Psalm 57-61

Complete Jewish Bible

57 ⁽⁰⁾For the leader. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” By David, a mikhtam, when he fled from Sha’ul into the cave:

²⁽¹⁾Show me favor, God, show me favor;
for in you I have taken refuge.
Yes, I will find refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the storms have passed.
³⁽²⁾I call to God, the Most High,
to God, who is accomplishing his purpose for me.

⁴⁽³⁾He will send from heaven and save me
when those who would trample me down mock me. (Selah)
God will send his grace and his truth.

⁵⁽⁴⁾I am surrounded by lions,
I am lying down among people breathing fire,
men whose teeth are spears and arrows
and their tongues sharp-edged swords.

⁶⁽⁵⁾Be exalted, God, above heaven!
May your glory be over all the earth!
⁷⁽⁶⁾They prepared a snare for my feet,
but I am bending over [to avoid it].
They dug a pit ahead of me,
but they fell into it themselves. (Selah)

⁸⁽⁷⁾My heart is steadfast, God, steadfast.
I will sing and make music.
⁹⁽⁸⁾Awake, my glory! Awake, lyre and lute!
I will awaken the dawn.

¹⁰⁽⁹⁾I will thank you, Adonai, among the peoples;
I will make music to you among the nations.
¹¹⁽¹⁰⁾For your grace is great, all the way to heaven,
and your truth, all the way to the skies.

¹²⁽¹¹⁾Be exalted, God, above heaven!
May your glory be over all the earth!

58 ⁽⁰⁾For the leader. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” By David, a mikhtam:

²⁽¹⁾[Rulers,] does your silence really speak justice?
Are you judging people fairly?
³⁽²⁾[No!] In your hearts you devise wrongs,
your hands dispense violence in the land.

⁴⁽³⁾From the womb, the wicked are estranged,
liars on the wrong path since birth.
⁵⁽⁴⁾Their venom is like snake’s venom;
they are like a serpent that stops its ears,
⁶⁽⁵⁾so as not to hear the voice of the charmer,
no matter how well he plays.

⁷⁽⁶⁾God, break their teeth in their mouth!
Shatter the fangs of these lions, Adonai!
⁸⁽⁷⁾May they vanish like water that drains away.
May their arrows be blunted when they aim their bows.
⁹⁽⁸⁾May they be like a slug that melts as it moves,
like a stillborn baby that never sees the sun.
¹⁰⁽⁹⁾Before your cook-pots feel the heat of the burning thorns,
may he blow them away, green and blazing alike.

¹¹⁽¹⁰⁾The righteous will rejoice to see vengeance done,
they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked;
¹²⁽¹¹⁾and people will say, “Yes, the righteous are rewarded;
there is, after all, a God who judges the earth.”
59 ⁽⁰⁾For the leader. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” By David; a mikhtam, when Sha’ul sent men to keep watch on David’s house in order to kill him:

²⁽¹⁾My God, rescue me from my enemies!
Lift me up, out of reach of my foes!
³⁽²⁾Rescue me from evildoers,
save me from bloodthirsty men.
⁴⁽³⁾For there they are, lying in wait to kill me.
Openly they gather themselves against me,
and not because I committed a crime
or sinned, Adonai.
⁵⁽⁴⁾For no fault of mine, they run and prepare.
Awaken to help me, and see!
⁶⁽⁵⁾You, Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot,
God of Isra’el,
arouse yourself to punish all the nations;
spare none of those wicked traitors. (Selah)

⁷⁽⁶⁾They return at nightfall, snarling like dogs
as they go around the city.
⁸⁽⁷⁾Look what pours out of their mouth,
what swords are on their lips,
[as they say to themselves,]
“No one is listening, anyway.”
⁹⁽⁸⁾But you, Adonai, laugh at them,
you mock all the nations.

¹⁰⁽⁹⁾My Strength, I will watch for you,
for God is my fortress.
¹¹⁽¹⁰⁾God, who gives me grace, will come to me;
God will let me gaze in triumph at my foes.

¹²⁽¹¹⁾Don’t kill them, or my people will forget;
instead, by your power, make them wander to and fro;
but bring them down, Adonai our Shield,
¹³⁽¹²⁾for the sins their mouths make with each word from their lips.
Let them be trapped by their pride
for the curses and falsehoods they utter.
¹⁴⁽¹³⁾Finish them off in wrath,
finish them off, put an end to them,
and let them know to the ends of the earth
that God is Ruler in Ya‘akov. (Selah)

¹⁵⁽¹⁴⁾They return at nightfall, snarling like dogs
as they go around the city.
¹⁶⁽¹⁵⁾They roam about, looking for food,
prowling all night if they don’t get their fill.
¹⁷⁽¹⁶⁾But as for me, I will sing of your strength;
in the morning I will sing aloud of your grace.
For you are my fortress,
a refuge when I am in trouble.
¹⁸⁽¹⁷⁾My Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for God is my fortress, God, who gives me grace.

