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Commentary on Psalms 57 verses 1–6
The title of this psalm has one word new in it, Al-taschith - Destroy not. Some make it to be only some known tune to which this psalm was set; others apply it to the occasion and matter of the psalm. Destroy not; that is, David would not let Saul be destroyed, when now in the cave there was a fair opportunity of killing him, and his servants would fain have done so. No, says David, destroy him not, Sa1 24:4, Sa1 24:6. Or, rather, God would not let David be destroyed by Saul; he suffered him to persecute David, but still under this limitation, Destroy him hot; as he permitted Satan to afflict Job, Only save his life. David must not be destroyed, for a blessing is in him (Isa 65:8), even Christ, the best of blessings. When David was in the cave, in imminent peril, he here tells us what were the workings of his heart towards God; and happy are those that have such good thoughts as these in their minds when they are in danger!
I. He supports himself with faith and hope in God, and prayer to him, Psa 57:1, Psa 57:2. Seeing himself surrounded with enemies, he looks up to God with that suitable prayer: Be merciful to me, O Lord! which he again repeats, and it is no vain repetition: Be merciful unto me. It was the publican's prayer, Luk 18:13. It is a pity that any should use it slightly and profanely, should cry, God be merciful to us, or, Lord, have mercy upon us, when they mean only to express their wonder, or surprise, or vexation, but God and his mercy are not in all their thoughts. It is with much devout affection that David here prays, "Be merciful unto me, O Lord! look with compassion upon me, and in thy love and pity redeem me." To recommend himself to God's mercy, he here professes,
1.That all his dependence is upon God: My soul trusteth in thee, Psa 57:1. He did not only profess to trust in God, but his soul did indeed rely on God only, with a sincere devotion and self-dedication, and an entire complacency and satisfaction. He goes to God, and, at the footstool of the throne of his grace, humbly professes his confidence in him: In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, as the chickens take shelter under the wings of the hen when the birds of prey are ready to strike at them, until these calamities be over-past. (1.) He was confident his troubles would end well, in due time; these calamities will be over-past; the storm will blow over. Non si male nunc et olim sic erit - Though now distressed, I shall not always be so. Our Lord Jesus comforted himself with this in his sufferings, Luk 22:37. The things concerning me have an end. (2.) He was very easy under the divine protection in the mean time. [1.] He comforted himself in the goodness of God's nature, by which he is inclined to succour and protect his people, as the hen is by instinct to shelter her young ones. God comes upon the wing to the help of his people, which denotes a speedy deliverance (Psa 18:10); and he takes them under his wing, which denotes warmth and refreshment, even when the calamities are upon them; see Mat 23:37. [2.] In the promise of his word and the covenant of his grace; for it may refer to the out-stretched wings of the cherubim, between which God is said to dwell (Psa 80:1) and whence he gave his oracles. "To God, as the God of grace, will I fly, and his promise shall be my refuge, and a sure passport it will be through all these danger." God, by his promise, offers himself to us, to be trusted; we by our faith must accept of him, and put our trust in him.
2.That all his desire is towards God (Psa 57:2): "I will cry unto God most high, for succour and relief; to him that is most high will I lift up my soul, and pray earnestly, even unto God that performs all things for me." Note, (1.) In every thing that befalls us we ought to see and own the hand of God; whatever is done is of his performing; in it his counsel is accomplished and the scripture is fulfilled. (2.) Whatever God performs concerning his people, it will appear, in the issue, to have been performed for them and for their benefit. Though God be high, most high, yet he condescends so low as to take care that all things be made to work for good to them. (3.) This is a good reason why we should, in all our straits and difficulties, cry unto him, not only pray, but pray earnestly.
3.That all his expectation is from God (Psa 57:3): He shall send from heaven, and save me. Those that make God their only refuge, and fly to him by faith and prayer, may be sure of salvation, in his way and time. Observe here, (1.) Whence he expects the salvation - from heaven. Look which way he will, in this earth, refuge fails, no help appears; but he looks for it from heaven. Those that lift up their hearts to things above may thence expect all good. (2.) What the salvation is that he expects. He trusts that God will save him from the reproach of those that would swallow him up, that aimed to ruin him, and, in the mean time, did all they could to vex him. Some read it, He shall send from heaven and save me, for he has put to shame him that would swallow me up; he has disappointed their designs against me hitherto, and therefore he will perfect my deliverance. (3.) What he will ascribe his salvation to: God shall send forth his mercy and truth. God is good in himself and faithful to every word that he has spoken, and so he makes it appear when he works deliverance for his people. We need no more to make us happy than to have the benefit of the mercy and truth of God, Psa 25:10.
