In Psalm 57 … David is being chased relentlessly by King Saul. For years this was the case! And “the man after God’s Own Heart” (Acts 13:22) had to flee for his life time and time again.
Notice the Introduction to our Psalm, often called the “Superscript.” It reads in part …“Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the CAVE.”
Yes, the Psalm is “set” in a cave!
Verse 1 specifically mentions the “calamities” David was facing. The Hebrew noun means “wicked things,” mischievous and destructive.
The sweet Psalmist (2 Samuel 23:1) feels he is about to be “swallowed up,” to be eaten alive!
Verse 4 relates further David’s fear: “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.”
Yes, words do hurt, especially if they are lies.
Discouraged, in a cave, knowing … “They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me.”
But (and unique here …. adding to the beauty of the Text) David, through the whole “cave” experience … keeps trusting God, keeps praying to God, keeps hoping in God!
So much so that David turns this cave into a cathedral, into a chapel!
He begins to praise God! Read with me …
Psalm 57:7 … “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will SING and give PRAISE.”
Verse 9 … “I will PRAISE thee, O Lord, among the people: I will SING unto thee among the nations.
Remember: a good number of the Psalms are “built” this way, so true to the life experience of a godly man or woman. They start in some low, discouraged setting … only to end a few verses later on a mountaintop somewhere, shouting the (soon coming) victory!
Do YOU know the God Who can turn a valley into a peak?
Discouragement into praise?
A cave (ultimately) into a palace!
God did so for David, literally.
He can for us too, spiritually.
Friend, get out of that cave today!
Join the choir, the chorus!
Sing praises to our dear Lord and Saviour!
(Praising one’s way out of a dungeon!)
Wow!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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