Psalms 59:14-17

His Would Be Assassins Can Wander Up and Down Like Stray Dogs All Night If They Wish, But He Will Meanwhile Sing Of The Triumph And Protection Of His God (Psalms 59:14).

David concludes the Psalm by taunting his oppressors for wasting their time by awaiting him in order to strike him down (compare Psalms 59:6), because he knows that it will be in vain. And he declares that meanwhile he will sing of God's covenant love and faithfulness, knowing that God will be his refuge and strength.

Psalms 59:14

‘And at evening let them return,

Let them howl like a dog, and go round about the city.'

They will wander up and down for food,

And tarry all night if they be not satisfied.'

David again takes up the picture of the wild dogs who scavenge in the city streets at night, if necessary wandering up and down all night if they are unable to find sufficient food. They would obtain their food from the rubbish thrown out of houses, which awaited collection by the rubbish collectors who would collect it in carts and burn it outside the city (in later days in the Valley of Hinnom).

He is quite content for his would be assassins to do the same, for he has prayed through to certainty of God's deliverance. He sees them returning that night to keep watch outside his house, remaining there all night until they can seize him, only to be thwarted when they cannot find him. But he is satisfied now that it will be in vain, for he has already made his plans for escape, leaving them to face the smothered laughter of Israel when the story got around. (It may well be that the window through which he escaped (1 Samuel 19:12) was in the city wall, but whether it was or not, he was confident that they knew nothing about it, and he proved to be correct). So he sees them as like stray dogs, wandering the streets but never satisfied.

Psalms 59:16

‘But I will sing of your strength,

Yes, I will sing aloud of your covenant love in the morning,

For you have been my high tower,

And a refuge in the day of my distress.'

Meanwhile David would sing of God's strength, the strength which had delivered him, and he will sing aloud (in contrast to their howling) of God's covenant love in the morning, by which time through God's help he would be safe and far away. God had not overlooked His covenant promises, and was proving to be his High Tower.

Psalms 59:17

‘To you, O my strength, will I sing praises,

For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.'

Indeed, he declares, he will yet sing praises to God who is his strength, and to God Who is his fortress, and the God Who shows him favour. Note that there is no boasting about his cleverness in escaping, or even of the wife who helped him to escape. All his thought is on the fact that he owes it all to God, and to His strength, protection and favour.

This Psalm is a reminder that God is concerned about all our troubles, especially when we appear to be beset by people who are trying to get us down. It especially speaks to God's people when they are facing physical persecution, and reminds them that they are under God's protection. All who are His are secure in God.

The whole Psalm is a preview of the life of Jesus, Who also was continually beset by enemies, only to come through triumphantly because His Father was with Him.