The Assured Judgment of the Wicked

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.”^[a] A Michtam of David when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him.

59 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;Defend me from those who rise up against me.² Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,And save me from bloodthirsty men.

³ For look, they lie in wait for my life;The mighty gather against me,Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord.⁴ They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine.

Awake to help me, and behold!⁵ You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel,Awake to punish all the nations;Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah

⁶ At evening they return,They growl like a dog,And go all around the city.⁷ Indeed, they belch with their mouth;Swords are in their lips;For they say, “Who hears?”

⁸ But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them;You shall have all the nations in derision.⁹ I will wait for You, O You his Strength;^[b]For God is my defense.¹⁰ My God of mercy^[c] shall come to meet me;God shall let me see my desire on my enemies.

¹¹ Do not slay them, lest my people forget;Scatter them by Your power,And bring them down,O Lord our shield.¹² For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips,Let them even be taken in their pride,And for the cursing and lying which they speak.¹³ Consume them in wrath, consume them,That they may not be;And let them know that God rules in JacobTo the ends of the earth. Selah

¹⁴ And at evening they return,They growl like a dog,And go all around the city.¹⁵ They wander up and down for food,And howl^[d] if they are not satisfied.

¹⁶ But I will sing of Your power;Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;For You have been my defenseAnd refuge in the day of my trouble.¹⁷ To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises;For God is my defense,My God of mercy.