Psalm 57 comments

 

Psalm 57:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.» Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. 2  I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. 3  He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. 4  My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. 5  Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. 6  They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.

 

For this we might look at 1Samuel 22:1 or 1Samuel 24:3 and contexts. Notice the metaphor of being protected in the shadow of God’s metaphorical wings, symbolic wings.

 

Exodus 19:4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.

 

Psalm 17:8  Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

 

Psalm 36:7  How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

 

Psalm 63:7  Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

 

Revelation 12:14  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

 

David pleads for mercy much as we might but says that he trusts in God and will hide in the protection of God until the danger passes. It is to God that David cries out, who David acknowledges can do all things that are needed for his deliverance. He knows that God will reach from Heaven itself to deliver him from the unfair ordeal that threatens to swallow him up. He underscores the danger he is in with a rich statement of the tribulation he faces.

 

Proverbs 30:14  There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

 

The wicked man’s ways are his own undoing if you read Psalm 7.

 

Psalm 7:16  His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

 

We can pray this when we are unjustly accused or unjustly treated by someone, especially someone in authority who has power over us and can hurt us in some significant way. Let God take care of it, and it shall be taken care of, indeed.

 

Psalm 57:7 ¶  My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. 8  Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. 9  I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. 10  For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. 11  Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.

 

For verse seven I am reminded of this scene in heaven:

 

Revelation 5:11  And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12  Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

 

Fixed is firm and sure. David refers to his soul as my glory. Jacob called it his honour in Genesis 49:6;

 

Genesis 49:6  O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.

 

This sentiment in verse seven and eight is repeated.

 

Psalm 108:1 ¶  «A Song or Psalm of David.» O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. 2  Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.

 

For verse nine I am reminded of a thought;

 

Psalm 18:49  Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

 

Psalm 96:3  Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.

 

As Paul wrote;

 

Romans 15:9  And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

 

Verse 10 had a previous similar expression;

 

Psalm 36:5 ¶  Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

 

Verse 11 repeats verse 5.

 

This Psalm of pleading for mercy, acknowledging that God will deliver, and then glorifying His name should be on our lips in times of trouble. We can look forward, as well, to the suffering saints at the end of human history.