To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy.
A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men
to watch his house in order to kill him.
[A / 2A] 59:1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
protect me from those who rise up against me;
2 deliver me from those who work evil,
and save me from bloodthirsty men.
[2B] 3 For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
fierce men stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
4 for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
Awake, come to meet me, and see!
[2A’] 5 You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
spare none of those who treacherously plot evil.
Selah
[B’] 6 Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
7 There they are, bellowing with their mouths
with swords in their lips—
for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”
[C’] 8 But you, O Lord, laugh at them;
you hold all the nations in derision.
9 O my Strength, I will watch for you,
for you, O God, are my fortress.
[A’ / 3A] 10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me;
God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.
11 Kill them not, lest my people forget;
make them totter by your power and bring them down,
O Lord, our shield!
[3B’] 12 For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter,
[3A’] 13 consume them in wrath;
consume them till they are no more,
that they may know that God rules over Jacob
to the ends of the earth.
Selah
[B’] 14 Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
15 They wander about for food
and growl if they do not get their fill.
[C’] 16 But I will sing of your strength;
I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress
and a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, are my fortress,
the God who shows me steadfast love.
Repeated words and ideas:
A – enemies / those / bloodthirsty men / them / they
B – evening / dogs / city / mouths / lips / food / fill
C – strength / fortress
D – I will watch for you / I will sing praises to you
E – steadfast love
F – transgression / sin / no fault
G – punish / consume / spare none /
H – Israel / all the nations / Jacob / the ends of the earth