The title of Psalm 59 links that psalm with this incident.

Regarding the placement of the words That night, see the comments on verse 10.

The word translated messengers usually means either “messengers” or “angels.” But here these men do not have a message for David or anyone else. Rather they go to the home of David for the purpose of spying on him. It is therefore reasonable to translate “spies” in this context. Contemporary English Version refers to them as “guards,” while New Jerusalem Bible calls them “agents.”

That he might kill him: literally “to kill him.” The verb form is an infinitive in Hebrew with no explicit agent. It is not likely that Saul himself intended to kill David, as Revised Standard Version seems to suggest.

Michal … told him: literally “Michal told David, saying.” As in verse 2, the two verbs may be better translated “warned” in this context.

Your life: literally “your nefesh” (traditionally rendered “soul”). Compare verse 5. The manner in which David can save his life is by escaping. Nouvelle version Segond révisée says “If you don’t escape tonight.”

You will be killed: the verb form is a participle in Hebrew, with no expressed agent. But in languages that do not have passive forms, it will be possible to say “they [indefinite] will kill you” or “someone will kill you.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .