51–52; Deuteronomy 4:27
- 12 Proverbs 12:13; Psalm 10:7; Proverbs 18:7; Hosea 4:2; Matthew 12:36–37
- 13 Psalm 83:18; Psalm 7:9; Ezekiel 39:7; Psalm 59:11; Ezekiel 38:23
- 14 Psalm 22:16; Psalm 59:6
- 15 Job 15:23; Psalm 109:10; Job 30:1–7; Lamentations 5:9; Isaiah 56:11
- 16 Psalm 21:13; Ephesians 3:20; Romans 15:9; Psalm 30:5; Psalm 143:8
- 17 Psalm 46:1; Psalm 59:9–10; Psalm 18:1
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The words which we have sung must be rather hearkened to by us, than proclaimed. For to all men as it were in an assemblage of mankind, the Truth crieth, "If truly indeed justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men" (ver. 1). For to what unjust man is it not an easy thing to speak justice?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
… with fears and sorrows, he may cry, if there be yet soul in him to feel his ills, in the words of the psalm, "My soul is cast down within me," and when chastened, may say," Because of his strength I will wait upon Thee." These and similar allegorical interpretations may be suitably put upon Paradise without giving offence to …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… that He was put in bonds before the gates of the city, thou hast heard before, if thou rememberest the exposition of the Psalm, which has told the time and the place; how they returned at evening, and hungered like dogs, and encompassed the city.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)