Psalm 64 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

 ¹Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;

Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

²Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,

From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,

³Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,

And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words,

⁴That they may shoot in secret at the blameless;

Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.

⁵They encourage themselves in an evil matter;

They talk of laying snares secretly;

They say, “Who will see them?”

⁶They devise iniquities: “We have perfected a shrewd scheme.”

Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.

⁷But God shall shoot at them with an arrow;

Suddenly they shall be wounded.

⁸So He will make them stumble over their own tongue;

All who see them shall flee away.

⁹All men shall fear,

And shall declare the work of God;

For they shall wisely consider His doing.

¹⁰The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him.

And all the upright in heart shall glory.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;

Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.”

When a righteous person becomes effective, they then become a target. And so once again David is the target of evil and unjust people, people whom have set themselves against him. David begins his defense though not by his own might, nor by his own power, but by prayer, asking our God to hear his voice as he meditates on Him and his circumstances. In doing so David realizes an inner fear, for having already been through their threats and violence on several occasions, David knows that fear can easily overtake him, therefore he asks God to preserve him from it, so that he can keep living a life of faith, boldly.

Vs. 2-4 ²Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,

From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,

³Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,

And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words,

⁴That they may shoot in secret at the blameless;

Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.

David’s prayer continues by asking God to hide him from the secret plots of the wicked, from the rebellion of the workers of iniquity. For that is what they do when they target a righteous person, they first begin by undermining them with defaming speech, using all kinds of bitter words so as to make others also hate them. Arousing then all kinds of ill will and distrust against them, they then look for the workers of iniquity, people of rebellion, people who do not fear God, people of low degree, to do their bidding for them. For they don't get their hands dirty in all of this, no they employ others to do their dirty work for them. And so first they sharpen their tongue like a warrior sharpens his sword before battle, for that is their weapon of choice, then they bend their bow so that they can shoot their arrows at the ones they hate, the righteous, the blameless, shooting at them with bitter words meant to awaken and arouse much hatred, fear, and violence against us. For they, and those who listen to them, do not fear God, for slandering someone or lying about them, to them is just a means to an end, a means to accomplish their evil desires on us by arousing peoples fears and anger and turning them against us.

Vs. 5-6 ⁵They encourage themselves in an evil matter;

They talk of laying snares secretly;

They say, “Who will see them?”

⁶They devise iniquities: “We have perfected a shrewd scheme.”

Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.

Thus, united the workers of iniquity now encourage themselves in their evil plot, they talk brazenly amongst themselves of laying snares secretly so as to trap their victim in them. For they say, “Who will see them?” In other words, who will call them to account? For they have skillfully placed themselves in minds of others, or in positions of power and authority, so as to be thought of as the “good ones.” And so they devise iniquities, evil means meant ensnare someone so they might accuse them (consider Nehemiah 6:1-14), all the while saying amongst themselves, “We have perfected a shrewd scheme.” David then in his meditation comes to understand that, “Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.” In other words, the depths of evil men’s plots and schemes, the low levels that they will go to, cannot be measured.

Vs. 7-10 ⁷But God shall shoot at them with an arrow;

Suddenly they shall be wounded.

⁸So He will make them stumble over their own tongue;

All who see them shall flee away.

⁹All men shall fear,

And shall declare the work of God;

For they shall wisely consider His doing.

¹⁰The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him.

And all the upright in heart shall glory.

Even though people were plotting against David, he knows what they do not, and that is God will be the One to defeat them. For in His time and in His way he shall shoot at them, suddenly they who once were so confident in their evil ways shall be wounded! Indeed, their skilful tongues in which they trust God Himself will make them all to stumble over, and this He will do to them in the presence of men. All who see them, even those who once united themselves with them, will flee away when they see God’s judgment on them (vs.7-8). Indeed, all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God when they see His Judgment on them; for they shall wisely consider His doing (vs. 9). Therefore “the righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory.” ^{Vs. 10}

For God will bring justice for those they have attacked and ruined, amen.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson. 

 

Psalm 63 A Psalm of David When He Was in the Wilderness of Judah.

 ¹O God, You are my God;

Early will I seek You;

My soul thirsts for You;

My flesh longs for You

In a dry and thirsty land

Where there is no water.

²So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,

To see Your power and Your glory.

³Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,

My lips shall praise You.

⁴Thus I will bless You while I live;

I will lift up my hands in Your name.

