The Meaning of Psalms 59:10 Explained

Psalms 59:10

KJV: The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.

YLT: God doth go before me, He causeth me to look on mine enemies.

Darby: God, whose loving-kindness will come to meet me, God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.

ASV: My God with his lovingkindness will meet me: God will let me see my desire upon mine enemies.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The God  of my mercy  shall prevent  me: God  shall let me see  [my desire] upon mine enemies. 

What does Psalms 59:10 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 59:10 mean?

God of My mercy shall come to meet me God shall let me see [my desire] on my enemies
אֱלֹהֵ֣י חסדו [חַסְדִּ֣י] (יְקַדְּמֵ֑נִי) אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים יַרְאֵ֥נִי בְשֹׁרְרָֽי

אֱלֹהֵ֣י  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
[חַסְדִּ֣י]  My  mercy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
(יְקַדְּמֵ֑נִי)  shall  come  to  meet  me 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: קָדַם  
Sense: to meet, come or be in front, confront, go before.
אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יַרְאֵ֥נִי  shall  let  me  see  [my  desire] 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
בְשֹׁרְרָֽי  on  my  enemies 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: שֹׁורֵר  
Sense: (Qal) to be an enemy.