II. He represents the power and malice of his enemies (Psa 57:4): My soul is among lions. So fierce and furious was Saul, and those about him, against David, that he might have been as safe in a den of lions as among such men, who were continually roaring against him and ready to make a prey of him. They are set on fire, and breathe nothing but flame; they set on fire the course of nature, inflaming one another against David, and they were themselves set on fire of hell, Jam 3:6. They were sons of men, from whom one might have expected something of the reason and compassion of a man; but they were beasts of prey in the shape of men; their teeth, which they gnashed upon him, and with which they hoped to tear him to pieces and to eat him up, were spears and arrows fitted for mischiefs and murders; and their tongue, with which they cursed him and wounded his reputation, was as a sharp sword to cut and kill; see Psa 42:10. A spiteful tongue is a dangerous weapon, wherewith Satan's instruments fight against God's people. He describes their malicious projects against him (Psa 57:6) and shows the issue of them: "They have prepared a net for my steps, in which to take me, that I might not again escape out of their hands; they have digged a pit before me, that I might, ere I was aware, run headlong into it." See the policies of the church's enemies; see the pains they take to do mischief. But let us see what comes of it. 1. It is indeed some disturbance to David: My soul is bowed down. It made him droop, and hang the head, to think that there should be those that bore him so much ill-will. But, 2. It was destruction to themselves; they dug a pit for David, into the midst whereof they have fallen. The mischief they designed against David returned upon themselves, and they were embarrassed in their counsels; then when Saul was pursuing David the Philistines were invading him; nay, in the cave, when Saul thought David should fall into his hands, he fell into the hands of David, and lay at his mercy.
III. He prays to God to glorify himself and his own great name (Psa 57:5): "Whatever becomes of me and my interest, be thou exalted, O God! above the heavens, be thou praised by the holy angels, those glorious inhabitants of the upper world; and let thy glory be above or over all the earth; let all the inhabitants of this earth be brought to know and praise thee." Thus God's glory should lie hearer our hearts, and we should be more concerned for it, than for any particular interests of our own. When David was in the greatest distress and disgrace he did not pray, Lord, exalt me, but, Lord, exalt thy own name. Thus the Son of David, when his soul was troubled, and he prayed, Father, save me from this hour, immediately withdrew that petition, and presented this in the room of it, For this cause came I to this hour; Father, glorify thy name, Joh 12:27, Joh 12:28. Or it may be taken as a plea to enforce his petition for deliverance: "Lord, send from heaven to save me, and thereby thou wilt glorify thyself as the God both of heaven and earth." Our best encouragement in prayer is taken from the glory of God, and to that therefore, more than our own comfort, we should have an eye in all our petitions for particular mercies; for this is made the first petition in the Lord's prayer, as that which regulates and directs all the rest, Father in heaven, hallowed by thy name.
One thing you can count on: Corruption does not save those who get into it. On the contrary, it sets itself up against them, tears them down and brings about their doom. Woe to those people against whom this prophecy is written! For the evil they pursue is sharper than a two-edged sword, and it will first slay those who lay hold of it. Even their own tongue, as the psalmist points out, “is a sharp sword, and their teeth are spears and arrows.”
Casting away therefore all anxiety and superfluous care, let us return to ourselves; and let us adorn the body and the soul with the ornament of virtue; converting our bodily members into instruments of righteousness and not instruments of sin.And first of all, let us discipline our tongue to be the minister of the grace of the Spirit, expelling from the mouth all bitterness and malice and the practice of using disgraceful words. For it is in our power to make each one of our members an instrument of wickedness or of righteousness. Hear then how people make the tongue an instrument, some of sin, others of righteousness! “Their tongue is a sharp sword.” But another speaks thus of his own tongue: “My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” The former worked destruction; the latter wrote the divine law. So one was a sword, the other a pen, not according to its own nature but according to the choice of those who employed it. For the nature of this tongue and of that was the same, but the operation was not the same.
I have read the document sent from the East by our friend and good brother to a distinguished member of the Senate, Pammachius, which you have copied and forwarded to me. It brought to my mind the words of the prophet: “The sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword.” But for these wounds that people inflict on one another with the tongue we can hardly find a physician; so I have turned to Jesus, the heavenly physician, and he has brought out for me from the medicine chest of the gospel an antidote of sovereign power; he has assuaged the violence of my grief with the assurance of the righteous judgment that I shall have at his hands. The potion that our Lord dispensed to me was nothing else than these words: “Blessed are you when people persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely. Rejoice and leap for joy, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.” With this medicine I was content, and, as far as the matter concerned me, I had determined for the future to keep silence; for I said to myself, “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household?” (that is, you and me, unworthy though we are). And, if it was said of him, “He is a deceiver, he deceives the people,” I must not be indignant if I hear that I am called a heretic and that the name of mole is applied to me because of the slowness of my mind or indeed my blindness. Christ who is my Lord, yes, and who is God over all, was called “a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of publicans and sinners.” How can I, then, be angry when I am called a carnal man who lives in luxury?
