Psalm 59:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Kill them not, lest my people forget; make them totter by your power and bring them down, O Lord, our shield!

NIV: But do not kill them, Lord our shield, or my people will forget. In your might uproot them and bring them down.

NASB: Do not kill them, or my people will forget; Scatter them by Your power and bring them down, Lord, our shield.

CSB: Do not kill them; otherwise, my people will forget. By your power, make them homeless wanderers and bring them down, Lord, our shield.

NLT: Don’t kill them, for my people soon forget such lessons; stagger them with your power, and bring them to their knees, O Lord our shield.

KJV: Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield.

NKJV: Do not slay them, lest my people forget; Scatter them by Your power, And bring them down, O Lord our shield.

This is one of the "imprecatory" psalms. These songs request God to bring disaster and devastation on wicked people (Psalm 5; 58; 137). In another of these passages, David used graphic terminology against his enemies (Psalm 58:6–8). Here, the men who oppose him act like predators and animals (Psalm 59:1–7). Rather than wishing his attackers a speedy death, David calls on the Lord to prolong the process of their defeat. As much as David wishes to be rescued, he also wants these men made into an example for others before they meet their doom (Psalm 59:13).

David's thoughts seem aimed at the nation of Israel. The Old Testament records many times when God's chosen people forgot—or chose to ignore—His miraculous work on their behalf (Judges 2:16–19). The concern here seems to be that an instant defeat of Saul's assassins (1 Samuel 19:11–16) would be easily missed or forgotten by the people. A drawn-out, public defeat would make a clear example of those who deal in evil. In this instance, David wants to see his enemies punished for their plotting with prideful, conspiring words (Psalm 59:12).

As with other imprecatory psalms, David does not declare intent to take revenge, himself. Nor does he ask God for permission to act. Rather, David calls on the Lord to do as He will, trusting that He is good. He views the Lord as the ultimate source of protection, for both the believer and the nation of Israel. This is a common image in the psalms (Psalm 7:10; 18:2, 30; 28:7; 33:20; 84:11; 115:9–11; 119:14; 144:2). The idea was established well before the nation of Israel, however. When Abram might have feared that the king of Sodom would take revenge on him for refusing a reward, the Lord appeared to him in a vision and said, "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great" (Genesis 15:1).

Psalm 59:9–17 delivers an appropriate climax to David's cry for deliverance from his enemies. David puts his trust in God. He anticipates divine wrath being poured out on his unclean, beastly enemies. He also looks forward to more opportunities to offer praise for God's protection and love. As part of an "imprecatory" psalm, David calls on the Lord to make His retribution harsh and public, so the world will see it and acknowledge God.

David prays, asking the Lord to deliver him from a lurking band of bloodthirsty enemies. He calls on the God of Israel to make an example of these lying, evil men, and to destroy them entirely. Rather than despair, David firmly trusts in the Lord and looks forward to victory. David concludes his psalm with praise to the Lord, his Strength, whose love is loyal. David praises God for being his fortress and shelter.

This is one of many psalms where David prays for rescue from his enemies (Psalm 3:1–3; 7:1–2; 54:1–2). King Saul jealously sent men to wait outside David's home to assassinate him (1 Samuel 19:11–16), but David was able to escape with the help of his wife. Because David asks for the Lord to severely judge the wicked, this is considered one of the "imprecatory" psalms, along with Psalms 5, 10, 58, 69, 83, 109, 137, 140, and others.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.