Deliver Me from My Enemies

¹Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;

Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.

²Deliver me from workers of iniquity

And save me from men of bloodshed.

³For behold, they have lain in wait for my soul;

Fierce men launch an attack against me,

Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Yahweh,

⁴For no guilt of mine , they run and set themselves against me.[#59:4 Lit Without guilt]

Arouse Yourself to meet me, and see!

⁵You, O Yahweh God of hosts, the God of Israel,

Awake to punish all the nations;

Do not be gracious to any who are treacherous in iniquity. Selah.

⁶They return at evening, they howl like a dog,

And go around the city.

⁷Behold, they pour forth speech with their mouth;

Swords are in their lips,

For, they say , “Who hears?”

⁸But You, O Yahweh, laugh at them;

You mock all the nations.

⁹¶Because of his strength I will watch for You,[#59:9 Many mss and some ancient versions my strength]

For God is my stronghold.

¹⁰My God in His lovingkindness will approach me;[#59:10 Many mss and some ancient versions The God of my lovingkindness]

God will let me look triumphantly upon my foes.

¹¹Do not slay them, or my people will forget;

Make them wander about by Your power, and bring them down,

O Lord, our shield.

¹²On account of the sin of their mouth and the word of their lips,[#59:12 Or The sin of their mouth is the word of their lips,]

Let them even be caught in their pride,

And on account of curses and lies which they utter.

¹³Destroy them in wrath, destroy them that they may be no more;[#59:13 Lit Bring to an end; #59:13 Lit Bring to an end]

That men may know that God rules in Jacob

To the ends of the earth. Selah.

¹⁴They return at evening, they howl like a dog,

And go around the city.

¹⁵They wander about for food[#59:15 Or to devour]

And growl if they are not satisfied.

¹⁶¶But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength;

And I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning,

For You have been my stronghold

And a refuge in the day of my distress.

¹⁷O my strength, I will sing praises to You;

For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.