Psalms 59:4
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For no fault of my own, they move swiftly to attack me. Arise to help me, and take notice.
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 ↗59:4-5 The psalmist asks God to show the treacherous, deceptive, and wicked traitors no mercy (see 25:2).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Awake and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!
Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.
“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
You destroy those who tell lies; the LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD. Wake up as in days past, as in generations of old. Was it not You who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced through the dragon?
Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him down to you on the pretext of examining his case more carefully. We are ready to kill him on the way.”
Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake.
Wake up, O Lord! Why are You sleeping? Arise! Do not reject us forever.