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This psalm is of the same nature and scope with six or seven foregoing psalms; they are all filled with David's complaints of the malice of his enemies and of their cursed and cruel designs against him, his prayers and prophecies against them, and his comfort and confidence in God as his God. The first is the language of nature, and may be allowed; the second of a prophetical spirit, looking forward to Christ and the enemies of his kingdom, and therefore not to be drawn into a precedent; the third of grace and a most holy faith, which ought to be imitated by every one of us. In this psalm, I. He prays to God to defend and deliver him from his enemies, representing them as very bad men, barbarous, malicious, and atheistical, Ps 59:1-7. II. He foresees and foretels the destruction of his enemies, which he would give to God the glory of, Ps 59:8-17. As far as it appears that any of the particular enemies of God's people fall under these characters, we may, in singing this psalm, read their doom and foresee their ruin.

The general title to this psalm is the same as in the two preceding psalms. That it was written by David, as is affirmed in the title, there is every reason to believe. The "occasion" on which it is said to have been composed was "when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him." This incident is related in 1 Samuel 19:11 : "Saul also sent messengers unto David's house to watch him, and to slay him in the morning." There is nothing in the psalm inconsistent with this statement in regard to the time and the occasion of its composition, unless it is in the word "heathen" - גוים gôyim - twice used Psalm 59:5, Psalm 59:8 - a term, which (DeWette maintains) belongs properly to people of a foreign nation, and a foreign religion. It is true, however, that while the word originally had this meaning, it came to be used to denote any people or persons who had the general character and spirit which was supposed to distinguish nations without the knowledge of the true God; those who were cruel, harsh, unfeeling, oppressive, savage. Psalm 2:1, Psalm 2:8; Psalm 9:5, Psalm 9:15, Psalm 9:19-20; Psalm 10:16; Psalm 79:6, Psalm 79:10; Psalm 106:47, et al. In this sense it might be used here, without impropriety, as applicable to the enemies of David.

At what precise "time" the psalm was composed, it is, of course, impossible now to ascertain. All that is determined by the title is that it was on that occasion, or with reference to that event; but whether it was at the very time when those enemies were known to be watching the house, or whether it was in view of that scene as recollected afterward, recalling the feelings which then passed through his mind, cannot now be determined with certainty. That David was aware that his enemies were thus watching him is apparent from 1 Samuel 19:11; that such thoughts as are recorded in the psalm passed through his mind in that time of danger is not improbable, but it can hardly be supposed that such an occasion would allow of the leisure necessary to express them in the form in which we now have them in the psalm. The probability, therefore, seems to be, that the psalm is a subsequent composition, recording the thoughts which then actually passed through his mind.

The psalm has no very regular order. The mind passes from one thing to another - now uttering fervent prayer; now describing the enemy - his character and plans; and now expressing the confident hope of deliverance, and the purpose to praise God. Indeed the very structure of the psalm seems to me to furnish evidence that it describes feelings which "would" pass through the mind on such an occasion. Thus we have in Psalm 59:1-2, Psalm 59:5,Psalm 59:11-15, "prayer" for deliverance; in Psalm 59:3-4, Psalm 59:6,Psalm 59:12, intermingled with these prayers, a description of the character and designs of these enemies; and in Psalm 59:8-9, Psalm 59:16-17, an expression of confident hope - a purpose to praise God, for deliverance and mercy. All this is indicative of such feelings as "might," and probably "would," pass through the mind in such a time of peril as that referred to in the title.

On the different phrases in the title, see Introductions to Psalm 4; 47; 16.

The psalmist prays for deliverance from his enemies, whose desperate wickedness he describes, Psalm 59:1-7; professes strong confidence in God, Psalm 59:8-10; speaks of the destruction of his enemies, Psalm 59:11-15; praises God for benefits already received; and determines to trust in him, Psalm 59:16, Psalm 59:17.

