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Psalms 59:16

in Psalms 59

But I will sing of Your strength and proclaim Your loving devotion in the morning. For You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

But I will sing of thy strength; Yea, I will sing aloud of thy lovingkindness in the morning: For thou hast been my high tower, And a refuge in the day of my distress.

KJV

But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

This verse in Psalms 59

Commentary

10 notes on this verse

A commentator

Charles Spurgeon

1834–1892

The Treasury of David, Vol. 3 (1872)

But I will sing of thy power. The wicked howl, but I sing and will sing. Their power is weakness, but thine is omnipotence; I see them vanquished and thy power victorious, and for ever and ever will I sing of thee. Yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning. When those lovers of darkness find their game is up, and their midnight howlings die away, then will I lift up my voice on high and praise the lovingkindness of God without fear of being disturbed.

This site's exposition

But I will sing of Your strength

on Psalms 59:16-17

The singing comes in the morning, where the dogs came in the evening. Fortress lands a third time here, and refuge in times of trouble stands beside it. Verse 17 names God strength and loving devotion.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Augustine of Hippo

ON THE PSALMS - Psalm 59 · Written before 430.

proposed

The Jews were proud, humbled they have been; Gentiles were despairing, raised up they have been: let them come to the Corner, there let them meet, there run together, there find the kiss of peace; from different parts let them come, but with differing not come, those of Circumcision, these of uncircumcision. Far apart were the walls, but before that to the Corner they came: but in the Corner let them hold themselves, and now let the whole Church from both walls, say what? "But I will sing of Thy power, and I will exult in the morning of Thy mercy" (ver. 16). In the morning when temptations have been overcome, in the morning when the night of this world shall have passed away; in the morning when no longer the lyings in wait of robbers and of the devil and of his angels we dread, in the morning when no longer by the lamp of prophecy we walk, but Himself the Word of God as it were a Sun we contemplate. "And I will exult in the morning of Thy mercy." With reason in another Psalm is said, "In the morning I will stand by Thee, and I will meditate." With reason also of the Lord Himself the Resurrection was at dawn, that there should be fulfilled that which hath been said in another Psalm, "In the evening shall tarry weeping and in the morning exultation." For at even the disciples mourned our Lord Jesus Christ as dead, at dawn at Him rising again they exulted. "For Thou hast become my taker up, and my refuge in the day of my tribulation."

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

(1.) He would praise his power and his mercy; both should be the subject-matter of his song. Power, without mercy, is to be dreaded; mercy, without power, is not what a man can expect much benefit from; but God's power by which he is able to help us, and his mercy by which he is inclined to help us, will justly be the everlasting praise of all the saints.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

1 Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. 3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O L ORD .

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:96%@v1-3

But I will sing of thy power,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Charles Spurgeon

1834–1892

The Treasury of David, Vol. 3 (1872)

proposed

Let them wander up and down for meat. Like dogs that have missed the expected carcass, let them go up and down dissatisfied, snapping at one another, and too disappointed to be quiet and take the matter easily. And grudge if they be not satisfied. Let them act like those who cannot believe that they have lost their prey: like a herd of Oriental dogs, unhoused, unkennelled, let them prowl about seeking a prey which they shall never find. Thus the menial followers of Saul paraded the city in vain hope of satisfying their malice and their master. "Surely, "say they, "we shall have him yet. We cannot endure to miss him. Perhaps he is in yonder corner, or concealed is such a hiding place. We must have him. We grudge him his life. Our lust for his blood is hot, nor can we be persuaded but that we shall light upon him." See the restlessness of wicked men; this will increase as their enmity to God increases, and in hell it will be their infinite torment. What is the state of the lost, but the condition of an ambitious camp of rebels, who have espoused a hopeless cause, and will not give it up, but are impelled by their raging passions to rave on against the cause of God, of truth, and of his people.
3 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Charles Spurgeon

