THE LORD IS MY FORTRESS
Key verse: 16
NIV
Psalm 59[a]
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house(A) in order to kill him.
1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God;(B)
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.(C)
2 Deliver me from evildoers(D)
and save me from those who are after my blood.(E)
3 See how they lie in wait for me!
Fierce men conspire(F) against me
for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
4 I have done no wrong,(G) yet they are ready to attack me.(H)
Arise to help me; look on my plight!(I)
5 You, Lord God Almighty,
you who are the God of Israel,(J)
rouse yourself(K) to punish all the nations;(L)
show no mercy to wicked traitors.[c](M)
6 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,(N)
and prowl about the city.
7 See what they spew from their mouths(O)—
the words from their lips are sharp as swords,(P)
and they think, “Who can hear us?”(Q)
8 But you laugh at them, Lord;(R)
you scoff at all those nations.(S)
9 You are my strength,(T) I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress,(U)
10 my God on whom I can rely.
God will go before me
and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,[d](V)
or my people will forget.(W)
In your might uproot them
and bring them down.(X)
12 For the sins of their mouths,(Y)
for the words of their lips,(Z)
let them be caught in their pride.(AA)
For the curses and lies they utter,
13 consume them in your wrath,
consume them till they are no more.(AB)
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
that God rules over Jacob.(AC)
14 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.
15 They wander about for food(AD)
and howl if not satisfied.
16 But I will sing(AE) of your strength,(AF)
in the morning(AG) I will sing of your love;(AH)
for you are my fortress,(AI)
my refuge in times of trouble.(AJ)
17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.(AK)
Footnotes
- Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
- Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
- Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign
Cross references
- Psalm 59:1 : 1Sa 19:11
- Psalm 59:1 : Ps 143:9
- Psalm 59:1 : S Ps 20:1
- Psalm 59:2 : Ps 14:4; 36:12; 53:4; 92:7; 94:16
- Psalm 59:2 : S Ps 26:9; 139:19; Pr 29:10
- Psalm 59:3 : S Ps 56:6
- Psalm 59:4 : Ps 119:3
- Psalm 59:4 : Mt 5:11
- Psalm 59:4 : S Ps 13:3
- Psalm 59:5 : Ps 69:6; 80:4; 84:8
- Psalm 59:5 : S Ps 44:23
- Psalm 59:5 : S Ps 9:5; S Isa 10:3
- Psalm 59:5 : Jer 18:23
- Psalm 59:6 : ver 14; Ps 22:16
- Psalm 59:7 : Ps 94:4; Pr 10:32; 12:23; 15:2, 28
- Psalm 59:7 : S Ps 55:21
- Psalm 59:7 : S Job 22:13
- Psalm 59:8 : Ps 37:13; Pr 1:26
- Psalm 59:8 : Ps 2:4
- Psalm 59:9 : S Ps 18:1
- Psalm 59:9 : Ps 9:9; 18:2; 62:2; 71:3
- Psalm 59:11 : Ps 3:3; 84:9
- Psalm 59:11 : Dt 4:9; 6:12
- Psalm 59:11 : Ps 89:10; 106:27; 144:6; Isa 33:3
- Psalm 59:12 : Ps 10:7
- Psalm 59:12 : Ps 64:8; Pr 10:14; 12:13
- Psalm 59:12 : Isa 2:12; 5:15; Zep 3:11
- Psalm 59:13 : Ps 104:35
- Psalm 59:13 : Ps 83:18
- Psalm 59:15 : Job 15:23
- Psalm 59:16 : Ps 108:1
- Psalm 59:16 : S 1Sa 2:10
- Psalm 59:16 : Ps 5:3; 88:13
- Psalm 59:16 : Ps 101:1
- Psalm 59:16 : S 2Sa 22:3
- Psalm 59:16 : S Dt 4:30
- Psalm 59:17 : ver 10
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Deliver Me from My Enemies
To the choirmaster: according to (A)Do Not Destroy. A (B)Miktam[a] of David, (C)when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.59 (D)Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
(E)protect me from those who (F)rise up against me;
2 deliver me from (G)those who work evil,
and save me from (H)bloodthirsty men.
