CORPUS-PSALTERIUMVol. III
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Corpus Psalterium · Vol. III

Psalm LIX (59)

Cantillated — Imprecatory Lament Turning

Paul Whitehorn

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Psalm 59 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.

Heb 1

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.

לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ אַל־תַּשְׁחֵת֮ לְדָוִ֪ד מִ֫כְתָּ֥ם בִּשְׁלֹ֥חַ שָׁא֑וּל וַֽיִּשְׁמְר֥וּ אֶת־הַ֝בַּ֗יִת לַהֲמִיתֽוֹ׃

1Heb 2

Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.

הַצִּילֵ֖נִי מֵאֹיְבַ֥י ׀ אֱלֹהָ֑י מִּמִתְקוֹמְמַ֥י תְּשַׂגְּבֵֽנִי׃

2Heb 3

Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Save me from the bloodthirsty men.

הַ֭צִּילֵנִי מִפֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן וּֽמֵאַנְשֵׁ֥י דָ֝מִ֗ים הוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃

3Heb 4

For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh.

כִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה אָֽרְב֡וּ לְנַפְשִׁ֗י יָג֣וּרוּ עָלַ֣י עַזִ֑ים לֹא־פִשְׁעִ֖י וְלֹא־חַטָּאתִ֣י יְהוָֽה׃

4Heb 5

I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me!

בְּֽלִי־עָ֭וֺן יְרוּצ֣וּן וְיִכּוֹנָ֑נוּ ע֖וּרָה לִקְרָאתִ֣י וּרְאֵה׃

5Heb 6

You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.

וְאַתָּ֤ה יְהוָֽה־אֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ צְבָא֡וֹת אֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הָקִ֗יצָה לִפְקֹ֥ד כָּֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם אַל־תָּחֹ֨ן כָּל־בֹּ֖גְדֵי אָ֣וֶן סֶֽלָה׃

6Heb 7

They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city.

יָשׁ֣וּבוּ לָ֭עֶרֶב יֶהֱמ֥וּ כַכָּ֗לֶב וִיס֥וֹבְבוּ עִֽיר׃

7Heb 8

Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, “For”, they say, “who hears us?”

הִנֵּ֤ה ׀ יַבִּ֘יע֤וּן בְּפִיהֶ֗ם חֲ֭רָבוֹת בְּשִׂפְתוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם כִּי־מִ֥י שֹׁמֵֽעַ׃

8Heb 9

But you, Yahweh, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations.

וְאַתָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה תִּשְׂחַק־לָ֑מוֹ תִּ֝לְעַ֗ג לְכָל־גּוֹיִֽם׃

9Heb 10

Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, for God is my high tower.

עֻ֭זּוֹ אֵלֶ֣יךָ אֶשְׁמֹ֑רָה כִּֽי־אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים מִשְׂגַּבִּֽי׃

10Heb 11

My God will go before me with his loving kindness. God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.

אֱלֹהֵ֣י חסדו יְקַדְּמֵ֑נִי אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים יַרְאֵ֥נִי בְשֹׁרְרָֽי׃

11Heb 12

Don’t kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.

אַל־תַּהַרְגֵ֤ם ׀ פֶּֽן־יִשְׁכְּח֬וּ עַמִּ֗י הֲנִיעֵ֣מוֹ בְ֭חֵילְךָ וְהוֹרִידֵ֑מוֹ מָֽגִנֵּ֣נוּ אֲדֹנָֽי׃

12Heb 13

For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride, for the curses and lies which they utter.

חַטַּאת־פִּ֗ימוֹ דְּֽבַר־שְׂפָ֫תֵ֥ימוֹ וְיִלָּכְד֥וּ בִגְאוֹנָ֑ם וּמֵאָלָ֖ה וּמִכַּ֣חַשׁ יְסַפֵּֽרוּ׃

13Heb 14

Consume them in wrath. Consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth. Selah.