1834–1892

The Treasury of David, Vol. 3 (1872)

proposed

But I will sing of thy power. The wicked howl, but I sing and will sing. Their power is weakness, but thine is omnipotence; I see them vanquished and thy power victorious, and for ever and ever will I sing of thee. Yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning. When those lovers of darkness find their game is up, and their midnight howlings die away, then will I lift up my voice on high and praise the lovingkindness of God without fear of being disturbed. What a blessed morning will soon break for the righteous, and what a song will be theirs! Sons of the morning, ye may sigh tonight, but joy will come on the wings of the rising sun. Tune your harps even now, for the signal to commence the eternal music will soon be given; the morning cometh and your sun shall go no more down for ever. For thou hast been my defence. The song is for God alone, and it is one which none can sing but those who have experienced the lovingkindness of their God. Looking back upon a past all full of mercy, the saints will bless the Lord with their whole hearts, and triumph in him as the high place of their security. And refuge in the day of my trouble. The greater our present trials the louder will our future songs be, and the more intense our joyful gratitude. Had we no day of trouble, where were our season of retrospective thanksgiving? David's besetment by Saul's bloodhounds creates an opportunity for divine interposition and so for triumphant praise.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

I will sing of thy power - For it was because thy hand was upon me for good, that I have thus succeeded in my enterprises. Yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy - I shall publish abroad what thou hast done; and done not for my worthiness, nor for the worthiness of the people; but for thy own mercy’s sake. In the day of my trouble - When I came with small means and feeble help, and had the force and fraud of many enemies to contend with, besides the corruption and unfaithfulness of my own people; thou wast then my defense; and in all attacks, whether open or covered, my sure refuge. I will, therefore, sing of thy mercy in the morning - I will hasten to acquit myself of a duty I owe to thee for such singular interpositions of mercy and power.
But I will sing of thy power - That is, I will praise thee for the manifestation of thy power in rescuing me from danger. Yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning - When the light dawns; when these troubles are over; when the night of calamity shall have passed by. There is an allusion here, probably, to the fact that they encompassed the place of his abode at night Psa 59:6, Psa 59:14; but there is also the implied idea that that night was emblematic of sorrow and distress. The morning would come; morning after such a night of sorrow and trouble; a morning of joy and gladness, when he would feel that he had complete deliverance. Then would he praise God aloud. Compare the notes at Isa 21:12. For thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble - That is, he looked to the time when he would feel this; when looking back he could say this; when in view of it he would praise God.

The words behind it

14 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַאֲנִ֤י׀and I

    vaaniH589 →874 times

  • אָשִׁ֣ירI will sing

    ʾashirH7891 →86 times

  • עֻזֶּךָ֮strength your

    ʾuzekhaH5797 →92 times

  • וַאֲרַנֵּ֥ןso I may sing for joy

    vaaranenH7442 →54 times

  • לַבֹּ֗קֶרto the morning

    labokerH1242 →214 times

  • חַ֫סְדֶּ֥ךָcovenant loyalty your

    chasdekhaH2617 →247 times

  • כִּֽי־for

    ki-H3588 →4482 times

  • הָיִ֣יתָyou have been

    hayitaH1961 →3559 times

  • מִשְׂגָּ֣בa refuge

    misgavH4869 →17 times

  • לִ֑יof me

    li

  • וּ֝מָנ֗וֹסand a place of escape

    umanosH4498 →

  • בְּי֣וֹםon [the] day

    beyomH3117 →2304 times

  • צַר־[when] it is distress

    tzar-H6887 →54 times

  • לִֽי׃to me

    li

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Ephesians 3:20

    Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,

    it leads to

    • 2 Corinthians 9:8

      And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

    • Romans 4:21

      being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.

    • Jeremiah 32:27

      “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?

    • Jude 1:24

      Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—

    • 1 Corinthians 2:9

      Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”

  • Through

    Psalms 30:5

    For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning.

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 54:7–8

      “For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will bring you back.

    • 2 Corinthians 4:17

      For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.

    • Psalms 126:5–6

      Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.

Where this verse is studied

About Psalms

Sower with Setting Sun. Vincent van Gogh, mid July 1888. Sotheby's, New York, 18 November 2025, lot 4. Public domain.
Sower with Setting Sun. Vincent van Gogh, mid July 1888. Sotheby's, New York, 18 November 2025, lot 4. Public domain.

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, ON THE PSALMS - Psalm 59; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.