Psalm 59:4 kjv
They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold.
Psalm 59:4 nkjv
They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. Awake to help me, and behold!
Psalm 59:4 niv
I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Arise to help me; look on my plight!
Psalm 59:4 esv
for no fault of mine, they run and make ready. Awake, come to meet me, and see!
Psalm 59:4 nlt
I have done nothing wrong,
yet they prepare to attack me.
Wake up! See what is happening and help me!
Psalm 59 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 7:3-5 | O LORD my God, if I have done this...let the enemy pursue my soul... | David declares innocence amidst false accusations. |
| Psa 35:7 | For without cause they hid their net for me... | Unjust ambush and plotting against an innocent person. |
| Psa 69:4 | More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause. | Jesus references this about unjust hatred. |
| Jn 15:25 | But this happened that the word might be fulfilled: 'They hated me without a cause.' | Christ's suffering, a fulfillment of Scripture, emphasizes baseless hatred. |
| 1 Pet 2:21-23 | For to this you have been called...He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth. | Christ's sinless suffering as an example for believers enduring unjust suffering. |
| Psa 37:12 | The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him. | Common theme of the wicked plotting harm against the upright. |
| Psa 64:2-6 | Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked...they devise injustice. | Secret conspiracies and malicious plans by enemies. |
| Neh 4:8 | They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem... | External enemies plotting hostile action against God's people. |
| Acts 23:12-14 | Some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves...to kill Paul. | Baseless plots and attempts on a servant of God's life. |
| Psa 59:1 | Deliver me from my enemies, O my God... | Immediate context: David's prayer for deliverance from powerful foes. |
| Psa 59:9 | O my Strength, I will watch for You, for You, O God, are my fortress. | God as the ultimate protector and deliverer in times of unjust attack. |
| Psa 59:16 | But I will sing of Your strength...for You have been my fortress... | Praising God as his strength and refuge in the face of adversity. |
| Psa 18:2 | The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer... | God as a reliable sanctuary against aggressive enemies. |
| Psa 27:5 | For in the day of trouble he will conceal me in his tabernacle... | God providing refuge and hiding His servant from the enemy. |
| 2 Tim 4:18 | The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely... | Confidence in God's protective deliverance from all evil and plots. |
| 1 Sam 24:11 | See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand! I did not cut you off. | David demonstrating his innocence to Saul despite Saul's hostile pursuit. |
| Isa 53:9 | He committed no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. | Prophecy of the Suffering Servant's blamelessness amidst suffering. |
| Jer 20:10 | For I hear many whispering... "Denounce him! Let us denounce him!" | Jeremiah's experience of being slandered and plotted against without cause. |
| Matt 27:24 | Pilate took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this Man's blood." | Declaration of Christ's innocence by human authority during His crucifixion. |
| Psa 119:161 | Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words. | Unjust persecution from powerful figures, contrasted with devotion to God's word. |
| Prov 1:11 | If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood..." | Warnings against those who lie in ambush for the innocent. |
| Ex 3:14-15 | God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"... "The LORD...is my name forever." | The divine covenant name 'LORD' (Yahweh), invoked for personal appeal. |
| Phil 4:6 | Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication... | Encouragement to present all concerns, including unjust persecution, to God. |
| Rom 8:31-34 | If God is for us, who can be against us?...Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? | Ultimate assurance of divine vindication against false accusations. |
Psalm 59 verses
Psalm 59 4 Meaning
Psalm 59:4 vividly portrays a psalmist under intense, unwarranted assault. Enemies, characterized as fierce and violent, are actively conspiring and attacking him with lethal intent. The crucial element is the psalmist's clear declaration of innocence, asserting that their aggression is not a consequence of any personal transgression or sin committed by him. This declaration underscores the injustice of the persecution and appeals to the righteous judgment of the LORD, highlighting the baseless cruelty of his adversaries.
Psalm 59 4 Context
Psalm 59 is titled "A Michtam of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him." This heading points to a specific historical context found in 1 Samuel 19:11-17. Saul, driven by intense jealousy and malice, commanded his men to kill David in his own home. This backdrop is crucial: David is not in a distant battle, but literally besieged at his doorstep by those serving the king, a profound act of betrayal. The psalm is an urgent cry for deliverance from cunning, relentless, and unprovoked attackers. Verse 4 encapsulates David's direct complaint against this ambush, emphasizing the lack of any personal transgression as a just cause for Saul's murderous intent, directly appealing to God for intervention against this gross injustice.
