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
For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style; 8 a prayer 9 of David written to instruct others. 10 It was written when he fought against Aram Naharaim and Aram-Zobah. That was when Joab turned back and struck down 11 12,000 Edomites 12 in the Valley of Salt. 13
60:1 O God, you have rejected us. 14
You suddenly turned on us in your anger. 15
Please restore us! 16
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 sn Psalm 60. The psalmist grieves over Israel’s humiliation, but in response to God’s assuring word, he asks for divine help in battle and expresses his confidence in victory.
8 tn The Hebrew expression means “lily of the testimony.” It may refer to a particular music style or to a tune title.
9 tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam), which also appears in the heading to Pss 16, 56-59, is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”
10 tn Heb “to teach.”
11 tn In Josh 8:21 and Judg 20:48 the two verbs “turn back” and “strike down” are also juxtaposed. There they refer to a military counter-attack.
12 tn Heb “12,000 of Edom.” Perhaps one should read אֲרַם (’aram, “Aram”) here rather than אֱדוֹם (’edom, “Edom”).
13 sn The heading apparently refers to the military campaign recorded in 2 Sam 10 and 1 Chr 19.
14 sn You have rejected us. See Pss 43:2; 44:9, 23.
15 tn Heb “you broke out upon us, you were angry.”
16 tn The imperfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s wish or prayer.