The general title to this psalm is the same as in the two preceding psalms. That it was written by David, as is affirmed in the title, there is every reason to believe. The "occasion" on which it is said to have been composed was "when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him." This incident is related in 1-Samuel 19:11 : "Saul also sent messengers unto David's house to watch him, and to slay him in the morning." There is nothing in the psalm inconsistent with this statement in regard to the time and the occasion of its composition, unless it is in the word "heathen" - גוים gôyim - twice used Psalm 59:5, Psalm 59:8 - a term, which (DeWette maintains) belongs properly to people of a foreign nation, and a foreign religion. It is true, however, that while the word originally had this meaning, it came to be used to denote any people or persons who had the general character and spirit which was supposed to distinguish nations without the knowledge of the true God; those who were cruel, harsh, unfeeling, oppressive, savage. Psalm 2:1, Psalm 2:8; Psalm 9:5, Psalm 9:15, Psalm 9:19-20; Psalm 10:16; Psalm 79:6, Psalm 79:10; Psalm 106:47, et al. In this sense it might be used here, without impropriety, as applicable to the enemies of David.
At what precise "time" the psalm was composed, it is, of course, impossible now to ascertain. All that is determined by the title is that it was on that occasion, or with reference to that event; but whether it was at the very time when those enemies were known to be watching the house, or whether it was in view of that scene as recollected afterward, recalling the feelings which then passed through his mind, cannot now be determined with certainty. That David was aware that his enemies were thus watching him is apparent from 1-Samuel 19:11; that such thoughts as are recorded in the psalm passed through his mind in that time of danger is not improbable, but it can hardly be supposed that such an occasion would allow of the leisure necessary to express them in the form in which we now have them in the psalm. The probability, therefore, seems to be, that the psalm is a subsequent composition, recording the thoughts which then actually passed through his mind.
The psalm has no very regular order. The mind passes from one thing to another - now uttering fervent prayer; now describing the enemy - his character and plans; and now expressing the confident hope of deliverance, and the purpose to praise God. Indeed the very structure of the psalm seems to me to furnish evidence that it describes feelings which "would" pass through the mind on such an occasion. Thus we have in Psalm 59:1-2, Psalm 59:5,Psalm 59:11-15, "prayer" for deliverance; in Psalm 59:3-4, Psalm 59:6,Psalm 59:12, intermingled with these prayers, a description of the character and designs of these enemies; and in Psalm 59:8-9, Psalm 59:16-17, an expression of confident hope - a purpose to praise God, for deliverance and mercy. All this is indicative of such feelings as "might," and probably "would," pass through the mind in such a time of peril as that referred to in the title.
On the different phrases in the title, see Introductions to Psalm 4; 47; 16.

The psalmist prays for deliverance from his enemies, whose desperate wickedness he describes, Psalm 59:1-7; professes strong confidence in God, Psalm 59:8-10; speaks of the destruction of his enemies, Psalm 59:11-15; praises God for benefits already received; and determines to trust in him, Psalm 59:16, Psalm 59:17.
The title, "To the chief Musician, Al-taschith, Michtam of David," has already occurred: and perhaps means no more than that the present Psalm is to be sung as Psalm 57:1-11, the first which bears this title. But there is here added the supposed occasion on which David made this Psalm: it was, "when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him." When the reader considers the whole of this Psalm carefully, he will be convinced that the title does not correspond to the contents. There is scarcely any thing in it that can apply to the circumstances of Saul's sending his guards by night to keep the avenues to the house of David, that when the morning came they might seize and slay him; and of his being saved through the information given him by his wife Michal, in consequence of which he was let down through a window, and so escaped. See 1-Samuel 19:10, 1-Samuel 19:11. There is not in the whole Psalm any positive allusion to this history; and there are many things in it which show it to be utterly inconsistent with the facts of that history. The Psalm most evidently agrees to the time of Nehemiah, when he was endeavoring to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, when the enterprise was first mocked; then opposed by Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, who watched day and night that they might cause the work to cease; and laid ambuscades for the life of Nehemiah himself. Every part of the Psalm agrees to this: and I am therefore of Calmet's opinion, that the Psalm was composed in that time, and probably by Nehemiah, or by Esdras.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 59
To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. The history of Saul's sending messengers to watch the house of David, and to kill him when he rose in the morning, is in 1-Samuel 19:11; which was the occasion of his writing this psalm; though the title of the Syriac version of it is,
"David said or composed this, when he heard that the priests were slain by Saul:''
and in the same is added,
"but unto us it declares the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith, and the rejection of the Jews.''
And which perhaps is designed in Psalm 59:5; and some interpreters are of opinion that the whole psalm is to be understood of Christ, of whom David was a type, especially in his sufferings; and there are some things in it which better agree with him than with David, as particularly his being without sin, Psalm 59:3.

(Psalm 59:1-7) David prays for deliverance from his enemies.
(Psalm 59:8-17) He foresees their destruction.

Prayer of an innocent Man Whom Men Are Trying to Take
This Michtam, after the melody Al-tashcheth, coinciding with Psalm 57:5 and Psalm 58:7 in the figure used in Psalm 59:8, is the earliest among the Davidic Psalm which are dated from the time of Saul's persecution. When Saul sent and they (those who were sent by him) watched the house in order to slay him (David); it therefore belongs to the time spoken of in 1-Samuel 19:11. This inscription is no more intended to imply that the Psalm was composed on that night before the flight, which was rendered possible by the artifice of Michal, than the inscription of Ps 51 is meant to imply that the origin of the Psalm was coincident with the arrival of Nathan. The בּ of such inscriptions only sets forth in a general way the historical groundwork of the song. If we consider the contents of the Psalm from this point of view, we shall obtain a tolerably distinct picture of the situation. We must imagine that Saul, even before he issued that command to watch David's house the night through and to slay him in the morning, i.e., to assassinate him behind Michal's back (1-Samuel 19:11), sought to get rid of him in some more secret way; that the venal men of his court, themselves not less ill-disposed towards David, had offered him their hand for the deed; and that in consequence of this, great activity, which was probably seen through by him whose life was threatened, was observable in Gibea, and that more especially every evening, when the bandits strolled through the city in order to meet with the dreaded rival and give him his deathblow. The Psalm and the Prophets are often the medium through which we gain a deeper insight into events which are only sketched in the historical books after their most prominent outward features.
In consideration of the fact that the description of the nightly proceedings of the enemies is repeated after the manner of a refrain, and that the poet in Psalm 59:17 contrasts his believingly joyous prospects for the coming morning with the ineffectual ardour with which they pass the night patrolling the streets, Psalm 59 seems to be an evening song belonging to those perilous days spent in Gibea.