Psalms 59:11
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Do not kill them, or my people will forget. Scatter them by Your power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
This psalm is of the same nature and scope with six or seven foregoing psalms; they are all filled with David's complaints of the malice of his enemies and of their cursed and cruel designs against him, his prayers and prophecies against them, and his comfort and confidence in God as his God. The first is the language of nature, and may be allowed; the second of a prophetical spirit, looking forward to Christ and the enemies of his kingdom, and therefore not to be drawn into a precedent; the third of grace and a most holy faith, which ought to be imitated by every one of us. In this psalm, I. He prays to God to defend and deliver him from his enemies, representing them as very bad men, barbarous, malicious, and atheistical (Psa 59:1-7). II. He foresees and foretels the destruction of his enemies, which he would give to God the glory of (Psa 59:8-17). As far as it appears that any of the particular enemies of God's people fall under these characters, we may, in singing this psalm, read their doom and foresee their ruin. To the chief musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David, when Saul sent and they watched the house to kill him.
Open source ↗59:11-13 The psalmist prays that the wicked will be forced to endure the same agonizing pain they have caused.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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But You, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.
Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.
Then the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you.
In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, but death will escape them.
Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin; He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
Look on every proud man and humble him; trample the wicked where they stand.
Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country stay out of the city.
But I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you as your land becomes desolate and your cities are laid waste.
Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.