Persecuted for Speaking the Name of Jesus Christ – Psalm 59

“To the Chief Musician. Set to ‘Do Not Destroy.’ A Michtam of David when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him.” Psalm 59:1

The back story of Psalm 59 is recorded in 1 Samuel 19. In David’s day, he was like one of the reformers in the days of Martin Luther. The religious authorities who should have applauded Luther’s revelation from God about salvation by God’s grace through faith in Christ, sought to kill him. Before he became king, David was mischaracterized by his enemies as an evildoer.

In 1 Samuel 19:1, Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. In 1 Samuel 19:9-10, David was back with Saul and playing music for him. Suddenly a distressing spirit came upon Saul and he threw a spear at David. David escaped in the night. In Samuel 19:11-17, Saul sent messengers to David’s house to kill him, but Michal, his wife, knew of the plan and warned him to escape. Afterwards she felt obligated to lie to her father lest he execute her. She told Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’”

Jesus was persecuted by the very people who should have been for Him. In Zechariah 13:6, there’s a prophecy about Jesus, where “One will say to Him, ‘What are these wounds in Your hands?’ Then He will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends.’”

Have you ever been literally wounded or betrayed to corrupt authorities by a friend? Many of God’s servants including His own Son experienced such treatment. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Philippians 2:7-9 says that Jesus made Himself of no reputation... humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

“Deliver me from my enemies, O my God. Defend me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity and save me from bloodthirsty men. For look, they lie in wait for my life. The mighty gather against me, not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord. They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. Awake to help me and behold! 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! At evening they return, they growl like a dog and go all around the city. Indeed, they belch with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, for they say, ‘Who hears?’” Psalm 59:1-7

The persecution against David was intense. His assassins wanted to see his blood. They continuously laid traps for him. Each hunter hoped to be the hero who killed him. David had done them no wrong. Their pursuit of him stemmed from a selfish ambition to claim the reward for his capture and death. David’s mention of growling dogs, belching men and lips like swords causes me to think of a hunting party of beer guzzling and vulgar mouthed men on a hunting expedition. They have their hound dogs with them. David prayed to God, “Awake to help me!”

In Psalm 22:16, the persecutors of Jesus are compared to dogs. The words of their lips stabbed and wounded Him like swords. According to Isaiah 53:4, they esteemed Him smitten by God.

“But You, O Lord, shall laugh at them. You shall have all the nations in derision. I will wait for You, O You his Strength, for God is my defense. My God of mercy shall come to meet me. God shall let me see my desire on my enemies.” Psalm 59:8-10

God says in 1 Peter 4:14, “If you are reproached for the Name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” God’s Spirit strengthened David.

Once, when a friend named Mark Franzen and me were witnessing to a man. He suddenly turned violent and threatened to shoot us with his gun. In that moment, I could sense that Franzen and me were aglow with God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit of glory rested on us. It felt great! Glory to God! And the very next day, that man professed faith in Jesus Christ through the ongoing witness of others.

David foresaw the Lord laughing at the pride of those who insult Him. In Psalm 24:1, he wrote, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.” In Isaiah 40:15, God’s Word says, “Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket and are counted as the small dust on the scales.” In Isaiah 40:22, The Lord “sits above the circle of the earth [yes, the earth is round], and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers...”

David waited on the Lord, and the Lord gave him instructions. Rather than making decisions based on pride in himself, David inquired of the Lord. For example, in 1 Samuel 23:2-4, David asked God if he should attack the Philistines and, even after God’s receiving approval, he asked God again to ensure he understood God perfectly.

David called God’s mercy his mercy. The Lord said to His people in Isaiah 55:3, “Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live. And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—the sure mercies of David.” God’s mercy was on the linage of David because the Christ child was born on earth from his family tree. [1]

“Do not slay them, lest my people forget. Scatter them by Your power, and bring them down, O Lord our shield. For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride, and for the cursing and lying which they speak. Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be and let them know that God rules in Jacob to the ends of the earth. Selah!” Psalm 59:11-13

If the execution of David’s enemies had been swiftly done, the impacts of their deaths would have been small. “Swift destructions startle men for the present, but they are soon forgotten.” So, David prayed that their decline would last long. “Scatter them.” Thus Cain, though a murderer, was not immediately slain, God sentenced him to be a fugitive and a vagabond. [2]

David wanted God to make his persecutors as monuments of divine justice. Indeed, the stories of David’s victories over Goliath and King Saul have been memorialized in works of art, in songs, in books and in modern day movies.

David speaks of his enemies uttering curses, lies, and arrogant boasts. God made our tongues to speak edifying words of comfort and exhortation to one another. Our tongues should speak words of God’s love to those around us. We also use our tongues wisely when we use them to give God thanks for all the many blessings that He gives to us.

“And at evening they return, they growl like a dog and go all around the city. They wander up and down for food, and howl if they are not satisfied.” Psalm 59:14-15

Those who hunted for David in the wilderness, returned to their city empty handed. I thank God that when I preached the Gospel and made disciples in China, that those who hunted for Christians did not find us. Once, due to having fever, I ended my Bible teaching early. After everyone departed, Public Security Bureau agents showed up and asked our host where everyone was. He acted as though he had no clue about what they were saying. They searched the room for Bibles but found none. Praise God! Those dogs found nothing.

David wrote that after the hunt, the dogs growled all around the city. They searched for food and howled when they were not satisfied. In Isaiah 56:11, the Lord speaks of the misguided spiritual leaders in Isaiah’s day, saying, “Yes, they are greedy dogs which never have enough.

And they are shepherds who cannot understand. They all look to their own way. Every one for his own gain, from his own territory.” Their mission was not in submission to the Lord’s mission.

“But I will sing of Your power. Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises, for God is my defense, my God of mercy.” Psalm 59:16-17

David was not growling or howling. He was singing of God’s mighty power. It was a reality to him. In the morning, he was singing aloud of God’s mercy. He had survived to see another day. God defended him. During the day of trouble, he rested in God. God had revealed to David His strength, His defenses and His mercies. David was at peace. God prepared a table before him in the presence of his enemies. God’s goodness and mercy was following David.


[1] Comments derived from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[2] Ibid