Psalm 57

PSALM 57

"Prayer in the Midst of Perils"

This psalm is another "michtam" of David.  "Michtam" means "golden psalm (i.e., "precious"), and this word occurs in the titles of 6 of the psalms of David:  Psalm 16, and Psalms 56 - 60.  These are psalms that are written at particularly difficult times in  David's life. 

This psalm, much like yesterday's Psalm 56, was penned when David was in peril.  In yesterday's psalm, he was in Gath and was feigning madness so that King Achish would believe he was indeed a madman and not the king of Israel.  He then fled from Gath to the cave of Abdullam, which was in the lowland country of Judah. 

David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Abdullam.  ~ I Sam. 22:1

In verse 1, David's appeal to God begins with the recognition that deliverance has not been earned but would be an expression of God's mercy.  Also, as we have read in previous psalms, this is not the first time David has referred to protection under "God's wings" - as a chick nestles secure under its mother's wings, so David trusts God.  Verse 1 is one of my favorites!  I love where he says, " . . . until these calamities have passed by."



Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.  ~ Ps. 578

We also see in verse 8 that David's praise of God begins early in the morning - it is his first order of the day.  May we learn from David's example and give our first thought of each day to God - and start our day praising Him!

I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;I will sing to You among the nationsFor Your mercy reaches into the heavens,And Your truth unto the clouds.  ~ Ps. 57:9-10

   

My Bible makes this note about the verse above:

Part of David's praise is the recognition that God's mercy and truth extend far beyond ordinary human ideas.

Isn't that wonderful in itself!  That God doesn't "fit" in our heads - our God is too big for our minds to hold!

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• God is merciful and will protect me in the shadow of His wings
• God performs all things for me - wow!
• God is exalted and His glory is above all the earth
• God's mercy reaches the Heavens

HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I praise God for His mercy 
• For His truth! 
• I praise God that, when calamities are upon me, He is my refuge
• I praise God that He is the One who performs all things for me - that I don't have to depend upon myself or any of my own ability

PRAYER:

     O Lord, make my heart steadfast.  May I trust You more with each passing day.  I praise You that You are a God who is too big for my mind to grasp.  I pray that I will know You in the fullness about which You have made Yourself known - be pleased to reveal Yourself to me, O God!

     My heart praises You that You are the Performer, and that my performance is not required ~ You perform all things for me.  Your providence and faithfulness are great, and I praise You with my whole heart for the beauty of Yourself.  In Jesus' name I pray ~ Amen