Psalm 59:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: They wander about for food and growl if they do not get their fill.

NIV: They wander about for food and howl if not satisfied.

NASB: They wander about for food And murmur if they are not satisfied.

CSB: They scavenge for food; they growl if they are not satisfied.

NLT: They scavenge for food but go to sleep unsatisfied.

KJV: Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied.

NKJV: They wander up and down for food, And howl if they are not satisfied.

In this psalm, David has prayed for safety (Psalm 59:1–3). A group of men sent by Saul had waited near David's house to assassinate him. He escaped with the help of his wife, Michal (1 Samuel 19:11–16). David castigated his enemies by comparing them to a pack of feral, unclean dogs (Psalm 59:6, 14). Here, he continues that analogy. The wild dogs of ancient Jerusalem were scavengers who sometimes attacked weak animals—or people—in groups. They were never free from hunger and always looking for their next meal. In a similar way, David's enemies are relentless in their pursuit of violence (1 Samuel 20:1–3).

In the tribulation period, the beast and the false prophet (Revelation 13) will persecute righteous Israelites. Their bloodthirsty hunt for God's chosen people will resemble a flood. Revelation 12 identifies the power behind this vicious persecution. The Devil is thrown out of heaven, down to the earth, where he pursues Israel. The people of Israel flee to the wilderness, where they are nourished for three and a half years: the second half of the tribulation. But the Devil sends an army, depicted as a river, to sweep them away like a flood. Nevertheless, the Lord comes to the rescue by causing an earthquake to swallow the army (Revelation 12:13–17). Then the Devil makes war with the saved Jews and possibly saved Gentiles (Revelation 12:17).

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.