Single lesson
Psalm 59: Deliver Me from My Enemies
Psalms 59:1–17
Psalm 59 is a poem-prayer from a person in danger. In this lesson, children will hear how the speaker cries to God for rescue, uses strong word pictures, and ends by singing about God’s strength and mercy.
Before you teach
In Psalm 59, the speaker talks directly to God in the first person, using words like I, me and my. The speaker asks for deliverance from violent enemies, describes their threatening speech and actions, asks God to judge their wickedness, and finishes with trust, refuge and praise.
Students will identify that this psalm is spoken by a person praying to God, name at least two images in the poem, and explain how it moves from danger and requests for judgement to trust and praise.
Welcome: Who is speaking, and what kind of psalm is this?
4 minTell the class they are listening to a prayer-poem from Psalms. Ask them to listen for who is speaking, what danger is described, and what words are used for God. Explain that the speaker is a person praying to God, because the psalm keeps saying I, me and my. Distinguish image words like high tower and refuge from loving kindness, which describes God’s merciful care.
Psalms 59:1, Psalms 59:9, Psalms 59:10, Psalms 59:16, Psalms 59:17
Read and explain: A cry for rescue
7 minRead verses 1 to 5 aloud. Point out the urgent requests: deliver me, save me and help me. The speaker says enemies rise up, lie in wait, and are bloodthirsty. The speaker also says, I have done no wrong. Help children hear how serious the danger is and how directly the prayer is addressed to God.
Psalms 59:1, Psalms 59:2, Psalms 59:3, Psalms 59:4, Psalms 59:5
Discuss the middle: Threats, waiting, and God’s judgement
7 minRead verses 6 to 15 in order. Notice the pictures of enemies howling like dogs and speaking words like swords. Then slow down over verses 10 to 13: the speaker trusts God’s loving kindness, asks God to scatter and bring down the enemies, and asks that their proud curses and lies be judged so people know God rules. Explain briefly that the speaker is asking God to act against violent and wicked speech.
Psalms 59:6, Psalms 59:7, Psalms 59:10, Psalms 59:11, Psalms 59:12, Psalms 59:13, Psalms 59:14, Psalms 59:15
Make and respond: Prayer image card
8 minChildren make a two-sided card. On one side, draw one image of danger from the psalm, such as prowling dogs or sharp words. On the other side, draw one picture of God’s protection, such as a tower, shield or refuge. Add a short line from the psalm, or write a brief prayer for God’s help and care.
Psalms 59:6, Psalms 59:7, Psalms 59:9, Psalms 59:11, Psalms 59:16, Psalms 59:17
Closing: From distress to singing
4 minRead verses 16 and 17 again. Ask the group to listen for what changes by the end. The psalm began with a cry for rescue, and it ends with singing about God’s strength, loving kindness, refuge and mercy. Invite children to say one word they remember from the poem before a short optional prayer.
Psalms 59:16, Psalms 59:17
Questions to explore
How can we tell who is speaking in this psalm, and to whom is the speaker talking?
Look for the first-person words I, me and my, and notice that the speaker says my God and talks directly to God.
Psalms 59:1, Psalms 59:9, Psalms 59:16, Psalms 59:17
What does the speaker ask God to do in verses 10 to 13, and why?
Notice the requests to scatter and bring down the enemies, to catch them in their pride for curses and lies, and to show that God rules in Jacob to the ends of the earth.
Psalms 59:10, Psalms 59:11, Psalms 59:12, Psalms 59:13
How does the prayer change from the beginning to the end of the psalm?
Compare the opening requests for deliverance and help with the closing decision to sing of God’s strength, loving kindness and mercy.
Psalms 59:1, Psalms 59:4, Psalms 59:16, Psalms 59:17
Make, think or respond
Two-Sided Psalm Image Card
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils
- crayons or coloured pencils
- markers
Try it together
- Fold a sheet of paper in half.
- On the first half, draw one image from the psalm that shows danger, such as prowling dogs or harmful words.
- On the second half, draw one image that shows God’s protection, such as a tower, shield or refuge.
- Write a short line from the psalm beside each picture, or write a short prayer asking God for help and praising him for mercy.
- Invite children to explain how their two pictures match the movement of the psalm from distress to trust and praise.
This activity helps children notice the poem’s images, including danger, protection and the closing movement towards praise.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, write key words on the board such as help, dogs, tower, shield, refuge and sing, and let them choose one danger image and one safety image to draw.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to include the middle request from verses 11 to 13 on their card by adding words like scatter, lies, pride or God rules.
An optional closing prayer
Dear God, when we feel troubled, help us call to you. Thank you for your strength, mercy and loving kindness. Please help us trust you and praise you. Amen.
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Psalms 59
1 Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Save me from the bloodthirsty men.
3 For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh.
4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me!
5 You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.
6 They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city.
7 Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, “For”, they say, “who hears us?”
8 But you, Yahweh, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations.
9 Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, for God is my high tower.
10 My God will go before me with his loving kindness. God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.
11 Don’t kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.
12 For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride, for the curses and lies which they utter.
13 Consume them in wrath. Consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth. Selah.
14 At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.
15 They shall wander up and down for food, and wait all night if they aren’t satisfied.
16 But I will sing of your strength. Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning. For you have been my high tower, a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 To you, my strength, I will sing praises. For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.