What does Psalm 59:9 mean?

David's life was filled with dangerous experiences (1 Samuel 17:34–35, 48–49; 19:8; 2 Samuel 15:13–14). His psalms reflect those tense moments (Psalm 3:1–3; 35:1–2; 54:1–3) along with a deliberate choice to derive courage from the Lord God. Here, David refers to God as "my Strength," and speaks of the Lord as his "fortress." This echoes the words of Psalm 18, where David also expressed his trust in God's protection (Psalm 18:1–3).

This marks a turning point in Psalm 59. In the previous verses, David's focus was on his enemies. Now his attention turns to the Lord. David is confident that God will protect him and keep him safe from Saul and his bloodthirsty men (Psalm 59:1–3). He "watches" with expectation, assuming the Lord will answer his plea. Believers throughout history have sometimes lived in hateful environments. The Devil and the hostile world system are believers' vicious foes. However, as the apostle John points out, believers in Christ "are from God and have overcome [false spirits], for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).