כַּלֵּ֥ה בְחֵמָה֮ כַּלֵּ֪ה וְֽאֵ֫ינֵ֥מוֹ וְֽיֵדְע֗וּ כִּֽי־אֱ֭לֹהִים מֹשֵׁ֣ל בְּיַעֲקֹ֑ב לְאַפְסֵ֖י הָאָ֣רֶץ סֶֽלָה׃

14Heb 15

At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.

וְיָשׁ֣וּבוּ לָ֭עֶרֶב יֶהֱמ֥וּ כַכָּ֗לֶב וִיס֥וֹבְבוּ עִֽיר׃

15Heb 16

They shall wander up and down for food, and wait all night if they aren’t satisfied.

הֵ֭מָּה ינועון לֶאֱכֹ֑ל אִם־לֹ֥א יִ֝שְׂבְּע֗וּ וַיָּלִֽינוּ׃

16Heb 17

But I will sing of your strength. Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning. For you have been my high tower, a refuge in the day of my distress.

וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ אָשִׁ֣יר עֻזֶּךָ֮ וַאֲרַנֵּ֥ן לַבֹּ֗קֶר חַ֫סְדֶּ֥ךָ כִּֽי־הָיִ֣יתָ מִשְׂגָּ֣ב לִ֑י וּ֝מָנ֗וֹס בְּי֣וֹם צַר־לִֽי׃

17Heb 18

To you, my strength, I will sing praises. For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.

עֻ֭זִּי אֵלֶ֣יךָ אֲזַמֵּ֑רָה כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִ֥ים מִ֝שְׂגַּבִּ֗י אֱלֹהֵ֥י חַסְדִּֽי׃

Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.

Deliver me

from my enemies, my God

Set me high

above those who rise

Deliver me

from workers of evil

From men of blood

save me

They lie in wait

for my soul

The strong gather

against me

Not my transgression

not my sin

Without fault

they run and prepare

Awake to meet me

and see

O Lord God of hosts

God of Israel

Rise up

to visit the nations

You are my fortress

my God

You laugh at them

You see

You are my strength

my God

My refuge

in trouble

They return at evening

they howl like dogs

They circle the city

they speak with swords

Words from their lips

who hears

But You, O Lord

laugh at them

You mock

the nations

My strength

I watch for You

God is my fortress

my God of mercy

God will meet me

before my enemies

You are my fortress

my God

You stand before me

You see

You are my strength

my God

My refuge

in trouble

Do not kill them

lest my people forget

Make them wander

bring them down

Our shield

O Lord

For the sin of their mouth

their words

Let them be taken

in pride

Consume them

consume them

You are my fortress

my God

You rule over Jacob

to the ends of earth

You are my strength

my God

My refuge

in trouble

But I will sing

of Your strength

I will sing aloud

of Your mercy

In the morning

For You have been

my fortress

My refuge

in the day of trouble

My strength

to You I sing

My God

my mercy

Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.

Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.

About these songs. They are a summary and a commentary on the Psalms, not a word-for-word translation. Read what these songs are →

What These Songs Are, and What They Are Not

These songs are not a word-for-word translation of the Psalms. They were never meant to be. Nor do they try to capture every idea in every psalm. In a song, that would be impossible.

What we have done is capture the essence of each psalm: what matters most in it. Think of each song as a summary. Think of it as a cheat sheet. The purpose of the psalm is still being met. God's word to mankind is still being heard.

Behind many of these lines is word research: deep study of the meaning of the Hebrew. So where a line sounds different from your translation, and you think it is wrong, study it. We believe you will find that the essence of what we sing is true.

The truth is that no one can set the Psalms to music without also becoming a commentator. That is what this is. It is a modern commentary on the Psalms: not only the Psalms themselves, and not only the Psalms being sung. So do not think that every word of the psalm is here. It is not. Read the psalm itself, in full.

Why do this at all? Because we believe God intended humanity to be surrounded by His word. This was always the entertainment He wanted us to have: not hours of television, not a day lost in a phone looking at nonsense. The blessed man of Psalm 1 meditates on God's word day and night. How can we meditate on His word if we do not surround ourselves with it?

As ministers, our first responsibility is to share God's word with people. That is what these songs are for.

Paul Whitehorn