Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up 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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 19:11–24Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David’s wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.
- Ps 18:48He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
- Ps 57:1Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
- Isa 33:16He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
- Luke 1:74–75That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
- 2 Cor 11:32–33In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:
- Ps 143:9Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
- Ps 7:1–2O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
- Ps 71:4Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
- 2 Tim 4:17–18Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
- Ps 12:5For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
- Ps 20:1The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
- Ps 143:12And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.
- Judg 16:2–3And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
- Ps 91:14Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
- Ps 58:1Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye 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.