Psalms 59:8-17

Context

59:8 But you, O Lord, laugh in disgust at them;¹

you taunt² all the nations.

59:9 You are my source of strength! I will wait for you!³

For God is my refuge.⁴

59:10 The God who loves me will help me;⁵

God will enable me to triumph over⁶ my enemies.⁷

59:11 Do not strike them dead suddenly,

because then my people might forget the lesson.⁸

Use your power to make them homeless vagabonds and then bring them down,

O Lord who shields us!⁹

59:12 They speak sinful words.¹⁰

So let them be trapped by their own pride

and by the curses and lies they speak!

59:13 Angrily wipe them out! Wipe them out so they vanish!

Let them know that God rules

in Jacob and to the ends of the earth! (Selah)

59:14 They return in the evening;

they growl¹¹ like a dog

and prowl around outside¹² the city.

59:15 They wander around looking for something to eat;

they refuse to sleep until they are full.¹³

59:16 As for me, I will sing about your strength;

I will praise your loyal love in the morning.

For you are my refuge¹⁴

and my place of shelter when I face trouble.¹⁵

59:17 You are my source of strength! I will sing praises to you!¹⁶

For God is my refuge,¹⁷ the God who loves me.¹⁸

[59:8] ¹sn Laugh in disgust. See Pss 2:4; 37:13.

[59:8] ²tn Or “scoff at”; or “deride”; or “mock” (see Ps 2:4).

[59:9] ³tc Heb “his strength, for you I will watch.” “His strength” should be emended to “my strength” (see v. 17). Some also emend אֶשְׁמֹרָה (’eshmorah, “I will watch”) to אֱזַמֵּרָה (’ezammerah, “I will sing praises [to you]”) See v. 17.

[59:9] ⁴tn Or “my elevated place” (see Ps 18:2).

[59:10] ⁵tn Heb “the God of my [Qere (marginal reading); the Kethib (consonantal text) has “his”] loyal love will meet me.”

[59:10] ⁶tn Heb “will cause me to look upon.”

[59:10] ⁷tn Heb “those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 54:5; 56:2.

[59:11] ⁸tn Heb “do not kill them, lest my people forget.”

[59:11] ⁹tn Heb “make them roam around by your strength and bring them down, O our shield, the Lord.”

[59:12] ¹⁰tn Heb “the sin of their mouth [is] the word of their lips.”

[59:14] ¹¹tn Or “howl”; or “bark.”

[59:14] ¹²tn Heb “go around.”

[59:15] ¹³tn Heb “if they are not full, they stay through the night.”

[59:16] ¹⁴tn Or “my elevated place” (see Ps 18:2).

[59:16] ¹⁵tn Heb “and my shelter in the day of my distress.”

[59:17] ¹⁶tn Heb “my strength, to you I will sing praises.”

[59:17] ¹⁷tn Or “my elevated place” (see Ps 18:2).

[59:17] ¹⁸tn Heb “the God of my loyal love.”