God Our Stronghold
For the choir director: “Do Not Destroy.”a A Davidic •Miktam. When Saul sent agents to watch the house and kill him.b
1Deliver me from my enemies, my God;c
protect me from those who rise up against me.d
2Deliver me from those who practice sin,
and save me from men of bloodshed.e
3LORD, look! They set an ambush for me.f
Powerful men attack me,
but not because of any sin or rebellion of mine.g
4For no fault of mine,
they run and take up a position.
Awake to help me, and take notice.h
5LORD God of •Hosts, You are the God of Israel,
rise up to punish all the nations;
do not show grace to any wicked traitors.i•Selah
6They return at evening, snarling like dogs
and prowling around the city.j
7Look, they spew from their mouths —
sharp words fromk their lips.l
“For who,” they say, “will hear? ”m
8But You laugh at them, LORD;
You ridicule all the nations.n
9I will keep watch for You, myo strength,
because God is my stronghold.p
10My faithful Godq will come to meet me;
God will let me look down on my adversaries.r
11Do not kill them; otherwise, my people will forget.
By Your power, make them homeless wandererss
and bring them down,
Lord, our shield.t
12For the sin of their mouths and the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride.
They utter curses and lies.u
13Consume them in rage;
consume them until they are gone.v
Then people will know throughoutw the earth
that God rules over Jacob.xSelah
14And they return at evening, snarling like dogs
and prowling around the city.y
15They scavenge for food;
they growl if they are not satisfied.z
16But I will sing of Your strength
and will joyfully proclaim
Your faithful love in the morning.aa
For You have been a stronghold for me,
a refuge in my day of trouble.ab
17To You, my strength, I sing praises,
because God is my stronghold —
my faithful God.ac
Footnotes:
a. 59:title Possibly a tune
b. 59:title 1Sm 19:11
c. 59:1 Ps 143:9
d. 59:1 2Sm 22:18; Ps 18:17; 91:14
e. 59:2 Ps 5:6; 17:7
f. 59:3 Pr 1:11,18
g. 59:3 1Sm 20:1; 24:11
h. 59:4 Ps 7:3-4; 69:4
i. 59:5 Jr 18:23
j. 59:6 Ps 22:16
k. 59:7 Lit swords are on
l. 59:7 Ps 52:2; 57:4; 64:3
m. 59:7 Ps 73:11
n. 59:8 Ps 2:4; 37:13
o. 59:9 Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg, Tg; other Hb mss read his
p. 59:9 Ps 28:8; Jr 16:19
q. 59:10 Alt Hb tradition reads My God in His faithful love
r. 59:10 Ps 54:7
s. 59:11 Hs 9:17
t. 59:11 Gn 15:1; Dt 33:29; 2Sm 22:3,31; Ps 3:3; 5:12; 18:2; 28:7; 119:114
u. 59:12 Ps 10:7; Pr 12:13
v. 59:13 Ps 104:35
w. 59:13 Lit know to the ends of
x. 59:13 Ps 83:18
y. 59:14 Ps 22:16
z. 59:15 Jb 15:23; Ps 109:10
aa. 59:16 Ps 5:3; 88:13; 92:2
ab. 59:16 Is 25:4; Nah 1:7
ac. 59:17 Ps 28:8; Jr 16:19