3 For behold, they (I)lie in wait for my life;
fierce men (J)stir up strife against me.
(K)For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
4 for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
(L)Awake, come to meet me, and see!
5 You, (M)Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah
6 Each evening they (N)come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
7 There they are, (O)bellowing with their mouths
with (P)swords in their lips—
for (Q)“Who,” they think,[b] “will hear us?”
8 But you, O Lord, (R)laugh at them;
you hold all the nations in derision.
9 O my Strength, I will watch for you,
for you, O God, are (S)my fortress.
10 (T)My God in his steadfast love[c] (U)will meet me;
God will let me (V)look in triumph on my enemies.
11 Kill them not, lest my people forget;
make them totter[d] by your power and (W)bring them down,
O Lord, our (X)shield!
12 For (Y)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,
13 (Z)consume them in wrath;
consume them till they are no more,
that they may (AA)know that God rules over Jacob
to (AB)the ends of the earth. Selah
14 (AC)Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
15 They (AD)wander about for food
and growl if they do not get their fill.
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 (AE)a fortress
and (AF)a refuge in (AG)the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, (AH)are my fortress,
(AI)the God who shows me steadfast love.
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Footnotes
- Psalm 59:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 59:7 Hebrew lacks they think
- Psalm 59:10 Or The God who shows me steadfast love
- Psalm 59:11 Or wander
Cross references
- Psalm 59:1 : Ps. 57, title
- Psalm 59:1 : Ps. 16, title
- Psalm 59:1 : [1 Sam. 19:11]
- Psalm 59:1 : Ps. 143:9; [Ps. 18:48]
- Psalm 59:1 : See Ps. 20:1
- Psalm 59:1 : See Ps. 17:7
- Psalm 59:2 : Ps. 94:4
- Psalm 59:2 : Ps. 5:6
- Psalm 59:3 : Ps. 10:9
- Psalm 59:3 : See Ps. 56:6
- Psalm 59:3 : 1 Sam. 24:11; [Ps. 7:3; 69:4]
- Psalm 59:4 : See Ps. 35:23
- Psalm 59:5 : Ps. 80:4; 84:8
- Psalm 59:6 : [Ps. 22:16]
- Psalm 59:7 : Prov. 15:2, 28; [Ps. 94:4]
- Psalm 59:7 : See Ps. 57:4
- Psalm 59:7 : See Job 22:13
- Psalm 59:8 : See Ps. 2:4
- Psalm 59:9 : ver. 16, 17; See Ps. 9:9
- Psalm 59:10 : ver. 17
- Psalm 59:10 : Ps. 21:3
- Psalm 59:10 : See Ps. 54:7
- Psalm 59:11 : See Ps. 55:23
- Psalm 59:11 : See Ps. 3:3
- Psalm 59:12 : See Prov. 12:13
- Psalm 59:13 : [Ps. 7:9]
- Psalm 59:13 : Ps. 83:18
- Psalm 59:13 : Ps. 22:27
- Psalm 59:14 : [Ps. 22:16]
- Psalm 59:15 : Ps. 109:10; Job 15:23
- Psalm 59:16 : ver. 9
- Psalm 59:16 : 2 Sam. 22:3
- Psalm 59:16 : Ps. 18:6
- Psalm 59:17 : [See ver. 16 above]; ver. 9
- Psalm 59:17 : ver. 10
59 (D)Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
(E)protect me from those who (F)rise up against me;
2 deliver me from (G)those who work evil,
and save me from (H)bloodthirsty men.
3 For behold, they (I)lie in wait for my life;
fierce men (J)stir up strife against me.
(K)For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
4 for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
(L)Awake, come to meet me, and see!