60 ⁽⁰⁾For the leader. Set to “Lily of Testimony.” A mikhtam of David for teaching about ²when he fought with Aram-Naharayim and with Aram-Tzovah, and Yo’av returned and killed 12,000 from Edom in the Salt Valley:

³⁽¹⁾God, you rejected us; you crushed us;
you were angry; but now revive us.
⁴⁽²⁾You made the land shake, split it apart;
now repair the rifts, for it is collapsing.
⁵⁽³⁾You made your people suffer hard times,
had us drink a wine that made us stagger.

⁶⁽⁴⁾To those who fear you because of the truth
you gave a banner to rally around, (Selah)
⁷⁽⁵⁾so that those you love could be rescued;
so save with your right hand, and answer us!

⁸⁽⁶⁾God in his holiness spoke,
and I took joy [in his promise]:
“I will divide Sh’khem
and determine the shares in the Sukkot Valley.
⁹⁽⁷⁾Gil‘ad is mine and M’nasheh mine,
Efrayim my helmet, Y’hudah my scepter.
¹⁰⁽⁸⁾Mo’av is my washpot; on Edom I throw my shoe;
P’leshet, be crushed because of me!”

¹¹⁽⁹⁾Who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
¹²⁽¹⁰⁾God, have you rejected us?
You don’t go out with our armies, God.
¹³⁽¹¹⁾Help us against our enemy,
for human help is worthless.
¹⁴⁽¹²⁾With God’s help we will fight valiantly,
for he will trample our enemies.

61 ⁽⁰⁾For the leader. With stringed instruments. By David:

²⁽¹⁾Hear my cry, God;
listen to my prayer.
³⁽²⁾From the end of the earth, with fainting heart,
I call out to you.
Set me down on a rock
far above where I am now.

⁴⁽³⁾For you have been a refuge for me,
a tower of strength in the face of the foe.
⁵⁽⁴⁾I will live in your tent forever
and find refuge in the shelter of your wings. (Selah)
⁶⁽⁵⁾For you, God, have heard my vows;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

⁷⁽⁶⁾Prolong the life of the king!
May his years go on for many generations.
⁸⁽⁷⁾May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever!
Appoint grace and truth to preserve him!
⁹⁽⁸⁾Then I will sing praise to your name forever,
as day after day I fulfill my vows.

Psalm 57-61

New International Version

Psalm 57^[a]^(A)

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[b] When he had fled from Saul into the cave.^(B)

¹Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.^(C)
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings^(D)
until the disaster has passed.^(E)

²I cry out to God Most High,
    to God, who vindicates me.^(F)
³He sends from heaven and saves me,^(G)
    rebuking those who hotly pursue me—^[c]^(H)
    God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.^(I)

⁴I am in the midst of lions;^(J)
I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.^(K)

⁵Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.^(L)

⁶They spread a net for my feet^(M)—
I was bowed down^(N) in distress.
They dug a pit^(O) in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.^(P)

⁷My heart, O God, is steadfast,
    my heart is steadfast;^(Q)
    I will sing and make music.
⁸Awake, my soul!
    Awake, harp and lyre!^(R)
    I will awaken the dawn.

⁹I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
¹⁰For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.^(S)

¹¹Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;^(T)
let your glory be over all the earth.^(U)

Psalm 58^[d]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[e]

¹Do you rulers indeed speak justly?^(V)
Do you judge people with equity?
²No, in your heart you devise injustice,^(W)
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.^(X)

³Even from birth the wicked go astray;
    from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
⁴Their venom is like the venom of a snake,^(Y)
    like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
⁵that will not heed^(Z) the tune of the charmer,^(AA)
    however skillful the enchanter may be.

⁶Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;^(AB)
    Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!^(AC)
⁷Let them vanish like water that flows away;^(AD)
    when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.^(AE)
⁸May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,^(AF)
    like a stillborn child^(AG) that never sees the sun.

⁹Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns^(AH)—
    whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.^[f]^(AI)
¹⁰The righteous will be glad^(AJ) when they are avenged,^(AK)
    when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.^(AL)
¹¹Then people will say,
    “Surely the righteous still are rewarded;^(AM)
    surely there is a God who judges the earth.”^(AN)

Psalm 59^[g]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[h] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house^(AO) in order to kill him.

¹Deliver me from my enemies, O God;^(AP)
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.^(AQ)
²Deliver me from evildoers^(AR)
and save me from those who are after my blood.^(AS)

³See how they lie in wait for me!
    Fierce men conspire^(AT) against me
    for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
⁴I have done no wrong,^(AU) yet they are ready to attack me.^(AV)
    Arise to help me; look on my plight!^(AW)
⁵You, Lord God Almighty,
    you who are the God of Israel,^(AX)
rouse yourself^(AY) to punish all the nations;^(AZ)
    show no mercy to wicked traitors.^[i]^(BA)

⁶They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,^(BB)
    and prowl about the city.
⁷See what they spew from their mouths^(BC)—
    the words from their lips are sharp as swords,^(BD)
    and they think, “Who can hear us?”^(BE)
⁸But you laugh at them, Lord;^(BF)
    you scoff at all those nations.^(BG)

⁹You are my strength,^(BH) I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress,^(BI)
¹⁰ my God on whom I can rely.

