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Summarized Bible Commentary

Psalms 59:1-17

Contents: Complaint of the malice of enemies and comfort and confidence in God.

Characters: God, David.

Conclusion: Those who are for Christ's sake, harmless and innocent may expect to be hated of wicked men. It is their wisdom and duty in times of such difficulties, to wait upon God, for He is their defense, their refuge in whom they shall be safe.

Key Word: Enemies, Psalms 59:1.

Strong Verses: Psalms 59:9; Psalms 59:16; Psalms 59:17.

Striking Facts: Psalms 59:6. The persecutors of our Lord Jesus are compared to dogs (Psalms 22:16). They ran Him down with barking, for otherwise they could have found no way to take Him. What they lacked in reason and justice, they made up in noise.

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See also Psalms 59:1-17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    PSALM LIX _The psalmist prays for deliverance from his enemies, whose_ _desperate wickedness he describes_, 1-7; _professes strong confidence in God_, 8-10; _speaks of the destruction of his enemi...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    DELIVER ME FROM MINE ENEMIES, O MY GOD - See the notes at Psalms 18:48. This prayer was offered when the spies sent by Saul surrounded the house of David. They had come to apprehend him, and it is to...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 59 Gentile Enmity Against Israel _ 1. Surrounded by nations (Psalms 59:1)_ 2. Their judgment anticipated (Psalms 59:9) Another Michtam of David when he was persecuted by Saul. While in prev...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    LIX. The Ps. seems to be directed against Jewish and not foreign enemies. It might well be a prayer for the downfall of the aristocratic Sadducees. On the other hand in Psalms 59:5 and Psalms 59:8 the...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN. See App-64. AL-TASCHITH. Destroy not. See App-65. TITLE. MICHTAM. See App-65. WHEN, &C. Compare 1 Samuel 19:11. GOD. Hebrew. _Elohim._ App-4. DEFEND ME. set me on high....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Deliver me_ Song of Solomon 7:1, and frequently. _defend me_ Better, as R.V., set me on high (Psalms 20:1; Psalms 91:14). It is the verb from which is derived the epithet -high tower" so often applie...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The Psalmist prays for deliverance from the enemies who are bent on taking his life, pleading his innocence, and appealing to God to punish all injustice....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _David prayeth to be delivered from his enemies: he complaineth of their cruelty: he trusteth in God: he prayeth_ [_or prophesieth_] _against them: he praiseth God._ To the chief Musician, Altaschith...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 59 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE The Beleaguered Psalmist Prays for Rescue and Avenging. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 59:1-5, In Praying for Rescue, the Psalmist Describes the Character and Conduct of his...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _DELIVER ME FROM MINE ENEMIES, O MY GOD: DEFEND ME FROM THEM THAT RISE UP AGAINST ME._ Psalms 59:1.-Two divisions. Prayer for the overthrow of the wicked and the deliverance of the Psalmist (Psalms 59...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Title.—(RV) 'For the Chief Musician; _set_ to Al-tashheth. _A Psalm_ of David: Michtam: when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.' For the first part of the title see on Psalms 57. The s...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    PSALMS 42:72 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. Words marked with a *star are described in the word list at the end. The translated Bible text has yet to go through Advanced Che...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    DEFEND ME. — Literally, _set me on high, i.e.,_ place me on some lofty and secure height....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    לַ † מְנַצֵּ֣חַ אַל ־תַּשְׁחֵת֮ לְ דָוִ֪ד...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 59:1 THE superscription makes this the earliest of David's psalms, dating from the Sauline persecution. It has many points of connection with the others of that group, but its closest affinitie...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “GOD IS MY HIGH TOWER” Psalms 59:1 This is the fifth of the _Michtams,_ or “Golden Psalms.” Compare Psalms 16:1; Psalms 56:1; Psalms

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Again we have a song from the midst of peril. The singer is the object of determined, stealthy, and malignant opposition. It is divided into two parts, both ending with the same declaration, "God is m...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    "To the chief Musician, Altaschith, (a) Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him." (b) Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Changed. Psalm xliv. Title, Psalm xv., doctrine explaining what will be the progress of the Church. (Menochius) --- It seems to have the same import as understanding, in other titles, but here is of l...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Let the Reader keep in remembrance that this Psalm, like the three former is a Michtam, a golden; precious Psalm; and that it is addressed to the chief Musician. See the observations on this title in...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS The Psalmist is here at prayer: the cry is for defense against his enemies, while complaining of their injustice. He closeth in praise. To the chief musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David;...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    1_Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God! _He insists upon the strength and violence of his enemies, with the view of exciting his mind to greater fervor in the duty of prayer. These he describes as _...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 59 gives more the external enemies. The same wickedness is found there, but the might of human power with it. But they also must be judged, that wickedness may be set aside. Nor was it the sin...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    DELIVER ME FROM MINE ENEMIES, O MY GOD,.... David had his enemies in his youth, notwithstanding the amiableness of his person, the endowments of his mind, his martial achievements, his wise behaviour...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Psalms 59:1 «To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. » Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up aga...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God_ Thou art _God_, and canst deliver me; _my God_, under whose protection I have put myself; and thou hast promised me to be a God all-sufficient, and therefore i...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God, tearing him out of their hands; DEFEND ME FROM THEM THAT RISE UP AGAINST ME, moving him out of their reach, upon a height, to a stronghold. Note the call of tru...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    PRAYER OF AN INNOCENT PERSON AGAINST THOSE WHO SEEK HIS SOUL. To the chief musician, Al-taschith, again according to the melody "Destroy not," Michtam, a poem in epigrammatic form, of David; when Sau...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    DEFEND ME: _ Heb._ set me on high...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-7 In these words we hear the voice of David when a prisoner in his own house; the voice of Christ when surrounded by his merciless enemies; the voice of the church when under bondage in the world;...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    PSALM 59 THE ARGUMENT The matter and design of this Psalm is the same in general and for substance with the former, to wit, a declaration of the cruelty and treachery of his enemies; and a prayer to G...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 59:1 Musician H5329 (H8764) Destroy H516 (H8686) Michtam H4387 David H1732 Saul H7586 sent H7971 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    HEADING (PSALMS 59:1 A). ‘For the Chief Musician; set to Al-tashheth. A Psalm of David. Michtam; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.' Like the last two Psalms this is another Psa...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Psalms 59:6. _They make a noise like a dog._ Mr. Jowett, in his christian researches, states, that many dogs in eastern towns have no owners; that they lie in the shade during the heat of the day, and...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    DELIVER ME FROM MINE ENEMIES, O MY GOD. REVELATIONS OF THE GOOD AND BAD IN HUMAN NATURE I. The enmity of man towards man. 1. From the description that David here gives of his enemies, we learn that...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 59:1. This is an individual lament, seeking God’s protection from enemies who threaten the faithful person’s life. The title connects the psalm to...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION _Superscription.—_“_To the Chief Musician, Al-taschith_.” See Introduction to Psalms 57. “_Michtam of David_.” See Introduction to Psalms 56. “_When Saul sent, and they watched the house...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION LIKE Psalms 56:1 and Psalms 57:1, this is a cry for deliverance out of great peril, with a final expression of confidence (verses 16, 17) that the deliverance will be granted. From the psal...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Psa 59:1-17 is another one of those "destroy not" prayers of David, when Saul sent and they watched the house to kill him. His wife, Michael, let him out of the window in a basket and David escaped. B...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 19:11; 2 Corinthians 11:32; 2 Corinthians 11:33; 2 Timothy 4:17;...

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