The title, "To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David," has already occurred: and perhaps means no more than that the present Psalm is to be sung as Psalm 57:1-11, the first which bears this title. But there is here added the supposed occasion on which David made this Psalm: it was, "when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him." When the reader considers the whole of this Psalm carefully, he will be convinced that the title does not correspond to the contents. There is scarcely any thing in it that can apply to the circumstances of Saul's sending his guards by night to keep the avenues to the house of David, that when the morning came they might seize and slay him; and of his being saved through the information given him by his wife Michal, in consequence of which he was let down through a window, and so escaped. See 1 Samuel 19:10, 1 Samuel 19:11. There is not in the whole Psalm any positive allusion to this history; and there are many things in it which show it to be utterly inconsistent with the facts of that history. The Psalm most evidently agrees to the time of Nehemiah, when he was endeavoring to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, when the enterprise was first mocked; then opposed by Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, who watched day and night that they might cause the work to cease; and laid ambuscades for the life of Nehemiah himself. Every part of the Psalm agrees to this: and I am therefore of Calmet's opinion, that the Psalm was composed in that time, and probably by Nehemiah, or by Esdras.

INTRODUCTION TO Psalm 59

To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. The history of Saul's sending messengers to watch the house of David, and to kill him when he rose in the morning, is in 1 Samuel 19:11; which was the occasion of his writing this psalm; though the title of the Syriac version of it is,

"David said or composed this, when he heard that the priests were slain by Saul:''

and in the same is added,

"but unto us it declares the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith, and the rejection of the Jews.''

And which perhaps is designed in Psalm 59:5; and some interpreters are of opinion that the whole psalm is to be understood of Christ, of whom David was a type, especially in his sufferings; and there are some things in it which better agree with him than with David, as particularly his being without sin, Psalm 59:3.

LIX.

The fascinating conjecture of Ewald which connects this psalm with the Scythian irruption into Judæa in the reign of Josiah is not easily surrendered. Some wild nomad tribe supporting itself by pillage, terrifying the inhabitants of a beleaguered city with an outlandish gesture and speech, seems indicated by the recurring simile of the “dogs” (Psalm 59:6; Psalm 59:14-15). And, again, the mode in which the heathen are spoken of in Psalm 59:8, and the effect to be produced far and wide by the evidence of Jehovah’s power (Psalm 59:13) seems to point to a foreign invasion. But, on the other hand, the prominence given to the utterances of this poet’s foes (Psalm 59:7; Psalm 59:12), seems to indicate that his danger was rather from calumnious and false accusations than from hostile violence. Was he merely the mouthpiece of the righteous part of the community, whom a hostile or renegade party is trying to devour, body and soul, character and substance, as the gaunt scavenger dogs devour in an Eastern city? At first sight an apparent double refrain (Psalm 59:6; Psalm 59:14; Psalms , 9, 17) promises a regular poetical form, but the strophes are unequal and the parallelism loose.

Title.—See titles, Psalms 4, 57, 16, and see Introduction.

This Psalm is another prayer for deliverance from virulent enemies who are threatening the Psalmist’s life. It consists of two principal divisions (Psalm 59:1-17) each ending with a refrain. These are again subdivided; the end of the first stanza in each being marked by a Selah, and the initial verse of the second (Psalm 59:6; Psalm 59:14) being the same.

i. (1) In peril of his life from truculent enemies the Psalmist cries for help (Psalm 59:1-2). Emphasising the fact that their attack is unprovoked, he prays Jehovah to interpose and punish all the antagonists of His people (Psalm 59:3-5).

(2) He describes the menacing behaviour and the scornful godlessness of his enemies (Psalm 59:6-7), and declares his confidence that Jehovah will treat them with sovereign contempt (Psalm 59:8-9).

ii. (1) Starting from the height of this confidence (Psalm 59:10) he prays that they may be humbled, yet not utterly destroyed, but left for a warning example, till their own sin proves their ruin (11, 12), and their final disappearance demonstrates the sovereignty of Jacob’s God (Psalm 59:13).