⁵My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,

And my mouth shall praise

You with joyful lips.

⁶When I remember You on my bed,

I meditate on You in the night watches.

⁷Because You have been my help,

Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.

⁸My soul follows close behind You;

Your right hand upholds me.

⁹But those who seek my life, to destroy it,

Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

¹⁰They shall fall by the sword;

They shall be a portion for jackals.

¹¹But the king shall rejoice in God;

Everyone who swears by Him shall glory;

But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “O God, You are my God;

Early will I seek You;

My soul thirsts for You;

My flesh longs for You

In a dry and thirsty land

Where there is no water.”

The desire of the saints, of all believers, is not found or satisfied in this world, but in Him who sits above this world! Thus, with unshakable confidence David begins this psalm with a personal declaration to God, that He is his (my) God! For only the Lord our God who created heaven and earth, whose Son the Lord Jesus Christ now sits enthroned by Him waiting till He makes all His enemies His footstool is the God that we love, worship and long for! Early then I will seek you, for my soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You, in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water, I need You! For only in You is there Living Water that can satisfy my every thirst and my every desire! Everything else leaves me wanting.

Vs. 2 “So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,

To see Your power and Your glory.”

David’s searching for the Lord then led him to the temple’s sanctuary, just like it now leads many to the church sanctuary. And like him they too often come seeking His power and glory which they have heard so much about. And yet to experience it is not to be apprehended by natural means, for to experience God one must first receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith and then being born-again by His Holy Spirit, they will experience it, the transforming power of God’s Holy Spirit in their person and in their lives! For only through Christ is God’s power and glory found. Therefore start with the Lord Jesus Christ, with believing in Him, for apart from Him you will experience nothing genuinely from God.

Vs. 3 “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,

My lips shall praise You.”

When one experiences God’s lovingkindness they will truly say it is better than life! Better than anything in this life! For by God’s loving kindness for us all we have the Gospel given to us all, and by the Gospel, by the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilling it for us all; by suffering Crucifixion death for our sins remission and by rising from the dead the third Day we are now given new and everlasting life the moment we believe in Him! Therefore, when anyone experiences God’s grace (i.e., His absolute forgiveness of all their sins and transgression with the complete erasing of them all) their lips, my lips, shall praise Him!

Vs. 4 “Thus I will bless You while I live;

I will lift up my hands in Your name.”

This then is the result of having God’s grace for oneself. For praise and thanksgiving are the natural fruits thereof.

Vs. 5 “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,

And my mouth shall praise

You with joyful lips.”

O, how the longing soul is now satisfied and the distressed soul is put at peace by God’s grace. Therefore my mouth shall praise You, not “mechanically” as if something done out of “ritual”, but truly out of a joy filled heart!

Vs. 6-7 “When I remember You on my bed,

I meditate on You in the night watches.

⁷Because You have been my help,

Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.”

Recalling God’s faithfulness, David now tells how he meditates on God in the night watches, when there is silence all around, when there is seemingly no one in world but God, he recalls all that God’s Person has done for him, how many countless times He has been his help. Therefore, because God has been his/our help, we too shall take refuge in the shadow of His wings and rejoice in Him alone.

Vs. 8 My soul follows close behind You;

Your right hand upholds me.

Just as a chick follows closely behind its mother hen, so too we will follow closely behind Him. For it is there that we feel deeply safe and secure, for it is His right hand that upholds us. 

Vs. 9-10 ⁹But those who seek my life, to destroy it,

Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

¹⁰They shall fall by the sword;

They shall be a portion for jackals.

Looking outward than from that safe and secure place, David sees that those who are seeking to destroy his life shall all go to the lower parts of the earth, to the grave! They shall all fall by the sword, they shall all be a portion for jackals, wild canine beasts shall feed on their rotting corpses.

Vs. 11 “But the king shall rejoice in God;

Everyone who swears by Him shall glory;

But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.”

 Therefore the king shall rejoice in God, for it is of God to uphold and keep him as the head of His nation, thus everyone who swears by Him, (swears in truth allegiance to Him), shall glory. But the mouth of those who speak lies, shall have their mouths stopped, there will be no liars in Christ's Kingdom!

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson. 

 

Psalm 62 To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

 ¹Truly my soul silently waits for God;

From Him comes my salvation.

²He only is my rock and my salvation;

He is my defense;

I shall not be greatly moved.

