Psalms Chapter 59 verse 6 Holy Bible
They return at evening, they howl like a dog, And go round about the city.
read chapter 59 in ASV
They come back in the evening; they make a noise like a dog, and go round the town.
read chapter 59 in BBE
They return in the evening; they howl like a dog, and go round about the city:
read chapter 59 in DARBY
They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.
read chapter 59 in KJV
Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.
read chapter 59 in WBT
They return at evening, howling like dogs, And prowl around the city.
read chapter 59 in WEB
They turn back at evening, They make a noise like a dog, And go round about the city.
read chapter 59 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerses 6-9. - "Here a new stanza begins" (Cheyne). The "enemies" of ver. 1 and the "workers of iniquity" of ver. 2 are more elaborately portrayed. First they are represented as "dogs" - such hideous, half-wild dogs as frequent Eastern cities, which sleep during the greater part of the day, and rove about in packs at night - unclean, horrid, loathsome animals (ver. 6). Then they appear as men - abusive, slanderous, godless (ver. 7). In conclusion, appeal is made to God against them. He will "laugh them to scorn" (ver. 8); and he is a sure Defence against all their efforts (ver. 9). Verse 6. - They return at evening. Having traced David to his house, they disperse for a time, but "return" again at evening, and take up their watch (1 Samuel 19:11). They make a noise like a dog; i.e. snarl and growl, quarrelling more or less among themselves during the night time. And go round about the city. Either wander vaguely about, as dogs do for prey, or patrol the walls and gates to see that David does not quit the city, and so escape them.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(6) A dog.--This comparison to the gaunt half-starved wild dogs of an Eastern town has met us before (Psalm 22:16). The verbs should be rendered as futures here and in Psalm 59:15.Make a noise.--Better, howl. (See Note Psalm 55:7.) An English traveller has described the noise made by the dogs of Constantinople: "The noise I heard then I shall never forget. The whole city rang with one vast riot. Down below me at Tophane; over about Stamboul; far away at Scutari; the whole 60,000 dogs that are said to overrun Constantinople appeared engaged in the most active extermination of each other without a moment's cessation. The yelping, howling, barking, growling, and snarling were all merged into one uniform and continuous even sound" (Albert Smith, A Month at Constantinople, quoted from Spurgeon's Treasury of David).
