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Psalm 59:1

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.

1For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.
2Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Save me from the bloodthirsty men.
3For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, LORD.
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Psalm 59:2 →
Notice

The men watching David’s house intend to kill him, giving his plea for rescue the urgency of someone whose own home offers no safety.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

How does knowing that men watched David’s house to kill him shape your reading of his prayer?

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What would you ask God to do for someone who needs David’s plea, “Deliver me from my enemies”?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

10 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.

This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
1 Samuel 19:11–24Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you don’t save your life …Samuel describes the same threat named in the psalm’s heading: Saul sends men to watch David’s house and kill him.
Psalm 91:14“Because he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him on high, because he has known my name.David asks God to deliver him and set him on high; Psalm 91 uses both phrases in God’s promise of protection.
Psalm 18:48He rescues me from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.Both passages speak of rescue from enemies and being lifted above those who rise up against the speaker.
Psalm 57:1For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave. Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for …Both headings place David under threat from Saul, and both prayers turn to God for shelter from danger.
Isaiah 33:16he will dwell on high. His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks. His bread will be supplied. His waters will be sure.Height is linked with protection in both passages: David asks to be set on high, while Isaiah describes a high dwelling with defenses.
Luke 1:74–75to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,Both passages speak of deliverance from enemies, with David asking for rescue and Luke describing freedom to serve God without fear.
Psalm 56:1For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath. Be merciful to me, God, for …Both prayers come from David under human threat and ask God for help against those seeking to harm him.
2 Corinthians 11:32–33In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the Damascenes’ city, desiring to arrest me.Both texts describe hostile surveillance: men watch David’s house to kill him, while the governor guards Damascus to arrest Paul.
2 Timothy 4:17–18But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered …David asks God for deliverance from danger; Paul recounts the Lord’s help and his deliverance from the lion’s mouth.
Judges 16:2–3The Gazites were told, “Samson is here!” They surrounded him and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, …Both accounts describe men watching and waiting to kill a named person: David at his house and Samson in Gaza.
Where this verse fits

Fear for the future. injustice and anger.

What the Bible says about fear →What the Bible says about anger →
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Pray David’s request for someone facing threats

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Encouragement

David says “my God” while men watch his house to kill him. His plea treats God as the one able to rescue him from their reach.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 59:1. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.

Keep goingPsalm 59 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).