Psalm 59:5 kjv
Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.
Psalm 59:5 nkjv
You therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, Awake to punish all the nations; Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah
Psalm 59:5 niv
You, LORD God Almighty, you who are the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to wicked traitors.
Psalm 59:5 esv
You, LORD God of hosts, are God of Israel. Rouse yourself to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah
Psalm 59:5 nlt
O LORD God of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel,
wake up and punish those hostile nations.
Show no mercy to wicked traitors. Interlude
Psalm 59 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 6:3 | ...Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! | God's absolute sovereignty & glory |
| Jer 32:18 | O great and mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts... | God as Lord of hosts, powerful & covenant-keeping |
| 1 Chr 17:24 | ...that your name may be established and magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is God of Israel'... | Emphasizes God's sovereign authority over Israel & all |
| Amos 3:13 | Hear, and testify against the house of Jacob," declares the Lord GOD, the God of hosts. | God of hosts bringing judgment on covenant breakers |
| Psa 7:6 | Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed judgment. | Plea for God to rise up and judge |
| Psa 35:23 | Awake and rouse yourself for my defense, for my cause, my God and my Lord! | Prayer for God to actively intervene and defend |
| Psa 44:23 | Wake up! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Get up! Do not reject us forever. | A plea for divine intervention during suffering |
| Isa 51:9 | Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD... | Call for God's power to act and deliver |
| Jer 25:15-26 | Thus the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: "Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations... drink it." | God's wrath and judgment on many nations |
| Zeph 3:8 | "Therefore wait for me," declares the LORD, "for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations..." | God gathers nations for universal judgment |
| Rom 12:19 | Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." | God is the ultimate avenger, not humans |
| Heb 10:30 | For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." | Affirmation of God's exclusive right to vengeance |
| 2 Thes 1:7-8 | ...when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God... | Jesus' future judgment and vengeance on the unrighteous |
| Rev 16:1-21 | The pouring out of the seven bowls of God's wrath upon the earth. | Ultimate divine judgment on ungodly nations/people |
| Psa 9:17 | The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God. | Judgment on wicked individuals and forgetful nations |
| Psa 58:10-11 | The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked... And people will say, "Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth." | Vindication of God's justice through judgment |
| Prov 29:16 | When the wicked increase, transgression increases... | Link between widespread wickedness and need for judgment |
| Matt 25:31-33 | When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations... | Future judgment of nations by Christ |
| Deut 7:1-2 | ...you must not make a treaty with them or show them any mercy. | Historical context of severe judgment on wicked nations for Israel |
| Jer 13:14 | I will not pity or spare or have compassion, but will destroy them. | God declares withholding mercy due to unfaithfulness |
| Jam 2:13 | For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. | God's justice in relation to human mercy/lack thereof |
Psalm 59 verses
Psalm 59 5 Meaning
Psalm 59:5 is a fervent plea from the psalmist, David, to God for swift and decisive intervention against his adversaries. It invokes God by His powerful covenant names—"Lord God of hosts" and "God of Israel"—to underscore His supreme authority and specific covenant faithfulness. The request is for God to "awake" from perceived inaction and "punish" not only David's immediate enemies but "all the nations" characterized by wickedness. The phrase "show no mercy to any treacherous villains" expresses an urgent call for righteous judgment without reservation, recognizing the depth of the enemies' perfidy and iniquity. It is a prayer for the full display of God's just wrath against unrepentant evil.
Psalm 59 5 Context
Psalm 59 is a Miktam of David, specifically identified in its superscription as a prayer "when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him." This places the psalm in a desperate and perilous moment in David's life, as recounted in 1 Samuel 19:11-17. David’s life is under immediate threat; his house is surrounded by enemies who seek his life for no righteous cause, comparing them to vicious, snarling dogs. The psalm expresses intense personal distress, fear, and a strong appeal for God's protection and deliverance from bloodthirsty adversaries. David vividly describes the malice and lawlessness of his foes, portraying them as boasting and arrogant in their treachery. Verse 5 is part of this passionate appeal, expanding the scope of his petition from his personal predicament to a larger cry for God to address universal wickedness and injustice, knowing that God is the supreme Judge of all.
Psalm 59 5 Word analysis
- You: An immediate, direct address, indicating intimacy and fervent reliance on God. The psalmist specifically points to the Lord as the only one capable of rendering true justice.
- Lord God of hosts: The Hebrew is אֲדֹנָי יְהֹוִה צְבָאוֹת (`Adonai Yahweh Tzeva'ot`).
- אֲדֹנָי (Adonai): My Lord, a reverential title for God, emphasizing His mastery and authority.
