For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise against me.
Parallel translations
- WEB For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.
- KJV Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.
- NKJV Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Defend me from those who rise up against me.
- NASB Rescue me from my enemies, my God; Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.
- NLT Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David, hunted by Saul's men who watched his house to kill him, pleads for God to deliver and protect him. It models turning to God first in mortal danger.
Overview
The heading sets this psalm against the historical backdrop of 1 Samuel 19, when Saul sought David's life. David's opening cry asks God to rescue and set him on high, beyond the reach of his attackers. His instinct to seek refuge in God rather than in his own strength foreshadows the trust believers place in the Lord who is our deliverer.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- 1 Sam 19:11–24Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!”
- Ps 18:48who delivers me from my enemies. You exalt me above my foes; You rescue me from violent men.
- Ps 57:1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul into the cave. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy, for in You my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of Your wings I will take shelter until the danger has passed.
- Isa 33:16he will dwell on the heights; the mountain fortress will be his refuge; his food will be provided and his water assured.
- Luke 1:74–75deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear,
- 2 Cor 11:32–33In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me.
- Ps 143:9Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD; I flee to You for refuge.
- Ps 7:1–2A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite. O LORD my God, I take refuge in You; save me and deliver me from all my pursuers,
- Ps 71:4Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and ruthless.
- 2 Tim 4:17–18But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion.
- Ps 12:5“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”
- Ps 20:1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
- Ps 143:12And in Your loving devotion, cut off my enemies. Destroy all who afflict me, for I am Your servant.
- Judg 16:2–3When the Gazites heard that Samson was there, they surrounded that place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They were quiet throughout the night, saying, “Let us wait until dawn; then we will kill him.”
- Ps 91:14“Because he loves Me, I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him.
- Ps 58:1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 59:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.