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Psalm 59:5
You, LORD God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.
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.
4I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me!
5You, LORD God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.
6They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city.
7Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, “For”, they say, “who hears us?”
Notice
“Show no mercy” is a severe plea from someone facing an unprovoked attack, appealing to Israel’s God to punish wicked traitors and the nations.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What changes when you read this demand for punishment alongside the unprovoked attack in verses 3–4?
Write on thisWhich words in this plea for punishment do you find hardest to pray?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 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
Psalm 3:7Arise, LORD! Save me, my God! For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked.Both ask the LORD to rise and act against enemies, with Psalm 3 describing blows that break the wicked’s teeth.
Psalm 9:15The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made. In the net which they hid, their own foot is taken.Both concern the downfall of nations: Psalm 59 asks God to punish them, while Psalm 9 describes their traps catching them.
Psalm 55:15Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is among them, in their dwelling.Both contain severe pleas against the wicked: Psalm 59 asks for no mercy, and Psalm 55 asks for death.
Psalm 84:8LORD, God of Armies, hear my prayer. Listen, God of Jacob. Selah.Both address the God of Armies in prayer and end with “Selah.”
Isaiah 1:10Hear the LORD’s word, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!The shared thread is the LORD as God; Isaiah commands people to listen, while the psalm asks God to act.
James 2:13For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.Both speak of judgment without mercy, though James also declares that mercy triumphs over judgment.
Exodus 20:5you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on …Both speak of God punishing wrongdoing: the psalm names wicked traitors, while Exodus addresses those who hate God.
Romans 2:28–29For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh;The connection is limited to Jewish identity: Psalm 59 names Israel’s God, while Romans rejects outward appearance as the measure of Jewish identity.
Amos 9:7Are you not like the children of the Ethiopians to me, children of Israel?” says the LORD. “Haven’t I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt, and the …Both speak of Israel and other nations in relation to God, whose dealings extend beyond Israel.
Ezekiel 18:27–28Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will save his soul alive.Both speak of the wicked, though Ezekiel describes a wicked person turning from evil and living.
Romans 9:6But it is not as though the word of God has come to nothing. For they are not all Israel that are of Israel.The shared thread is Israel’s relationship to God; Romans adds a distinction within Israel that this plea does not explain.
Genesis 33:20He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel.The altar name El Elohe Israel and the address in Psalm 59 both name God in relation to Israel.
Where this verse fits
Injustice and anger. fear for the future. sermon or Bible study notes.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
The threatened speaker addresses the God of Armies. This fierce prayer entrusts punishment to God; it gives the reader no command to carry it out.
Now put it in your words.
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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).