Psalms 59: My God, My High Tower
Surrounded by enemies who prowl like dogs, David sings of God's strength and steadfast love, calling him his high tower and his refuge.
Psalms 59 (WEB)
1 Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Save me from the bloodthirsty men.
3 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.
4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me!
5 You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.
6 They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city.
7 Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, “For”, they say, “who hears us?”
8 But you, Yahweh, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations.
9 Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, for God is my high tower.
10 My God will go before me with his loving kindness. God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.
11 Don’t kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.
12 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.
13 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.
14 At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.
15 They shall wander up and down for food, and wait all night if they aren’t satisfied.
16 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.
17 To you, my strength, I will sing praises. For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.
Psalms 59 (KJV)
1 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?
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.
Psalms 59 (ASV)
1 Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: Set me on high from them that rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, And save me from the bloodthirsty men.
3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; The mighty gather themselves together against me: Not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Jehovah.
4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault: Awake thou to help me, and behold.
5 Even thou, O Jehovah God of hosts, the God of Israel, Arise to visit all the nations: Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. [Selah
6 They return at evening, they howl 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?
8 But thou, O Jehovah, wilt laugh at them; Thou wilt have all the nations in derision.
9 Because ofhis strength I will give heed unto thee; For God is my high tower.
10 My God with his lovingkindness will meet me: God will 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 Forthe 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, so that they shall be no more: And let them know that God ruleth in Jacob, Unto the ends of the earth. [Selah
14 And at evening let them return, let them howl like a dog, And go round about the city.
15 They shall wander up and down for food, And tarry all night if they be not satisfied.
16 But I will sing of thy strength; Yea, I will sing aloud of thy lovingkindness in the morning: For thou hast been my high tower, And a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing praises: For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.
Summary
Psalm 59 is a prayer for deliverance, traditionally connected to the night Saul sent men to watch David's house and kill him. David pleads to be delivered and set on high from those who rise against him, the workers of iniquity and bloodthirsty men who lie in wait for his soul, gathering against him though he has done no wrong. He calls on Yahweh, the God of Armies, to rouse himself. He pictures his enemies returning at evening, howling like dogs and prowling around the city, spewing threats from their mouths with swords in their lips, arrogantly assuming no one hears. But David knows God laughs at them and scoffs at the nations. He watches for God, his strength, declaring God his high tower, and trusts that God will go before him in loving kindness. He asks God not to kill the enemies all at once lest the people forget the lesson, but to scatter them so that all may know God rules in Jacob to the ends of the earth. The psalm ends in a bright vow of praise: 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. The repeated titles, my strength, my high tower, the God of my mercy, anchor the whole psalm in confident worship.
Voices
- David — The hunted psalmist who pleads for deliverance, watches for God his strength, and ends singing aloud of God's loving kindness.
- Yahweh, the high tower — The God of Armies who laughs at the wicked, goes before his servant in loving kindness, and is a strong refuge in the day of distress.
- The dog-like enemies — The bloodthirsty men who prowl the city at evening, howling and spewing threats, presuming no one hears them.
Key Verse
Psalm 59:16 (WEB)
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.
Lessons Learned
- When enemies surround us without cause, we can appeal to God to set us on high and defend us.
- God is unintimidated by the threats of the wicked; he laughs at those who imagine no one hears.
- God is our high tower and strength, going before us in steadfast love.
- Even in distress we can resolve to sing aloud of God's loving kindness, especially in the morning.
- God sets the hunted on high. "Set me on high from those who rise up against me" (Psalm 59:1, WEB); he lifts his servant out of the enemy's reach.
- God is undismayed by human threats. "But you, Yahweh, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations" (Psalm 59:8, WEB); the proud schemes of the wicked do not alarm him.
- God is our strength and high tower. "Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, for God is my high tower" (Psalm 59:9, WEB); we look to him as our secure refuge.
- God's loving kindness goes before us. "My God will go before me with his loving kindness" (Psalm 59:10, WEB); his steadfast love leads the way into our trials.
- Distress can give way to morning praise. "I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning" (Psalm 59:16, WEB); trouble becomes the occasion for joyful song.
- How does David describe his situation and his enemies in verses 1-7?
- What does it mean that God "laugh[s] at them" and "scoff[s] at all the nations" (59:8)?
- Why does David ask God not to simply "kill them" but to "scatter them" (59:11)?
- What is the effect of David repeatedly calling God "my strength" and "my high tower" throughout the psalm?
- How might you, like David, choose to "sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning" even while still in distress?
- David describes himself as surrounded and hunted without cause by workers of iniquity and bloodthirsty men who lie in wait for his soul (59:1-3). He pictures them returning at evening, howling like dogs, prowling the city, and spewing threats with swords in their lips, arrogantly assuming no one hears them (59:6-7).
- It means God is utterly unthreatened by the schemes of the wicked. Their plotting, which seems so menacing to David, is laughable before the Almighty. The image assures us that no human power, however fierce, poses any real challenge to God's sovereign rule; their threats are empty before him.
- David asks God to scatter rather than instantly destroy them so that the people will not forget the lesson (59:11). A swift removal might be quickly forgotten, but a visible, lingering judgment would teach Israel and the nations that God rules in Jacob to the ends of the earth, making God's justice an enduring witness.
- The repeated titles anchor the whole psalm in confident trust amid danger. By calling God his strength, his high tower, and the God of his mercy, David keeps returning his attention from the threat to the refuge. These names steady his heart and turn the prayer from fear toward worship.
- This is the personal-application question. Encourage members to identify a present distress and to plan a deliberate act of praise within it, perhaps a song or thanksgiving in the morning. As leader, highlight that David sings of God's loving kindness before deliverance is complete, modeling worship grounded in God's character rather than circumstances.