We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below. Read Psalm 59 Listen to Psalm 59 David, here, was in fear of his life from King Saul who had sent men to his house to kill him (1 Samuel 19:11). Verses 1-7 are a prayer of deliverance by David who reminds God that he has done nothing wrong and is being unjustly attacked. I believe there are similarities in today’s world for the church when it is attacked, many times physically, in various parts of the world by other faiths who are jealous or feel insecure by the challenge of Christianity. This applies too to individual Christians who are unjustly persecuted for standing firm in their beliefs. David doesn’t hesitate to pray to God to be defended. Even if we do not suffer physical affliction perhaps we should pray often for God to protect us from our spiritual enemies and the temptations of our own hearts. If we are subjected to ridicule or opposition by the secular world we should not worry (see Matthew 5:11-12). David then puts his trust in the Lord (verses 8-11) and goes on to ask God to punish the evil doers but not too quickly. David didn’t only want the defeat of his enemies. He wanted them defeated in a way that would do the most good for God’s people. If those enemies were kept alive but scattered, the lesson would last longer. David prayed often for God to punish his enemies. This, perhaps, is not the kind of prayer that we should be making as Christians, as we have the benefit of Jesus’ teaching about praying for our enemies and those who persecute you. Verse 6 is repeated again in verse 14 for emphasis. Maybe David could see Saul’s men prowling around and surrounding his house at night like the pack of hungry dogs that they were. But he is confident now that God will protect him and save him, so he sings and expresses his praise to God until morning. O my strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress my loving God (verse 17).