The Meaning of Psalms 59:5 Explained

Psalms 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.

YLT: And Thou, Jehovah, God of Hosts, God of Israel, Awake to inspect all the nations. Favour not any treacherous dealers of iniquity. Selah.

Darby: Yea, do thou, Jehovah, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, arise to visit all the nations: be not gracious to any plotters of iniquity. Selah.

ASV: Even thou, O Jehovah God of hosts, the God of Israel, Arise to visit all the nations: Be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 59:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 59:1-17 - "god Is My High Tower"
This is the fifth of the Michtams, or "Golden Psalms." Compare Psalms 16:1-11; Psalms 56:1-13; Psalms 57:1-11; Psalms 58:1-11. The contents correspond to the title and to 1 Samuel 19:11.
The most noticeable feature is the twice-repeated refrain of Psalms 59:9; Psalms 17:1-15. In each case David appeals to God as my strength, and describes Him as my high tower and the God of my mercy. The possessive pronoun my is very remarkable. Each of us needs mercy of a very special sort. My mercy would not help you, nor would yours help me. Note also that God's mercy prevents, that is, "goes in front," Psalms 59:10. As the mother's thought prepares beforehand for the child, so God thinks ahead for us, and leads us into the good things which He has prepared for them that love Him, 1 Corinthians 2:9; Psalms 31:19.
In the first refrain David says, "I will wait for thee;" in the second, "I will sing praises." Waiting on God leads to singing. All night Saul's emissaries might prowl around David's home, like the wild dogs of an Eastern city. But within he was singing aloud of God's mercy, and when the morning broke he was in safety. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 59

1  David prays to be delivered from his enemies
6  He complains of their cruelty
8  He trusts in god
11  He prays against them
16  He praises God

What do the individual words in Psalms 59:5 mean?

Therefore You Yahweh God of hosts the God of Israel Awake to punish all the nations not do be merciful to any transgressors wicked Selah
וְאַתָּ֤ה יְהוָֽה־ אֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ צְבָא֡וֹת אֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הָקִ֗יצָה לִפְקֹ֥ד כָּֽל־ הַגּוֹיִ֑ם אַל־ תָּחֹ֨ן כָּל־ בֹּ֖גְדֵי אָ֣וֶן סֶֽלָה

וְאַתָּ֤ה  Therefore  You 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
יְהוָֽה־  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
צְבָא֡וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
אֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
הָקִ֗יצָה  Awake 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: קוּץ 
Sense: to awake, wake up.
לִפְקֹ֥ד  to  punish 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
הַגּוֹיִ֑ם  the  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
תָּחֹ֨ן  do  be  merciful 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: חָנַן 
Sense: to be gracious, show favour, pity.
כָּל־  to  any 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בֹּ֖גְדֵי  transgressors 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: בָּגַד  
Sense: to act treacherously, deceitfully, deal treacherously.
אָ֣וֶן  wicked 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָוֶן 
Sense: trouble, wickedness, sorrow.
סֶֽלָה  Selah 
Parse: Interjection
Root: סֶלָה  
Sense: to lift up, exalt.