For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; 2 a prayer 3 of David, written when Saul sent men to surround his house and murder him. 4
59:1 Deliver me from my enemies, my God!
Protect me 5 from those who attack me! 6
125:3 Indeed, 7 the scepter of a wicked king 8 will not settle 9
upon the allotted land of the godly.
Otherwise the godly might
do what is wrong. 10
1 sn Psalm 59. The psalmist calls down judgment on his foreign enemies, whom he compares to ravenous wild dogs.
2 tn Heb “do not destroy.” Perhaps this refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. These words also appear in the superscription to Pss 57-58, 75.
3 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam), which also appears in the heading to Pss 16, 56-58, 60 is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”
4 tn Heb “when Saul sent and they watched his house in order to kill him.”
5 tn Or “make me secure”; Heb “set me on high.”
6 tn Heb “from those who raise themselves up [against] me.”
7 tn Or “for.”
8 tn Heb “a scepter of wickedness.” The “scepter” symbolizes royal authority; when collocated with “wickedness” the phrase refers to an oppressive foreign conqueror.
9 tn Or “rest.”
10 tn Heb “so that the godly might not stretch out their hands in wrongdoing.” A wicked king who sets a sinful example can have an adverse moral and ethical effect on the people he rules.