Psalms 59 - Printer Friendly

What does Psalms 59 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Although Saul was the first king of Israel, he ignored the Lord and was ultimately rejected by Him (1 Samuel 15:11). David was God's chosen successor (1 Samuel 16:13). Even though David never attempted to take over the throne, Saul was violently jealous (1 Samuel 19:9–10). This psalm was inspired by an incident where Saul sent assassins to watch David's home. The plot was foiled when David's wife—Michal, daughter of king Saul—helped David escape through a window (1 Samuel 19:11–16). David mostly praises God for the rescue he is sure will come. Yet he also calls on the Lord to bring disaster and justice to these evil ones—making this one of the so-called "imprecatory" psalms.

David begins by praying for rescue. He refers to those who attack him as "bloodthirsty" or "men of blood." These are violent people participating in evil. David often found himself in dangerous situations (1 Samuel 17:34–35, 48–49; 19:8; 2 Samuel 15:13–14). Yet, his consistent pattern was to trust in God and rely on His power (Psalm 3:1–3; 35:1–2; 54:1–3). This request is soon followed by an explanation of the activities of David's enemies (Psalm 59:1–2).

Those who lurk to attack David act like the feral dogs of ancient Israel: moving in a pack, in the night, waiting to attack unsuspecting prey. David knows their plot is based on lies and evil, because he has done nothing to deserve their violence (1 Samuel 20:1–3). Their words are violent, and they act arrogantly as if there will be no consequence for their crimes (Psalm 59:3–7).

Still, David has confidence in God's ultimate control over all things. David turns from an emphasis on his opponents to an expression of deep faith in the Lord's power. He refers to God as his "strength" and anticipates the moment of victory which is sure to come. David bases this assurance on the Lord's previous work in preserving David's life (1 Samuel 17:34–35, 48–49). David chooses faith in God's loyal and consistent love, rather than fear (Psalm 59:8–10).

Rather than a swift death, David prays that God will make an example of these enemies. Since David was able to escape, their crimes are in the form of plotting and lying. David knows Israel's history of forgetting—or ignoring—God's work on their behalf (Judges 2:16–19). He hopes their conspiracy will be revealed, and crushed, before the conspirators are completely obliterated. As with other imprecatory passages, David does not plan to take revenge himself. Instead, he trusts that God (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19) will bring retribution (Psalm 59:11–13).

The psalm ends with David comparing the animal-like, evil noises of his enemies to his own singing of praise. David expects to be rescued from this danger and to worship God once more (Psalm 59:14–17)

Psalm 59:1–8 contains David's prayer for rescue from his enemies. These men are evil and conspire against David, despite him having done nothing wrong. Yet David is assured that his God, powerful enough to control the entire world, can thwart their plots.

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.

Chapter Summary:

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.

Chapter Context:

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.

Accessed 12/18/2024 9:40:08 AM