Psalms 59
Big idea: Soldiers are outside the house waiting for morning. The psalm compares them to a pack of dogs — they return at evening, howling, prowling around the city, wandering up and down for food, waiting all night if they aren't satisfied — and the image is repeated deliberately, once before God answers and once after. What changes is not the dogs. It is that verse 8 has happened in between: but you, Yahweh, laugh at them. And the psalm's oddest request is verse 11: don't kill them, or my people may forget.
Psalm 59 sings in the morning after a night of dogs. Psalm 60 wakes up after a defeat.
59:1–8 — But you, Yahweh, laugh at them
The title puts this at a house under surveillance overnight, and the psalm's central image matches it exactly: dogs that come back at evening and circle the city. The enemies are not described as strong but as NOISY and patient, and their confidence rests on one sentence — 'who hears us?' The movement answers that question and nothing else, with a laugh borrowed from Psalm 2.
1 For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Save me from the bloodthirsty men. 3 For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh. 4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me! 5 You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah. 6 They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city. 7 Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, “For”, they say, “who hears us?” 8 But you, Yahweh, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations.
59:9–17 — I will sing aloud in the morning
The second half repeats the dog verse almost exactly, so the surveillance is heard twice — but the second time it is followed by hunger rather than menace. And in the middle sits a request most readers pass over: don't KILL them, or my people will forget. What is asked for is a living monument rather than a clean victory, which is a strange and thought-out preference.
9 Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, for God is my high tower. 10 My God will go before me with his loving kindness. God will let me look at my enemies in triumph. 11 Don’t kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield. 12 For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride, for the curses and lies which they utter. 13 Consume them in wrath. Consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth. Selah. 14 At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city. 15 They shall wander up and down for food, and wait all night if they aren’t satisfied. 16 But I will sing of your strength. Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning. For you have been my high tower, a refuge in the day of my distress. 17 To you, my strength, I will sing praises. For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).