Psalm 59 4 Word analysis
- For behold (
הִנֵּה, hinnēh): An emphatic particle, drawing immediate attention. It signifies an urgent appeal for observation, urging God and any listeners to recognize the clear and present danger. It can convey surprise or underscore the suddenness and tangible nature of the threat. - they lie in wait (
אָרְבוּ, ʾārvû): From the rootארב(arav), meaning "to lie in ambush," "to stalk." This implies hidden malice, a secret plot, and a surprise attack, not open warfare. It speaks to deceit and treachery. - for my life (
נַפְשִׁי, napšî): 'Naphesh' often translated "soul," but here it means "my very being," "my vital force," "my life." The threat is existential, aiming to extinguish his existence, not just cause harm. It conveys the highest degree of danger. - fierce men (
עַזִּים, ʿazzîm): From the rootעזז(azaz), meaning "strong," "mighty," "violent," "ruthless." These are not merely opponents, but formidable, powerful, and relentless adversaries. They possess an aggressive and unyielding disposition, compounding the psalmist's vulnerability. - stir up strife against me (
יִתְגֹּדְדוּ, yitgōdědû): This Hebrew verb, a reflexive Hithpael form, suggests "to gather themselves against," "to assault with hostility," "to break against one another in hostile action." It indicates an organized, determined aggression, where the "fierce men" actively engage in hostile preparation or outright attack. It's more than passive waiting; it's active hostility. - not for my transgression, nor for my sin (
לֹא-פִשְׁעִי וְלֹא חַטָּאתִי, lōʾ-pišʿî wělōʾ ḥaṭṭāʾtî):פִשְׁעִי(pišʿî - my transgression): Refers to rebellion, intentional wrongdoing, a breach of covenant or trust.חַטָּאתִי(ḥaṭṭāʾtî - my sin): Refers to missing the mark, moral failing, or a lesser fault.- The double negative emphasizes a strong, unequivocal declaration of blamelessness concerning the specific cause of the present persecution. The psalmist is not claiming absolute sinlessness, but rather asserting that the enemies' current, lethal actions are completely unprovoked and unjust according to any divine or human law they could accuse him of breaking.
- O LORD (
יְהוָה, YHWH or Yahweh): The covenant name of God, indicating His personal, revealed character as faithful and righteous. It's an appeal to the God of Israel's covenant, righteousness, and justice, implying that Yahweh is aware of the unprovoked nature of the attack and is obligated by His character to intervene for the innocent.
Psalm 59 4 Bonus section
The Hebrew word פֶּשַׁע (pesha‘, "transgression") typically implies a rebellious breaking of a known command or covenant, a defiant act against authority. חַטָּאת (chattath, "sin") often describes a failing, missing the mark, or an unintentional wrong. By denying both pesha‘ and chattath, David covers a broad spectrum of potential accusations, meticulously affirming his non-culpability regarding his current peril. This emphasis on unprovoked suffering finds resonance in the life of Christ, who truly committed no sin, yet suffered the ultimate injustice (1 Pet 2:22). This Psalm, like many laments of the righteous sufferer, subtly points forward to the supreme example of unjust suffering embodied in the Messiah, where the "fierce men" (religious and political authorities) unjustly plotted for His life without Him having committed any transgression or sin worthy of death.
Psalm 59 4 Commentary
Psalm 59:4 serves as the psalmist's core plea, articulating the desperate nature of his predicament. David, confronted by relentless enemies bent on his demise, emphasizes the absolute lack of justification for their aggression. The depiction of his adversaries as "fierce men" lying "in wait" suggests calculated malevolence and a pre-meditated, hidden attack. This is not a spontaneous quarrel but a targeted attempt on his life, underscoring the severity and injustice of the situation. His solemn declaration, "not for my transgression, nor for my sin," is profoundly significant. It is not a claim to absolute purity before God, for all humans are fallen, but an assertion that the specific, lethal persecution he faces is not a punitive response to any known wrongdoing on his part. This absence of provocation strengthens his cry for divine intervention, as it frames the conflict as an assault on innocence. David's direct address to "O LORD" (Yahweh) signifies his complete reliance on God's covenant faithfulness and righteous judgment to discern his blamelessness and act as his vindicator against an unrighteous enemy. It speaks to an abiding faith that God is just and will not allow the innocent to be overwhelmed indefinitely by evil, echoing the theme of divine justice often seen in the laments and appeals of the righteous in Scripture. This declaration is a powerful demonstration of faith, placing his entire situation before God as the ultimate arbiter.