³How long will you attack a man?

You shall be slain, all of you,

Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.

⁴They only consult to cast him down from his high position;

They delight in lies;

They bless with their mouth,

But they curse inwardly. Selah

⁵My soul, wait silently for God alone,

For my expectation is from Him.

⁶He only is my rock and my salvation;

He is my defense;

I shall not be moved.

⁷In God is my salvation and my glory;

The rock of my strength,

And my refuge, is in God.

⁸Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah

⁹Surely men of low degree are a vapor,

Men of high degree are a lie;

If they are weighed on the scales,

They are altogether lighter than vapor.

¹⁰Do not trust in oppression,

Nor vainly hope in robbery;

If riches increase,

Do not set your heart on them.

¹¹God has spoken once,

Twice I have heard this:

That power belongs to God.

¹²Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy;

For You render to each one according to his work.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “Truly my soul silently waits for God;

From Him comes my salvation.”

This is another wonderful psalm for everyone who believes in God, who knows Him, and trusts Him. It begins with silently waiting for the salvation of our Lord. For when mans words fail, when all their efforts and deeds have come to their end, and all the voices have been silenced, there is our confident expectation and hope of our God bringing His salvation to us all who wait for Him! 

Vs. 2 “He only is my rock and my salvation;

He is my defense;

I shall not be greatly moved.”

To that end our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is our rock (my Rock) and our (my) salvation. For He is our defense against all who would condemn us (Isaiah 54:17; Rom. 8:1), just as He is our defense from all the lies and deceptions of the wicked one in this world. For again He is our defense in this life and for eternal life, for He has given us new and everlasting life through His Word, when He came in the flesh and was crucified for us all to believe in Him. For when He rose from the grave He made the way for our and your eternal redemption! Therefore I shall not be greatly moved, and neither shall you, by all of this life's troubles and troublers in it, if you keep your faith and trust in Him alone. That is David’s message to us all, remember whom you believe in! For He is greater than all! For if all this worlds powers could not defeat Him, nor the devil himself, therefore they will not be able to overcome you, whether in life or death, for He is with us forever! 

Vs. 3 “How long will you attack a man?

You shall be slain, all of you,

Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.”

David now returns to his present distress, for certain men had formed a confederacy against him, attacking him with malicious words openly, while scheming things behind the scenes to kill him. Therefore, David knowing God’s defense of his person as His anointed servant knows that God Himself will deal with them all! Yes, they shall all be slain, all of them, but not by his hand, but by God's hand! Therefore, David likens them all to a leaning wall or a tottering fence whose fall is certain.

Vs. 4 “They only consult to cast him down from his high position;

They delight in lies;

They bless with their mouth,

But they curse inwardly. Selah”

And so when they consult it is not for his (or the nations) well being, but only to devise a means to cast him down from his high position. Indeed, they delight in lies, in telling lies about him to ruin him and his reputation, all the while playing the hypocrite by blessing him openly with their mouth while cursing him inwardly in their hearts. To this end David is sickened by them all.

Vs. 5-8 ⁵My soul, wait silently for God alone,

For my expectation is from Him.

⁶He only is my rock and my salvation;

He is my defense;

I shall not be moved.

⁷In God is my salvation and my glory;

The rock of my strength,

And my refuge, is in God.

⁸Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah

David then turns away from them all and turns to the Lord. Consoling himself in the presence of the Lord in their secret place. David says that he will silently wait for God alone, for my expectation is from Him (vs. 5), thus not man, but from our God and Savior who weighs everything and everyone in the scales of His just balance. For our God is our Rock and our Salvation, our defense and ultimately our justification, therefore I shall not be moved (vs. 6), for my faith and hope are in Him alone. For God is my salvation and glory, He is the One who has has placed His glory in me so that all may see Him, amen (2 Cor. 2:15-16). Therefore, He is the Rock of my strength who has made me strong and enabled me to do many things that I could have never done! Therefore he is my refuge from fear, from the stalker and the oppressor.  For He will be my refuge and resting place forever, amen (vs.7).

Therefore:

“Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah” ^{vs. 8}

Vs. 9 “Surely men of low degree are a vapor,

Men of high degree are a lie;

If they are weighed on the scales,

They are altogether lighter than vapor.”

