Psalms 59:1

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David, written when Saul sent men to surround his house and murder him. Deliver me from my enemies, my God! Protect me from those who attack me!

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

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

Transliteration

To the mənaṣṣēaḥ ʾal-tašḥēt to dāwid miktām when šəlōaḥ šāʾûl and they yišmərû ʾet the bayit to hămîtô.

Grammar Details

• *mənaṣṣēaḥ*: preposition lə- + participle, masculine singular - to the director/choirmaster
• *ʾal-tašḥēt*: negative particle + Hiphil jussive, 2nd singular - do not destroy
• *dāwid*: proper noun with preposition lə- - to/for David
• *miktām*: masculine noun - inscription/psalm/musical term
• *šəlōaḥ*: infinitive construct with preposition bə- - when sending
• *šāʾûl*: proper noun - Saul
• *yišmərû*: Qal imperfect, 3rd plural with waw consecutive - and they watched/guarded
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *bayit*: definite noun with article ha- - the house
• *hămîtô*: Hiphil infinitive construct with preposition lə- and 3rd masculine singular suffix - to kill him

Word Meanings

• *mənaṣṣēaḥ*: director/choirmaster/musical term
• *miktām*: inscription/psalm/golden poem (uncertain meaning)
• *ʾal-tašḥēt*: do not destroy/musical instruction/title of melody

Referenced Verses

• 1 Sam 19:11-24 : 11 Saul sent messengers to David’s house to guard it and to kill him in the morning. Then David’s wife Michal told him,“If you do not save yourself tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!” 12 So Michal lowered David through the window, and he ran away and escaped. 13 Then Michal took a household idol and put it on the bed. She put a quilt made of goat’s hair over its head and then covered the idol with a garment. 14 When Saul sent messengers to arrest David, she said,“He’s sick.” 15 Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying,“Bring him up to me on his bed so I can kill him.” 16 When the messengers came, they found only the idol on the bed and the quilt made of goat’s hair at its head. 17 Saul said to Michal,“Why have you deceived me this way by sending my enemy away? Now he has escaped!” Michal replied to Saul,“He said to me,‘Help me get away or else I will kill you!’” 18 Now David had run away and escaped. He went to Samuel in Ramah and told him everything that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went and stayed at Naioth. 19 It was reported to Saul saying,“David is at Naioth in Ramah.” 20 So Saul sent messengers to capture David. When they saw a company of prophets prophesying with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s messengers, and they also prophesied. 21 When it was reported to Saul, he sent more messengers, but they prophesied too. So Saul sent messengers a third time, but they also prophesied. 22 Finally Saul himself went to Ramah. When he arrived at the large cistern that is in Secu, he asked,“Where are Samuel and David?” They said,“At Naioth in Ramah.” 23 So Saul went to Naioth in Ramah. The Spirit of God came upon him as well, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 He even stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel. He lay there naked all that day and night.(For that reason it is asked,“Is Saul also among the prophets?”)
• Ps 18:48 : 48 He delivers me from my enemies; you snatch me away from those who attack me; you rescue me from violent men.
• Ps 57:1 : 1 For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David, written when he fled from Saul into the cave. Have mercy on me, O God! Have mercy on me! For in you I have taken shelter. In the shadow of your wings I take shelter until trouble passes.
• Ps 58:1 : 1 For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David. Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions? Do you judge people fairly?
• Ps 71:4 : 4 My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked, from the hand of the cruel oppressor!
• Ps 91:14 : 14 The LORD says,“Because he is devoted to me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he is loyal to me.
• Ps 143:9 : 9 Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD! I run to you for protection.
• Ps 143:12 : 12 As a demonstration of your loyal love, destroy my enemies! Annihilate all who threaten my life, for I am your servant.
• Isa 33:16 : 16 This is the person who will live in a secure place; he will find safety in the rocky, mountain strongholds; he will have food and a constant supply of water.
• Luke 1:74-75 : 74 that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, may serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness before him for as long as we live.
• 2 Cor 11:32-33 : 32 In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to arrest me, 33 but I was let down in a rope-basket through a window in the city wall, and escaped his hands.
• 2 Tim 4:17-18 : 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed for all the Gentiles to hear. And so I was delivered from the lion’s mouth! 18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever! Amen.
• Ps 20:1 : 1 For the music director; a psalm of David. May the LORD answer you when you are in trouble; may the God of Jacob make you secure!
• Ps 7:1-2 : 1 A musical composition by David, which he sang to the LORD concerning a Benjaminite named Cush. O LORD my God, in you I have taken shelter. Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me! 2 Otherwise they will rip me to shreds like a lion; they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me.
• Ps 12:5 : 5 “Because of the violence done to the oppressed, because of the painful cries of the needy, I will spring into action,” says the LORD.“I will provide the safety they so desperately desire.”
• Judg 16:2-3 : 2 The Gazites were told,“Samson has come here!” So they surrounded the town and hid all night at the city gate, waiting for him to leave. They relaxed all night, thinking,“He will not leave until morning comes; then we will kill him!” 3 Samson spent half the night with the prostitute; then he got up in the middle of the night and left. He grabbed the doors of the city gate, as well as the two posts, and pulled them right off, bar and all. He put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of a hill east of Hebron.