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59. Psalm 59

¹ Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.
² Deliver me from evildoers
and save me from those who are after my blood.

    ³ See how they lie in wait for me!
   Fierce men conspire against me
   for no offense or sin of mine, LORD.
⁴ I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
   Arise to help me; look on my plight!
⁵ You, LORD God Almighty,
   you who are the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
   show no mercy to wicked traitors. The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.

    ⁶ They return at evening,
   snarling like dogs,
   and prowl about the city.
⁷ See what they spew from their mouths—
   the words from their lips are sharp as swords,
   and they think, “Who can hear us?”
⁸ But you laugh at them, LORD;
   you scoff at all those nations.

    ⁹ You are my strength, I watch for you;
   you, God, are my fortress,
    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, Or sovereign
   or my people will forget.
In your might uproot them
   and bring them down.
¹² For the sins of their mouths,
   for the words of their lips,
   let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,
    ¹³ consume them in your wrath,
   consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
   that God rules over Jacob.

    ¹⁴ They return at evening,
   snarling like dogs,
   and prowl about the city.
¹⁵ They wander about for food
   and howl if not satisfied.
¹⁶ But I will sing of your strength,
   in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
   my refuge in times of trouble.

    ¹⁷ You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
   you, God, are my fortress,
   my God on whom I can rely.

6. They will return at evening. He compares his enemies to famished and furious dogs which hunger impels to course with endless circuits in every direction, and under this figure accuses their insatiable fierceness, shown in the ceaseless activity to which they were instigated by the desire of mischief. He says that they return in the evening, to intimate, not that they rested at other times, but were indefatigable in pursuing their evil courses. If they came no speed through the day, yet the night would find them at their work. The barking of dogs aptly expressed as a figure the formidable nature of their assaults.