David now denounces all men who live low lives, (likely referencing those who have risen up against him), for their persons and lives are but a vapor, here for a moment before they vanish away forever. Equally then he rejects the notion that those who are of high stature in this world are somehow superior or more noble than others, so called “royals” and dignitaries are all just sinners like everyone else. For they are not inherently more just, or righteous, or noble in character simply because of their position and stature in this world. Indeed, they are just a lie, propped up by those who need to adore and worship and trust in someone other than God. Thus, if they are weighed on the scales, they are only found to be lighter than vapor, for nothing substantive is found in them.

Vs. 10 “Do not trust in oppression,

Nor vainly hope in robbery;

If riches increase,

Do not set your heart on them.”

David now cautions against oppression, that pitfall of power that often overtakes those who need to have it, which ultimately only undermines them. Therefore those who are of “high stature” should never misuse their power to oppress others, just as men who are of low degree should never hope to raise their lot in life through robbery. For all ill begotten riches are a lie, they will leave you in the midst of your days, leaving you a sorrowful fool in the end for having ever set your heart upon them (Jer. 17:11).

Vs. 11-12 ¹¹God has spoken once,

Twice I have heard this:

That power belongs to God.

¹²Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy;

For You render to each one according to his work.

In concluding this Psalm, David reveals that God had spoken to him, twice in fact, reminding him that power, all power belongs to God (vs. 10). Therefore, David in humble submission to Him also declares that to the Lord belongs mercy, for it is of God to render to each one according to his work.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson. 

Psalm 61 To the Chief Musician. On A Stringed Instrument. A Psalm of David.

 ¹Hear my cry, O God;

Attend to my prayer.

²From the end of the earth I will cry to You,

When my heart is overwhelmed;

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

³For You have been a shelter for me,

A strong tower from the enemy.

⁴I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;

I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah

⁵For You, O God, have heard my vows;

You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.

⁶You will prolong the king’s life,

His years as many generations.

⁷He shall abide before God forever.

Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him!

⁸So I will sing praise to Your name forever,

That I may daily perform my vows.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “Hear my cry, O God;

Attend to my prayer.”

In times of our despair there is but One to turn to, our God whom David turns to, asking our God to attend to his prayer.

Vs. 2 “From the end of the earth I will cry to You,

When my heart is overwhelmed;

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

 

Whether at home or abroad, whether in a church sanctuary, or out in the world somewhere, there is no place where we cannot cry out to our God. And this we should always do when our heart is overwhelmed, when we cannot see anyway forward, or anyway beyond our current despair, please Lord lead us to the rock, Your place, which is higher than I. Thus, God’s understanding is requested to enlighten and broaden ours, which always brings us confidence and quiet consolation by trusting Him.

Vs. 3 “For You have been a shelter for me,

A strong tower from the enemy.”

How quickly we can move from despair to assurance when we recall God’s faithfulness towards us. Yes, the many times He sheltered us, the many times He protected us, the many times He saved us from..., Just think then of your life and how He has made a way to bring you here, incredible!

Vs. 4 “I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;

I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah”

This then is the confidence of everyone who believes in and belongs to the Lord, for forever we are secured with Him and by Him (John 10:27-30; Eph. 1:13-14). Therefore, I will trust in the shelter of Your wings, in Your overshadowing Presence which is with me wherever I go and whatever state I am in. Thus David draws an analogy from the baby chick which takes refuge under the shelter of its mothers’ wings, as it waddles and walks through this life, and this life’s predators.

Vs. 5 “For You, O God, have heard my vows;

You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.”

David now recalls that He had vowed to God, has committed himself to him, to be his servant forever, thus God in receiving him has given him the heritage of those who fear His Name, that is He not only chose David for Himself, but He has secured David and his legacy with Himself (see 2 Samuel 7:1-28).

Vs. 6-8 ⁶You will prolong the king’s life,

His years as many generations.

⁷He shall abide before God forever.

Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him!

⁸So I will sing praise to Your name forever,

That I may daily perform my vows.

Though David began this prayer in despair, he now concludes it in exaltation! For he knows that it God will secure his life, that He has spoken of prolonging not only his life, but his legacy for many generations to come. Thus David knows that he shall abide before God forever (which can also be said of our Lord and Savior Himself). Therefore, David asks that God prepare mercy and truth which may preserve him/Him. For without God’s mercy and truth no one could be with Him (consider John 1:17). Therefore, in verse eight David sees both eternity “I will praise You forever” and the here and now. For he now needs God’s mercy and truth (like we all do) to daily perform his vows to Him.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson. 

