Psalm 59 6

Psalm 59:6 kjv

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

Psalm 59:6 nkjv

At evening they return, They growl like a dog, And go all around the city.

Psalm 59:6 niv

They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city.

Psalm 59:6 esv

Each evening they come back, howling like dogs and prowling about the city.

Psalm 59:6 nlt

They come out at night,
snarling like vicious dogs
as they prowl the streets.

Psalm 59 verses

Psalm 59 6 Meaning

Psalm 59:6 vividly depicts the psalmist's enemies as predatory and relentless, likening them to scavenging dogs. They are portrayed as returning at evening, the time when darkness provides cover for their malicious deeds. Their howling signifies their ravenous hunger, their wicked intent, and their intimidating, restless movement throughout the city, seeking whom to attack and devour. This verse underscores the pervasive and animalistic threat David faces from those who wish him harm.

Psalm 59 6 Context

Psalm 59 is a "Michtam of David," specifically attributed to the time when Saul sent men to watch David's house in order to kill him (1 Sam 19:11). This historical backdrop illuminates David's precarious situation: he is trapped in his own home, surrounded by agents of King Saul, his own sovereign, who seek his life unjustly. The psalm is a desperate cry to God for deliverance from these relentless and hostile pursuers. Within this context, verse 6 portrays the enemies' movements as they besiege David's house and scour the city, highlighting their predatory nature, their malice, and their determination to find and eliminate him under the cover of night. They embody chaos and danger in a place meant to be safe.

Psalm 59 6 Word analysis

• They return: From the Hebrew shuv (שׁוּב), meaning "to turn back, return, go back." This suggests a repeated, determined, and perhaps cyclical action. The enemies are not simply passing by; they are coming back to their hunt, underscoring their persistence and relentlessness. This might also imply they are returning from some foray, or simply recurring in their harassment.
• at evening: ba·’erev (בָּעֶרֶב). Evening signifies a time of gathering shadows and increasing danger, a period when lurking enemies are harder to detect and when predatory creatures are most active. This timing emphasizes the stealthy and malicious nature of the pursuers, operating under cover of darkness to fulfill their wicked designs. It's a time for ambush and heightened vulnerability for the victim.
• they howl: From the Hebrew yehemû (יֶהֱמוּ), related to naham (נָהַם), which implies a growling, roaring, or moaning sound, often associated with wild animals like lions or dogs. It denotes a guttural, menacing, and hungry sound. This isn't merely a sound; it conveys their predatory instinct, their hunger for destruction, and their intimidating presence. It’s an expression of their vile intent.
• like dogs: ḵak·ḵelāḇîm (כַכְּלָבִים). In the ancient Near East, dogs were generally viewed with disdain. They were often wild, scavenging pariahs that roamed in packs, regarded as unclean and associated with danger, disease, and devouring carrion (e.g., Ex 22:31). Unlike domesticated pets of today, these were not companions but a symbol of contempt, aggression, and moral impurity. The comparison portrays the enemies as despicable, morally depraved, ruthless, and devoid of honor, driven by base instincts. This image also polemically counters any idea of the enemies having divine authority or righteous intent, stripping them of any moral legitimacy.
• and go about the city: we·yassōḇeḇū-îr(וַיְסֹבְבוּ-עִיר).Yasab` (יָסַב) means "to go around, surround, encompass, patrol." This illustrates their pervasive presence and tireless search. They are not static but actively moving throughout the urban area, indicating their widespread influence or relentless hunting, leaving no place of safety. This speaks to the complete encirclement and persistent menace faced by David.

Psalm 59 6 Bonus section

The repetitive nature of the threat is emphasized by Psalm 59:14, which largely repeats verse 6. This deliberate echoing in the psalm underscores the unyielding and ceaseless harassment David endured, indicating that the menace of his enemies was not a singular event but a recurring terror that permeated his nights. The term "Michtam," affixed to this psalm, has various proposed meanings, including "golden poem" or a "composition for silent contemplation." In the context of the visceral imagery of howling dogs, a "silent" contemplation could highlight the stark contrast between David's inner prayer and the outer chaotic world of his pursuers. The comparison to dogs also draws a parallel to other passages where ungodly or despised individuals are likened to animals (e.g., wild beasts for oppressive rulers in Ps 57:4; wolves for false teachers in Matt 7:15).

Psalm 59 6 Commentary

Psalm 59:6 vividly paints the picture of the psalmist’s adversaries as cunning, relentless, and animalistic in their pursuit. The imagery of them returning "at evening" accentuates the element of treachery and the cloak of darkness under which evil thrives, while their "howling like dogs" captures their ravenous hunger and vicious intent, highlighting their lack of moral restraint and their debased nature. The negative connotation of dogs in the ancient Hebrew mind further emphasizes their vileness and contemptibility. Their "going about the city" signifies their pervasive presence and tireless search for David, ensuring he has no refuge. This verse profoundly expresses the acute and oppressive threat David faced, presenting his enemies not merely as human opponents but as predatory forces of chaos, driven by an unquenchable thirst for his destruction.