Psalm 59 ~ for You, O God, are my fortress

Psalm 59

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
protect me from those who rise up against me;
2 deliver me from those who work evil,
and save me from bloodthirsty men.

3 For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
fierce men stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
4 for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
Awake, come to meet me, and see!
5 You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah

6 Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
7 There they are, bellowing with their mouths
with swords in their lips—
for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”

8 But you, O Lord, laugh at them;
you hold all the nations in derision.
9 O my Strength, I will watch for you,
for you, O God, are my fortress.
10 My God in his steadfast love
[The God who shows me steadfast love]
will meet me;
God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

11 Kill them not, lest my people forget;
make them totter [wander] by your power and bring them down,
O Lord, our shield!
12 For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter,
13 consume them in wrath;
consume them till they are no more,
that they may know that God rules over Jacob
to the ends of the earth. Selah

14 Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
15 They wander about for food
and growl if they do not get their fill.

16 But I will sing of your strength;
I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress
and a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, are my fortress,
the God who shows me steadfast love.

I love the idea of God as our refuge, and thought of a beautiful fortress. This fortress was founded in the early days of the Christians still loving the Lord even when their lives were in danger. Not all the Christians stayed to become burning lights for the night games at the coliseum. Some carried their love of the Lord to new territories. This refuge exists 1700 years later.

Guaita fortress San Marino Italy, Most Serene Republic of San Marino - is a country in the Apennine Mountains. It is a landlocked enclave, completely surrounded by Italy. One of the European microstates, San Marino has the smallest population of all the members of the Council of Europe.

According to tradition, San Marino is the oldest constitutional republic in the world still existing: it was founded on September 3 in the year 301 by Marinus of Rab, a Christian stonemason fleeing the religious persecution of Roman Emperor Diocletian. San Marino has the oldest written constitution still in effect dating back to 1600.


<><