Psalms 59:1

Context

Psalm 59¹

For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style;² a prayer³ 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 me⁵ from those who attack me!⁶

Psalms 60:1

Context

Psalm 60⁷

For the music director; according to the shushan-eduth style;⁸ a prayer⁹ 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 down¹¹ 12,000 Edomites¹² 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

[59:1] ¹sn Psalm 59. The psalmist calls down judgment on his foreign enemies, whom he compares to ravenous wild dogs.

[59:1] ²tn 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.

[59:1] ³tn 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.”

[59:1] ⁴tn Heb “when Saul sent and they watched his house in order to kill him.”

[59:1] ⁵tn Or “make me secure”; Heb “set me on high.”

[59:1] ⁶tn Heb “from those who raise themselves up [against] me.”

[60:1] ⁷sn 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.

[60:1] ⁸tn The Hebrew expression means “lily of the testimony.” It may refer to a particular music style or to a tune title.

[60:1] ⁹tn 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.”

[60:1] ¹⁰tn Heb “to teach.”

[60:1] ¹¹tn 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.

[60:1] ¹²tn Heb “12,000 of Edom.” Perhaps one should read אֲרַם (’aram, “Aram”) here rather than אֱדוֹם (’edom, “Edom”).

[60:1] ¹³sn The heading apparently refers to the military campaign recorded in 2 Sam 10 and 1 Chr 19.

[60:1] ¹⁴sn You have rejected us. See Pss 43:2; 44:9, 23.

[60:1] ¹⁵tn Heb “you broke out upon us, you were angry.”

[60:1] ¹⁶tn The imperfect verbal form here expresses the psalmist’s wish or prayer.