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Psalm 59 in Hebrew and English

18 verses, about 2 minutes to read aloud. The Hebrew has its vowel points and the English stands under each verse.

The text of the psalm

לַמְנַצֵּחַ אַל־תַּשְׁחֵת לְדָוִד מִכְתָּם בִּשְׁלֹחַ שָׁאוּל וַיִּשְׁמְרוּ אֶת־הַבַּיִת לַהֲמִיתֽוֹ׃

For the Leader; Al-tashheth. [A Psalm] of David; Michtam; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.

הַצִּילֵנִי מֵאֹיְבַי אֱלֹהָי מִּמִתְקוֹמְמַי תְּשַׂגְּבֵֽנִי׃

Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God; set me on high from them that rise up against me.

הַצִּילֵנִי מִפֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן וּמֵאַנְשֵׁי דָמִים הוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃

Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from the men of blood.

כִּי הִנֵּה אָרְבוּ לְנַפְשִׁי יָגוּרוּ עָלַי עַזִים לֹא־פִשְׁעִי וְלֹא־חַטָּאתִי יְהוָֽה׃

For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; the impudent gather themselves together against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.

בְּלִי־עָוֺן יְרוּצוּן וְיִכּוֹנָנוּ עוּרָה לִקְרָאתִי וּרְאֵה׃

Without my fault, they run and prepare themselves; awake Thou to help me, and behold.

וְאַתָּה יְהוָה־אֱלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָקִיצָה לִפְקֹד כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם אַל־תָּחֹן כָּל־בֹּגְדֵי אָוֶן סֶֽלָה׃

Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, arouse Thyself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to any iniquitous traitors. Selah

יָשׁוּבוּ לָעֶרֶב יֶהֱמוּ כַכָּלֶב וִיסוֹבְבוּ עִֽיר׃

They return at evening, they howl like a dog, and go round about the city.

הִנֵּה יַבִּיעוּן בְּפִיהֶם חֲרָבוֹת בְּשִׂפְתוֹתֵיהֶם כִּי־מִי שֹׁמֵֽעַ׃

Behold, they belch out with their mouth; swords are in their lips: 'For who doth hear?'

וְאַתָּה יְהוָה תִּשְׂחַק־לָמוֹ תִּלְעַג לְכָל־גּוֹיִֽם׃

But Thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; Thou shalt have all the nations in derision.

עֻזּוֹ אֵלֶיךָ אֶשְׁמֹרָה כִּי־אֱלֹהִים מִשְׂגַּבִּֽי׃

Because of his strength, I will wait for Thee; for God is my high tower.

אֱלֹהֵי חַסְדִּי יְקַדְּמֵנִי אֱלֹהִים יַרְאֵנִי בְשֹׁרְרָֽי׃

The God of my mercy will come to meet me; God will let me gaze upon mine adversaries.

אַל־תַּהַרְגֵם פֶּן־יִשְׁכְּחוּ עַמִּי הֲנִיעֵמוֹ בְחֵילְךָ וְהוֹרִידֵמוֹ מָגִנֵּנוּ אֲדֹנָֽי׃

Slay them not, lest my people forget, make them wander to and fro by Thy power, and bring them down, O Lord our shield.

חַטַּאת־פִּימוֹ דְּבַר־שְׂפָתֵימוֹ וְיִלָּכְדוּ בִגְאוֹנָם וּמֵאָלָה וּמִכַּחַשׁ יְסַפֵּֽרוּ׃

For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride, and for cursing and lying which they speak.

כַּלֵּה בְחֵמָה כַּלֵּה וְאֵינֵמוֹ וְיֵדְעוּ כִּי־אֱלֹהִים מֹשֵׁל בְּיַעֲקֹב לְאַפְסֵי הָאָרֶץ סֶֽלָה׃

Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they be no more; and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob, unto the ends of the earth. Selah

וְיָשׁוּבוּ לָעֶרֶב יֶהֱמוּ כַכָּלֶב וִיסוֹבְבוּ עִֽיר׃

And they return at evening, they howl like a dog, and go round about the city;

הֵמָּה יְנִיעוּן לֶאֱכֹל אִם־לֹא יִשְׂבְּעוּ וַיָּלִֽינוּ׃

They wander up and down to devour, and tarry all night if they have not their fill.

וַאֲנִי אָשִׁיר עֻזֶּךָ וַאֲרַנֵּן לַבֹּקֶר חַסְדֶּךָ כִּי־הָיִיתָ מִשְׂגָּב לִי וּמָנוֹס בְּיוֹם צַר־לִֽי׃

But as for me, I will sing of Thy strength; yea, I will sing aloud of Thy mercy in the morning; for Thou hast been my high tower, and a refuge in the day of my distress.

עֻזִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֲזַמֵּרָה כִּי־אֱלֹהִים מִשְׂגַּבִּי אֱלֹהֵי חַסְדִּֽי׃

O my strength, unto Thee will I sing praises; for God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.

The Hebrew is the Leningrad Codex, compared with a second edition letter by letter. The English is the Jewish Publication Society translation of 1917, in the public domain.

Where this psalm is read

  • The second of the five books of Psalms
  • Read in the monthly cycle on day 10 of the Hebrew month
  • Read in the weekly cycle on Tuesday
  • Part of the Tikkun HaKlali
  • Its heading names David
  • 18 verses, 156 words, about 2 minutes to read

Psalms that are read with this one

All 150 psalms and today's reading·Prayers by the time they are said

Questions about this psalm

How many verses does Psalm 59 have?

Psalm 59 has 18 verses and 156 words.

On which day is Psalm 59 read in the monthly and weekly cycles?

In the monthly cycle it is read on day 10 of the Hebrew month, and in the weekly cycle on Tuesday.

Whose name is in the heading of Psalm 59?

The heading names David.

How long does it take to read Psalm 59?

About 2 minutes, at a steady pace.