5 You, (M)Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah
6 Each evening they (N)come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
7 There they are, (O)bellowing with their mouths
with (P)swords in their lips—
for (Q)“Who,” they think,[b] “will hear us?”
8 But you, O Lord, (R)laugh at them;
you hold all the nations in derision.
9 O my Strength, I will watch for you,
for you, O God, are (S)my fortress.
10 (T)My God in his steadfast love[c] (U)will meet me;
God will let me (V)look in triumph on my enemies.
11 Kill them not, lest my people forget;
make them totter[d] by your power and (W)bring them down,
O Lord, our (X)shield!
12 For (Y)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,
13 (Z)consume them in wrath;
consume them till they are no more,
that they may (AA)know that God rules over Jacob
to (AB)the ends of the earth. Selah
14 (AC)Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
15 They (AD)wander about for food
and growl if they do not get their fill.
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 (AE)a fortress
and (AF)a refuge in (AG)the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, (AH)are my fortress,
(AI)the God who shows me steadfast love.
Footnotes
- Psalm 59:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 59:7 Hebrew lacks they think
- Psalm 59:10 Or The God who shows me steadfast love
- Psalm 59:11 Or wander
Cross references
- Psalm 59:1 : Ps. 57, title
- Psalm 59:1 : Ps. 16, title
- Psalm 59:1 : [1 Sam. 19:11]
- Psalm 59:1 : Ps. 143:9; [Ps. 18:48]
- Psalm 59:1 : See Ps. 20:1
- Psalm 59:1 : See Ps. 17:7
- Psalm 59:2 : Ps. 94:4
- Psalm 59:2 : Ps. 5:6
- Psalm 59:3 : Ps. 10:9
- Psalm 59:3 : See Ps. 56:6
- Psalm 59:3 : 1 Sam. 24:11; [Ps. 7:3; 69:4]
- Psalm 59:4 : See Ps. 35:23
- Psalm 59:5 : Ps. 80:4; 84:8
- Psalm 59:6 : [Ps. 22:16]
- Psalm 59:7 : Prov. 15:2, 28; [Ps. 94:4]
- Psalm 59:7 : See Ps. 57:4
- Psalm 59:7 : See Job 22:13
- Psalm 59:8 : See Ps. 2:4
- Psalm 59:9 : ver. 16, 17; See Ps. 9:9
- Psalm 59:10 : ver. 17
- Psalm 59:10 : Ps. 21:3
- Psalm 59:10 : See Ps. 54:7
- Psalm 59:11 : See Ps. 55:23
- Psalm 59:11 : See Ps. 3:3
- Psalm 59:12 : See Prov. 12:13
- Psalm 59:13 : [Ps. 7:9]
- Psalm 59:13 : Ps. 83:18
- Psalm 59:13 : Ps. 22:27
- Psalm 59:14 : [Ps. 22:16]
- Psalm 59:15 : Ps. 109:10; Job 15:23
- Psalm 59:16 : ver. 9
- Psalm 59:16 : 2 Sam. 22:3
- Psalm 59:16 : Ps. 18:6
- Psalm 59:17 : [See ver. 16 above]; ver. 9
- Psalm 59:17 : ver. 10
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
We often liken our hardships to being chased. In this psalm, David was quite literally being chased by evil and bloodthirsty men. Followers of Christ are not immune from difficulties and threats; Scripture tells us that those with biblical faith will be tested (James 1:2-4).
In life-threatening circumstances, David looked to God. His heart is troubled and he cries out to God in this psalm. However, he is not bitter because of the trouble, nor does he blame God for it. He knows that God is not punishing him (3), and he trusts in the Lord who is able to rescue him and bring justice. Although his hardship has not yet been resolved, he hopes and trusts in the Lord who has been his fortress thus far. In our own difficulties, let us trust God as David did. Let us praise him for his protection and provision.
Prayer: Father, thank you for being my fortress and refuge in times of trouble. Please help me to rely on you and sing praises to you when I am vulnerable and helpless.
One Word: God is my fortress on whom I can rely