God will go before me
    and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
¹¹But do not kill them, Lord our shield,^[j]^(BJ)
    or my people will forget.^(BK)
In your might uproot them
    and bring them down.^(BL)
¹²For the sins of their mouths,^(BM)
    for the words of their lips,^(BN)
    let them be caught in their pride.^(BO)
For the curses and lies they utter,
¹³    consume them in your wrath,
    consume them till they are no more.^(BP)
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
    that God rules over Jacob.^(BQ)

¹⁴They return at evening,
    snarling like dogs,
    and prowl about the city.
¹⁵They wander about for food^(BR)
    and howl if not satisfied.
¹⁶But I will sing^(BS) of your strength,^(BT)
    in the morning^(BU) I will sing of your love;^(BV)
for you are my fortress,^(BW)
    my refuge in times of trouble.^(BX)

¹⁷You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.^(BY)

Psalm 60^[k]^(BZ)

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam^[l] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim^[m] and Aram Zobah,^[n] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.^(CA)

¹You have rejected us,^(CB) God, and burst upon us;
    you have been angry^(CC)—now restore us!^(CD)
²You have shaken the land^(CE) and torn it open;
    mend its fractures,^(CF) for it is quaking.
³You have shown your people desperate times;^(CG)
    you have given us wine that makes us stagger.^(CH)
⁴But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner^(CI)
    to be unfurled against the bow.^[o]

⁵Save us and help us with your right hand,^(CJ)
    that those you love^(CK) may be delivered.
⁶God has spoken from his sanctuary:
    “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem^(CL)
    and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.^(CM)
⁷Gilead^(CN) is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
    Ephraim^(CO) is my helmet,
    Judah^(CP) is my scepter.^(CQ)
⁸Moab is my washbasin,
    on Edom I toss my sandal;
    over Philistia I shout in triumph.^(CR)”

⁹Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?
¹⁰Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
    and no longer go out with our armies?^(CS)
¹¹Give us aid against the enemy,
    for human help is worthless.^(CT)
¹²With God we will gain the victory,
    and he will trample down our enemies.^(CU)

Psalm 61^[p]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

¹Hear my cry, O God;^(CV)
listen to my prayer.^(CW)

²From the ends of the earth I call to you,
    I call as my heart grows faint;^(CX)
    lead me to the rock^(CY) that is higher than I.
³For you have been my refuge,^(CZ)
    a strong tower against the foe.^(DA)

⁴I long to dwell^(DB) in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.^[q]^(DC)
⁵For you, God, have heard my vows;^(DD)
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.^(DE)

⁶Increase the days of the king’s life,^(DF)
his years for many generations.^(DG)
⁷May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever;^(DH)
appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.^(DI)

⁸Then I will ever sing in praise of your name^(DJ)
and fulfill my vows day after day.^(DK)

Footnotes

Psalm 57:1 In Hebrew texts 57:1-11 is numbered 57:2-12.
Psalm 57:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 57:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 6.
Psalm 58:1 In Hebrew texts 58:1-11 is numbered 58:2-12.
Psalm 58:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.
Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign
Psalm 60:1 In Hebrew texts 60:1-12 is numbered 60:3-14.
Psalm 60:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of Northwest Mesopotamia
Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of central Syria
Psalm 60:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Psalm 61:1 In Hebrew texts 61:1-8 is numbered 61:2-9.
Psalm 61:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 57-61

Complete Jewish Bible

Psalm 57-61

New International Version

Psalm 57^[a]^(A)

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[b] When he had fled from Saul into the cave.^(B)

Psalm 58^[d]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[e]

Psalm 59^[g]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[h] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house^(AO) in order to kill him.

Psalm 60^[k]^(BZ)

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam^[l] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim^[m] and Aram Zobah,^[n] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.^(CA)

Psalm 61^[p]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 57-61 Complete Jewish Bible

Psalm 57-61 New International Version

Psalm 57[a](A)

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When he had fled from Saul into the cave.(B)

Psalm 58[d]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[e]

Psalm 59[g]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[h] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house(AO) in order to kill him.

Psalm 60[k](BZ)

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam[l] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim[m] and Aram Zobah,[n] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.(CA)

Psalm 61[p]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

Psalm 57-61

Complete Jewish Bible

Psalm 57-61

New International Version

Psalm 57^[a]^(A)

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[b] When he had fled from Saul into the cave.^(B)

Psalm 58^[d]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[e]

Psalm 59^[g]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.^[h] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house^(AO) in order to kill him.

Psalm 60^[k]^(BZ)

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam^[l] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim^[m] and Aram Zobah,^[n] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.^(CA)

Psalm 61^[p]