Psalm 59

Setting

From foes and all who threaten me,

Free Church of Scotland psalter · C.M.

The words

From foes and all who threaten me, O God, be my defence. Save me from evildoers’ hands and men of violence.

See how they lie in wait for me! Ferocious men combine Against me, LORD, for no offence or sinful deed of mine.

I have not done them any wrong, yet they prepare to fight. Arise to help me in my need; take notice of my plight.

LORD God Almighty, rouse yourself; come, God of Israel, To judge the nations, and spare none who wickedly rebel.

At evening they return again; they snarl like dogs at bay. They prowl about the city gates, still hungry for their prey.

See what they spew out from their mouths! Look! from their lips come swords! With evil mind they laugh and say, “Who now can hear our words?”

But you, O LORD, will laugh at them; those nations you deride. I watch for you, my loving God, my Strength, in whom I hide.

My God will come and give me help; in triumph I will sing Before all those who slander me, O Lord, our shield and king.

But lest my people should forget, slay not my foes outright. Cause them to wander aimlessly; defeat them by your might.

Reward the evil of their lips, the words of their own mouths; Let them be captured by their pride, their curses and untruths.

Consume them till they are no more; in anger lay them low. That God rules over Israel all distant lands will know.

At evening they return again; like dogs they snarl and growl. They roam about the town for food and, finding none, they howl.

But in the morning I will praise your strength and loving care, Because you are my strong defence, my refuge from despair.

O God, you are my only strength; to you I will sing praise. You are my fortress and my rock, my loving God always.

Source & provenance

Free Church of Scotland psalter · psalter

An unedited transcription of the Sing Psalms (Free Church of Scotland, 2003) edition.

Full provenance & rights
Base edition
Sing Psalms (Free Church of Scotland, 2003)
Editor
Psalmody Committee of the Free Church of Scotland
Editing
unedited transcription

Rights

Copyright
rights-verified (display held); FCS terms recorded 2026-10-08 — verbatim text in a notated setting with independent tune MIDI is within terms (text free, FCS attribution displayed); copy/print/offline not granted; no audio derivatives
Access
free
Display
permitted

Tunes it can be sung to

2 tunes

  • Dundee

    curated well-matched

    CM

  • Martyrs

    curated well-matched

    CM

How is this list ordered?

Curated pairings come first — a tune a curator recorded against this text, with the fitness they recorded. A tune that merely shares the meter is listed as a tune in the same meter and never as a pairing.

Nothing here is ranked by popularity or use. The page reports what a curator recorded, not a verdict of its own.