Psalm 59 comments

 

Psalm 59:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.» Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. 2  Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. 3  For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD. 4  They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold. 5  Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah. 6  They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 7  Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?

 

1Samuel 19:11 ¶  Saul 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. 12  So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. 13  And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth. 14  And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. 15  And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him. 16  And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster. 17  And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?

 

    18 ¶  So David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

 

David has had a close call with the agents of Saul but Saul’s daughter, David’s wife, saves him from certain murder. I think about this from Christ’s experience and from the experience of those persecuted Christians in countries like Nigeria where they are hunted like beasts. Like David we might pray ourselves one day for deliverance from wicked men. In fact, I think of this when I consider some of the people operating in our own country today.

John 15:25  But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

 

Psalm 59:8 ¶  But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. 9  Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence. 10  The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies. 11  Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield. 12  For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. 13  Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah. 14  And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 15  Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied. 16  But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. 17  Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.

 

Psalm 2:4  He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

 

Psalm 37:13  The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

 

Proverbs 1:26  I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

 

David has an abundance of faith and trust in God, who will deliver him.

 

Isaiah 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

 

 In verse 10 to prevent means to pre-event, to go on before. See how it is used elsewhere with that meaning.

 

1Thessalonians 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

 

In verse 11 David seems to be praying for those enemies that they not be killed but that their plans be destroyed as an example to others, that they be scattered.

 

David also prays for his enemies, those that seek to kill him, are frustrated as they search for him. Notice the metaphors and analogies he uses regarding scavenging dogs.

 

And yet in verse 13 David says something that sounds an awful lot to me like something Paul noted in 1Thessalonians about the end.

 

2Thessalonians 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

 

This can be a prayer in the Tribulation to come for those suffering believers who flee the Beast’s wrath unless, of course, you believe that there will be no followers of Christ left alive in the Great Tribulation.

 

Revelation 18:20  Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

 

It may also be our prayer in times of trouble to come as enemies seek to destroy those who follow Christ here, as they do in other countries even now.

 

Psalm 9:9  The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

 

Psalm 46:7  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.