 

 

Psalm 60 To the Chief Musician. Set to “Lily of the Testimony.” A Michtam of David. For Teaching. When He Fought Against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab Returned and Killed Twelve Thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

¹O God, You have cast us off;

You have broken us down;

You have been displeased;

Oh, restore us again!

²You have made the earth tremble;

You have broken it;

Heal its breaches, for it is shaking.

³You have shown Your people hard things;

You have made us drink the wine of confusion.

⁴You have given a banner to those who fear You,

That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah

⁵That Your beloved may be delivered,

Save with Your right hand, and hear me.

⁶God has spoken in His holiness:

“I will rejoice;

I will divide Shechem

And measure out the Valley of Succoth.

⁷Gilead is Mine,

and Manasseh is Mine;

Ephraim also is the helmet for My head;

Judah is My lawgiver.

⁸Moab is My washpot;

Over Edom I will cast My shoe;

Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me.”

⁹Who will bring me to the strong city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

¹⁰Is it not You, O God, who cast us off?

And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies?

¹¹Give us help from trouble,

For the help of man is useless.

¹²Through God we will do valiantly,

For it is He who shall tread down our enemies. 

Preamble: This Psalm comes on the heels of Israel suffering military defeat at the hands of Syria and Edom. From this David sees their defeat as God’s displeasure at the nation, for as history has shown when the nation rebels against the Lord He very often will give them to defeat before their enemies to return them to Himself (consider Joshua 7:10-15; Judges 2:1-5; 2 Chr. 14:8-15; Psalm 106:34-38 etc.). Therefore, when necessary, God has withdrawn His hand from helping them. This Psalm then is David seeking to have the favor of our Lord restored to them, because God is not beholding to either a man or a nation, no matter who they are, never forget that!

Vs. 1 “O God, You have cast us off;

You have broken us down;

You have been displeased;

Oh, restore us again!”

In seeking understanding and ultimately God’s restoration, David does not come to the Lord from a place of privilege or entitlement, as if God must always act for Israel’s (or anyone else’s defense). Instead, he comes humbled and broken before the Lord acknowledging that their defeat is because the Lord had cast them off, that through the hands of their enemies God has broken them, because He has been displeased with them. Therefore, David asks that He restore them again.

Vs. 2 “You have made the earth tremble;

You have broken it;

Heal its breaches, for it is shaking.”

God’s Sovereignty and Power is now declared, for He alone makes the earth tremble, for He alone can break it, and He alone can heal it. This then is symbolic of the nation of Israel as a whole.

Vs. 3 “You have shown Your people hard things;

You have made us drink the wine of confusion.

Yes, not just then, but throughout their history God has shown Israel hard things, for when they stiffen their necks and harden their hearts towards Him, He has made them drink the wine of confusion, as chastisement yes, but also to return them to Himself, so that they may come to see that their ways are not always His ways!

Vs. 4-5 ⁴You have given a banner to those who fear You,

That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah

⁵That Your beloved may be delivered,

Save with Your right hand, and hear me.

In contrast then to being stiff necked and rebellious and reaping that, there is the Lord’s banner which He unfolds before all who fear Him, who believe Him and seek to obey Him, that it may be displayed before all because of the truth. For that was God’s purpose in creating the nation of Israel to bring forth His truth into the world through them which culminated through His Son Jesus Christ, who has come! Therefore, God’s banner, Yahweh Nissi; which means the Lord is my banner; now flies over all His beloved, over all who believe and have received His Son. This David then claims for himself as a beloved servant of God, who then did not have full access too his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but was living in great anticipation of Him, therefore as a faithful servant of God; appointed then as ruler of the nation, he asks that He save them with His right hand, that He hear his prayer and help them.

Vs. 6 God has spoken in His holiness:

“I will rejoice;

I will divide Shechem

And measure out the Valley of Succoth.

God’s response to David’s prayer for help is now heard in verses six to eight. God speaking in His Holiness now declares that He will rejoice, (for He Himself will make Himself victorious over all His enemies), therefore He will divide Shechem and measure out the Valley of Succoth, meaning He will retake all of Israel’s territory that their enemies have now captured and occupied.

