For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by Dawud1, when Talut sent, and they watched the house to kill him.2
1Deliver me from my enemies, my God.
Set me on high from those who rise up against me.
2Deliver me from the workers of iniquity.
Save me from the bloodthirsty men.
3For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul.
The mighty gather themselves together against me,
Not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, YAHWEH3.
4I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
Rise up, behold, and help me!
5You, YAHWEH God All-Powerful, the God of Israel,
Rouse yourself to punish all the nations.
Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.
6They return at evening, howling like dogs,
And prowl around the city.
7Behold, they spew with their mouth.
Swords are in their lips,
“For,” they say, “who hears us?”
8But you, YAHWEH, laugh at them.
You scoff at all the nations.
9Oh, my Strength, I watch for you,
For God is my high tower.
10My God will go before me with his loving kindness.
God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.
11Do not kill them, or my people may forget.
Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.
12For 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.
13Consume them in wrath.
Consume them, and they will be no more.
Let them know that God rules in Yaqub,
To the ends of the earth. Selah.
14At evening let them return.
Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.
15They shall wander up and down for food,
And wait all night if they aren’t satisfied.
16But 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.
17To you, my strength, I will sing praises.
For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.
- 59:title Dawud, this Arabic name is derived from David (Hebrew) and means “Beloved.” ↩︎
- 59:title Referring to the Taurat, 1 Samuel 19:11-12 which says: “Talut sent messengers to Dawud’s house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning: and Michal, Dawud’s wife, told him, ‘If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be slain.’ So Michal let Dawud down through the window: and he went, and fled, and escaped.” ↩︎
- 59:3 YAHWEH, God’s personal Name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15: ‘God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”’ ↩︎