(2) Returning to the present, he contrasts the baffled rage of his pursuers (Psalm 59:14-15) with his own hymns of thanksgiving for deliverance (Psalm 59:16-17).

Thus the Psalm strikes the familiar note of unshaken trust in God under circumstances of danger and difficulty. Its constant recurrence in the Psalter is doubtless intended to provide a large variety of comfort and encouragement for the various circumstances of trial to which the godly are exposed.

But what were the actual circumstances of the Psalmist? According to the title the Psalm refers to the occasion in David’s life “when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.” The narrative in 1 Samuel 19:8 ff relates that after Saul’s unsuccessful attempt upon his life David fled and escaped. “And it came to pass that night” (so we should read with the LXX) “that Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch it, that he might slay him in the morning.” Michal however contrived to effect his escape by letting him down through a window.

There is much in the Psalm which suits David’s situation. Not on that particular night only but for some time previously his life had been in danger. Saul had spoken “to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should slay David” (1 Samuel 19:1); and doubtless there were men (Psalm 59:3) in Saul’s retinue ready to curry favour with their master by secretly despatching him, treacherous ruffians who might well be compared to the hungry and savage dogs which infest oriental towns. David’s enemies had been using the weapons of false and cruel calumny with the view of effecting his ruin. With Psalm 59:7; Psalm 59:12 cp. 1 Samuel 24:9; 1 Samuel 26:19. Again and again he protested his innocence and the groundlessness of the persecution he was suffering. With Psalm 59:3-4 cp. 1 Samuel 20:1; 1 Samuel 24:11; 1 Samuel 26:18 ff; and Psalms 7.

The connexion of the Psalm with this episode in David’s life is however commonly set aside on the ground that the Psalmist’s foes are described as foreigners (Psalm 59:5; Psalm 59:8), and ‘my people’ (Psalm 59:11) seems to imply that he is a king or at least in a position of authority.

Ewald supposed that the Psalm was written by Josiah when Jerusalem was threatened by the marauding bands of the Scythians; others have attributed it to Nehemiah, when he was hindered in his work of rebuilding the walls by the Samaritans and their confederates (Nehemiah 4:1 ff, Nehemiah 4:7 ff; Nehemiah 6:1 ff). But neither of these conjectures is satisfactory. The enemies appear to be personal; one of their chief weapons is calumny; it is the Psalmist’s life which is in danger, rather than the city, or the cause which he represents.

It is indeed not quite certain (see the notes) that the ‘heathen’ of Psalm 59:5; Psalm 59:8, are the Psalmist’s own immediate enemies: but if they are, the data do not seem to be entirely consistent. Is it possible that we have here a Psalm written by David, or possibly by some later poet, with reference to the occasion stated in the title, and subsequently adapted for liturgical use by the introduction of prayers for the judgement of the enemies of the nation?

Ps 59:1-17.

See on

Ps 57:1,

title, and for history,

1Sa 19:11,

&c. The scope is very similar to that of the fifty-seventh: prayer in view of malicious and violent foes, and joy in prospect of relief.

1. defend me--(Compare Margin).

rise up . . . me--(Compare

Ps 17:7).

Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God - See the notes at Psalm 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 be presumed that they had come in sufficient numbers, and with sufficient power, to effect their object. Their purpose was not to break in upon him in the night, but to watch their opportunity, when he went forth in the morning, to slay him 1 Samuel 19:11, and there seemed no way for him to escape. Of their coming, and of their design, Michal, the daughter of Saul, and the wife of David, seems to have been apprised - perhaps by someone of her father's family. She informed David of the arrangement, and assured him that unless he should escape in the night, he would be put to death in the morning. She, therefore, let him down through a window, and he escaped, 1 Samuel 19:12. It was in this way that he was in fact delivered; in this way that his prayer was answered. A faithful wife saved him.

Defend me from them that rise up against me - Margin, as in Hebrew, "Set me on high." The idea is that of placing him, as it were, on a tower, or on an eminence which would be inaccessible. These were common places of refuge or defense. See the notes at Psalm 18:2.