Vs. 7 “Gilead is Mine,

and Manasseh is Mine;

Ephraim also is the helmet for My head;

Judah is My lawgiver.”

Therefore, God now declares that Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine, thus the entire trans Jordan region and the entire region of Manasseh on either side of the Jordan, God will now take back from their enemies, for all of it is His! And in this Ephraim, Manasseh’s older brother shall lead, for he is the helmet for My head say’s God. Judah then according to Jacob’s prophecy (Gen. 49:10) shall then be the seat from where His Government shall rule, for it shall be from there that the Lord Jesus Christ’s Reign shall forever be!

Vs. 8 Moab is My washpot;

Over Edom I will cast My shoe;

Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me.”

God now declares His contempt for Moab and Edom, declaring to Moab that it shall be His washpot, that is a place for washing of ones dirtied hands and feet. And next door is Edom, the nation descended from Esau, which has always been a thorn in the side of Israel, therefore over it, God says He will cast His shoe, thus He will have victory over it and keep it in perpetual subjugation as long as it exists. Interestingly though God tells Philistia to shout in triumph because of Me, because of God’s most just judgments being rendered in the earth.

Vs. 9-12 ⁹Who will bring me to the strong city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

¹⁰Is it not You, O God, who cast us off?

And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies?

¹¹Give us help from trouble,

For the help of man is useless.

¹²Through God we will do valiantly,

For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.

The speaker now changes back to David, who upon understanding God’s intentions on Israel's enemies now desires to see them all fulfilled! Therefore, he says who will bring me to the strong city, who will lead me to Edom? (vs.9) Which is not a question, so much as it is a supplication, for as David acknowledges in verses 10-11 unless our God goes out with them, they can do nothing in of themselves. Therefore, David asks that God would give them help, for the help of man is useless. Which is a profound and true statement, for turning to individuals, or nations, or their armies, or anything else for one’s defense, for Israel’s defense, has been its archils heal throughout its history. Don’t let it then be yours! Therefore, with his eyes focused on our God as his leader, as the nations Commander, Leader and King (Joshua 5:14; Hosea 13:9-11; Psalm 74:12), David closes by saying: “Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.”

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson. 

Psalm 59 To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David When Saul Sent Men, and They Watched the House in Order to Kill Him.

 ¹Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;

Defend me from those who rise up against me.

²Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,

And save me from bloodthirsty men.

³For look, they lie in wait for my life;

The mighty gather against me,

Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord.

⁴They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine.

Awake to help me, and behold!

⁵You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel,

Awake to punish all the nations;

Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah

⁶At evening they return,

They growl like a dog,

And go all around the city.

⁷Indeed, they belch with their mouth;

Swords are in their lips;

For they say, “Who hears?”

⁸But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them;

You shall have all the nations in derision.

⁹I will wait for You,

O You his Strength;

For God is my defense.

¹⁰My God of mercy shall come to meet me;

God shall let me see my desire on my enemies.

¹¹Do not slay them, lest my people forget;

Scatter them by Your power,

And bring them down, O Lord our shield.

¹²For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips,

Let them even be taken in their pride,

And for the cursing and lying which they speak.

¹³Consume them in wrath, consume them,

That they may not be;

And let them know that God rules in Jacob

To the ends of the earth. Selah

¹⁴And at evening they return,

They growl like a dog,

And go all around the city.

¹⁵They wander up and down for food,

And howl if they are not satisfied.

¹⁶But I will sing of Your power;

Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;

For You have been my defense

And refuge in the day of my trouble.

¹⁷To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises;

For God is my defense, My God of mercy.

Preamble: This Psalm is one of David’s earliest Psalms, when he became aware of Saul’s desire to kill him (see 1 Samuel 19:9-20:42).

Commentary

Vs. 1-2 ¹Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;

Defend me from those who rise up against me.

²Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,

And save me from bloodthirsty men.

David’s opens this Psalm with a passionate plea to our God to deliver him from his enemies and defend him from all those who had risen up against him. For though he was a loyal servant he was now desperately trying to escape Saul and his men who were seeking him in Jerusalem, and so David now knows that there was but a step between him and death.  

Vs. 3-4 ³For look, they lie in wait for my life;

The mighty gather against me,

Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord.

⁴They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine.

Awake to help me, and behold!