- יְהֹוִה (Yahweh): The covenant name of God, revealing His personal, unchanging, and redeeming character, assuring His faithfulness to His promises.
- צְבָאוֹת (Tzeva'ot): Hosts, armies, implying the LORD's sovereign command over all creation—heavenly beings, cosmic powers, and the armies of Israel. This title stresses His omnipotence and capacity to execute judgment and warfare. It assures the psalmist that God has all resources to act powerfully.
- the God of Israel: The Hebrew is אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (`Elohei Yisrael`). This phrase emphasizes God's unique covenant relationship with His chosen people, Israel. It underscores His faithfulness to His historical promises and His specific protective care for them, affirming that He is not merely a distant universal deity but the living God deeply involved in the history and destiny of His people.
- awake: The Hebrew is הָקִיצָה (`haqitsa`), an imperative verb meaning "Awake!" or "Arise!" This is an anthropomorphism; God does not literally sleep or forget. It is a passionate, urgent plea for God to visibly and powerfully intervene and act decisively. From a human perspective, when evil seems to triumph, God appears "inactive," prompting this cry for His active demonstration of justice.
- to punish: The Hebrew is לִפְקֹד (`lifkod`), meaning "to visit," "to inspect," or "to muster." In this context, with "nations" and "treacherous villains" as the object, it clearly carries the meaning of visiting with intent to inflict judgment or punishment. It signifies a careful, just scrutiny that results in retribution.
- all the nations: The Hebrew is כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם (`kol-hagoyim`). This expands the scope of the psalmist's petition beyond his immediate foes to include all peoples characterized by godlessness. It implies a recognition of universal human fallenness and the global need for divine judgment. David, suffering injustice personally, appeals to God's universal judicial authority.
- show no mercy: The Hebrew is אַל־תָּחֹן (`al-tahon`), a strong negative imperative meaning "do not show favor," "do not be gracious to," or "do not pity." This phrase expresses the psalmist's desire for full, unmitigated divine retribution on those who are utterly evil and deceitful. It does not negate God's attribute of mercy in general, but specifically appeals for righteous severity against hardened, unrepentant wickedness that poses a threat to God's moral order.
- to any treacherous villains: The Hebrew is בֹּגְדֵי־אָוֶן (`bog'dei-aven`).
- בֹּגְדֵי (bog'dei): Treacherous, faithless, perfidious. This describes those who betray trust, deal deceitfully, and act treacherously, like David’s immediate enemies who hunted him without cause despite their previous loyalty to King Saul.
- אָוֶן (aven): Iniquity, wickedness, evil, mischief, emptiness, vanity. This term points to the inherent corruptness and moral bankruptcy of these individuals.
- Words-group Analysis:
- "You, Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel": This powerful opening highlights God's dual identity as the supreme universal sovereign and the covenant-keeping God of His chosen people. It invokes His immense power and His faithfulness to deliver justice.
- "awake to punish all the nations; show no mercy to any treacherous villains": This combines a fervent call for God's active judgment with a broad scope of application and an intense demand for unreserved retribution. It encapsulates the psalmist's passionate plea for justice against universal wickedness, extending beyond personal enemies.
Psalm 59 5 Bonus section
This verse embodies an "imprecatory prayer," where the psalmist calls upon God to exercise His righteous judgment against His enemies and, by extension, the enemies of His people. Such prayers, though sometimes unsettling to modern readers, reveal a profound faith in God's justice and sovereignty. They are not expressions of personal vindictiveness (which is forbidden in Scripture) but fervent appeals for God to act as the supreme Judge, to uphold His divine law, and to restore moral order in a world afflicted by injustice. These prayers serve as reminders that God ultimately will address all wickedness, and His justice is a foundation for the hope of the righteous. They project the assurance that the God who reigns will eventually set all wrongs right.
Psalm 59 5 Commentary
Psalm 59:5 is a direct, intense petition from a suffering heart, echoing the desperation of David in a life-threatening situation. It serves as a reminder that the oppressed have a righteous cry for God's justice. The prayer acknowledges God as both the universal Ruler (Lord God of hosts) and the personal covenant keeper (God of Israel), emphasizing that His ultimate authority encompasses both cosmic order and His specific relationship with His people. The "awake" expresses a human yearning for God to make His power evident against seemingly unrestrained evil, not that God is literally dormant. The call for God to "punish all the nations" and "show no mercy to any treacherous villains" reflects a strong desire for God's holy wrath against unrepentant, perfidious wickedness that threatens the moral fabric of society and attacks the righteous. It's an appeal for God's perfect justice to prevail, where the wicked receive the just consequences of their actions, ensuring His righteousness is vindicated.