Psalm 57:1-5 - "In the Shadow of Your Wings..."
MAY 22, 2023
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Psalm 57 is a Psalm that historically follows the preceding Psalm. Remember Psalm 56
was written by David after he had been captured by the Philistines in Gath.
When David heard the Philistines repeating the song that the Israelites began
singing after his victories in battle over the Philistines, “Saul has slain
his thousands and David his ten thousands” (1 Samuel 21:11), David knew they
were making plans to kill him. He made plans to escape by acting like an insane
madman and King Achish let him go free and he fled for protection to the cave
of Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1).


David later would move to a cave in Engedi (1 Samuel 24), where he probably writes
Psalm 142. But here at the cave of Adullam, still fleeing for his life from
King Saul, he writes Psalm 57. He knew that it was better to be in the will of
God in a cave than out of His will in a king’s palace or trying to find
protection in the camp of the enemy. You do crazy things when you sit down at
the enemy’s fire seeking to be one of them for protection. Remember when Peter
stood at the fire to warm himself with those who were plotting to kill Jesus
and then next you know he is cursing and denying that he even knows Jesus (John
18:18-25: Matthew 26:69-74).


The title of Psalm 57 also informs us that this Psalm was to be set to the melody
"Do Not Destroy". This same melody was also assigned to Psalms 58,
59, and 75.


Psalm 57 is also one of the Michtam Psalms of David. For quality this Psalm is called
golden, or a secret, and it well deserves the name. We may read the words and
yet not know the secret joy of David, which he has locked up in his golden
casket. When he fled from Saul in the cave. This is a song from the bowels of
the earth, and, like Jonah's prayer from the bottom of the sea, and it has a
taste of the place. The poet is in the shadow of the cave at first, but he
comes to the cavern's mouth at last, and sings in the sweet fresh air, with his
eye on the heavens, watching joyously the clouds floating above.


This Psalm covers one day in David's life as a fugitive, for verse 4 records his
lying down and verse 8 his waking up to greet the dawn. God quieted his heart
and gave him the sleep he needed (see 4:8 and 5:3). Note the repetition of
mercy and refuge (v. 1), sends (v. 3), steadfast (v. 7) and awake (v. 8), and
refrain in verses 5 and 11. From his difficult experience in Gath and here in
the cave, David shares with us some responsibilities and privileges that
believers have every day.


David made each day a day of prayer and so should we (vv. 1-5). As in Psalm 56:1, he
began with a cry for mercy, for David depended on the grace of God to see him
through his trials. His worship and prayer turned the cave into a Holy of
Holies where he could hide under the wings of the cherubim on the mercy seat of
the ark. Read Exodus 25:17-20 and note the verb "overshadowing". This
image is found frequently in Scripture and must not be confused with the wings
of the bird as in Psalm 91:4. In Psalm 55:6, David wanted the wings of a dove
to fly away when what he needed was the wings of the cherubim in "the
secret place of the Most High" where he could safely hide (Hebrews 10:19-25).
David had taken refuge in the Lord many times in the past, and he knew the Lord
was faithful. The word "calamities" means "a destructive storm
that could engulf me."


David included a song of praise in his evening prayer (v. 5) and lay down and went to
sleep. David didn't pray only at bedtime, as too many people do, but all day
long; however, he closed the day with a special time of worship and commitment.
May the Lord help us to do the same as we take refuge “in the shadow of
His wings” at the mercy seat!


God bless!

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