 David's desperation and despair in prayer continues as he tells our God how he is being fiercely hunted by Saul’s men who had gone to his house at Saul’s orders to bring him to Saul so that he might kill him; but not for his transgression, or for his sin, since he had done nothing against Saul, or the kingdom, but only because Saul in his spiritually tormented and paranoid state now sees David as a “threat” to his own reign’s tenure. And so, Saul continually imagines David plotting all kinds of evil schemes against him to overthrow him, when none of it is true. What then can David do? For Saul will not be appeased, he’s tried that time and again, and Saul’s men, well there only interested in killing him, therefore David cries to God to awake and help him, to look upon what they are doing and save him. It is in these moments that even a mighty warrior like David needs and gains a deeper dependence upon our God.

Vs. 5 “You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel,

Awake to punish all the nations;

Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah”

David’s cry now turns from justice for himself, to justice for our Lord, that He would look upon the unbelieving nations and wicked therewithin, and punish them all, and not be merciful to any wicked transgressors, since David has learned much about them through his own experiences in being hunted by them.

Vs. 6 “At evening they return,

They growl like a dog,

And go all around the city.”

And so while in hiding David observes their coming in and going out, he sees them return in evening to Jerusalem growling like dogs as they go all around the city still looking for him, and always wanting to harm him.

Vs. 7 Indeed, they belch with their mouth;

Swords are in their lips;

For they say, “Who hears?”

So confident are they in their wicked ways and lives that they openly belch while consuming their intoxicating drink well into the night hours. And with swords in their lips they defame David and boast of all their evil desires against him, for there is no fear of God in them, for they say, “Who hears”.

Vs. 8 “But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them;

You shall have all the nations in derision.”

Though they think no one hears David knows that God hears them all, and He shall laugh at them when He repays them, everyone and every nation that has openly and boastfully rejected Him shall know the immense fury of the Lord. No one then shall be boastful or confident on that Day, for He shall have all the nations in derision.

Vs. 9-10 “I will wait for You,

O You his Strength;

For God is my defense.

¹⁰My God of mercy shall come to meet me;

God shall let me see my desire on my enemies.”

Therefore David will wait for the Lord to avenge him, for both himself and even the nation of Israel collectively, for they will know God’s vengeance for them and defense of them. Therefore, David now boldly proclaims, “My God of mercy shall come to meet me; God shall let me see my desire on my enemies.” This promise then will apply to all who believe, who due justly and live righteously for Him.

Vs. 11-13 ¹¹Do not slay them, lest my people forget;

Scatter them by Your power,

And bring them down, O Lord our shield.

¹²For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips,

Let them even be taken in their pride,

And for the cursing and lying which they speak.

¹³Consume them in wrath, consume them,

That they may not be;

And let them know that God rules in Jacob

To the ends of the earth. Selah

David’s prayer here is heightened by his knowledge of God's defense of him, and yet he asks that God would not immediately avenge Himself on them, lest the people forget. For if God were to suddenly strike them down with one blow soon afterwards people would forget them and how they had united and exalted themselves against Him. Therefore, David asks that God first scatter them by His power, making them an astonishment wherever He drives them, so those who see them will fear how He by His power is dealing with them. Then as He does so bring them all down before all, for the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, (as there is no repentance from such people), therefore let them all be taken in their pride, and for the cursing that they speak, consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be, so that all will know that God rules in Jacob (i.e., all of believing Israel), even to the ends of the earth. Selah

Vs. 14-15 ¹⁴And at evening they return,

They growl like a dog,

And go all around the city.

¹⁵They wander up and down for food,

And howl if they are not satisfied.

David now returns to the present scene, the violent and vile men hunting for David’s life have now returned to the city, who growl like a dog as they go all around the city looking for him, wandering up and down its streets they also look for their food and they howl if they are not satisfied. Living only then to satisfy their basest bodily appetites, these are the most contemptable people of all.

Vs. 16-17 ¹⁶But I will sing of Your power;

Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;

For You have been my defense

And refuge in the day of my trouble.

¹⁷To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises;

For God is my defense, My God of mercy.

Even though dogs surround David, he still delights in singing to the Lord and praising His power: 

"Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;

For You have been my defense

And refuge in the day of my trouble." 

For the Lord has been his (our) Strength, He is the One who upholds us all by His Power, and not only that the Lord is our defense, from ungodly and wicked men, but also Satan who rules over them. For our God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is David's refuge, our refuge, in the day of our trouble, amen. 

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.