"Have pity on me, O God, have pity on me, for in You has trusted my Soul" [Psalm 57:1]. Christ in the Passion says, "Have pity on Me, O God." To God, God says, "Have pity on Me!" He that with the Father has pity on you, in you cries, "Have pity on Me." For that part of Him which is crying, "Have pity on Me," is yours: from you this He received, for the sake of you, that you should be delivered, with Flesh He was clothed. The flesh itself cries: "Have pity on Me, O God, have pity on me:" Man himself, soul and flesh. For whole Man did the Word take upon Him, and whole Man the Word became. Let it not therefore be thought that there Soul was not, because the Evangelist thus says: "The Word was made flesh, and dwelled in us." [John 1:14] For man is called flesh, as in another place says the Scripture, "And all flesh shall see the salvation of God." Shall anywise flesh alone see, and shall Soul not be there?...You hear the Master praying, learn thou to pray. For to this end He prayed, in order that He might teach how to pray: because to this end He suffered, in order that He might teach how to suffer; to this end He rose again, in order that He might teach how to hope for rising again. "And in the shadow of Your wings I will hope, until iniquity pass over." This now evidently whole Christ does say: here is also our voice. For not yet has passed over, still rife is iniquity. And in the end our Lord Himself said there should be an abounding of iniquity: "And since iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold; but he that shall have persevered unto the end, the same shall be saved." [Matthew 24:12] But who shall persevere even unto the end, even until iniquity pass over? He that shall have been in the Body of Christ, he that shall have been in the members of Christ, and from the Head shall have learned the patience of persevering. Thou passest away, and behold passed are your temptations; and you go into another life whither have gone holy men, if holy you have been. Into another life have gone Martyrs; if Martyr you shall have been, you also go into another life. Because "you" have passed away hence, has by any means iniquity therefore passed away? There are born other unrighteous men, as there die some unrighteous men. In like manner therefore as some unrighteous men die and others are born: so some just men go, and others are born. Even unto the end of the world neither iniquity will be wanting to oppress, nor righteousness to suffer....
You will not be able to move to the good place from the bad place unless you do good in the bad place. What sort of place is that other? One where nobody goes hungry. So if you want to live in the good place where nobody goes hungry, in this world "share your food with the hungry." Because in that blessed place nobody is a foreigner, and all are living in their own native land; so if you wish to be in the good place, whenever in this bad place you find a foreigner who has nowhere to go, welcome him into your home. Show hospitality in the bad place, in order to get to the place where you cannot be a "guest worker." In the good place nobody is in need of clothes; there is no cold weather there, nor hot weather. What need of shelter, what need of clothing? There will be no shelters there, but there will be protection; so in fact even there we find shelter: "under the shadow of your wings will I hope." So in this bad place provide shelter for the person who has none, so that you may find yourself in the good place, where you can enjoy such shelter that you need never want to patch your thatched roof. After all, there are no showers of rain there but instead a perennial fountain of truth. But the shower from this [fountain] makes you glad, not wet; this shower is the fountain of life itself. What is the meaning of "Lord, with you is the fountain of life"? It means, "And the Word was with God."
So let us call out to him what we have just been singing: "Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me because in you my soul has put its trust." "Have mercy on me, God," he says. Why? "Because in you my soul has put its trust." This, he says, is the sacrifice I offer you, so that you may hear me: "because in you my soul has put its trust. Whoever hoped in the Lord and was left in the lurch?" Even great saints are subject to temptation, and however much progress we make in God, we live in need of pardon. Was it little lambs and not the rams of the flock that the Lord Jesus taught how to pray? It was his disciples, our apostles, the very leaders of the flock, whose children we are, of whom it is said, "Bring to the Lord the children of rams"; yes, it was these rams he was teaching to pray, when he told them to say, "Forgive us our debts." If this is a daily prayer, then we live in need of pardon. All our sins were forgiven us in baptism, and we live in need of pardon. We make progress if our hope is nourished in God and strengthened by his aid to enable us to put a brake on all covetousness. Let us keep on fighting; our struggles are known to him, and he knows how to be both a spectator and a helper.
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SUMMARY
Psalm 57:1 is a profound and urgent lament from David, penned during a period of extreme vulnerability while he was fleeing from King Saul and hiding in a cave. Despite the dire circumstances, David expresses an unwavering confidence in God's character, repeatedly appealing for divine mercy. His soul's complete reliance on the Lord is declared as he seeks refuge "in the shadow of thy wings," trusting that God's protection will endure until the overwhelming "calamities" have definitively passed. This verse beautifully encapsulates the dynamic of desperate human need met by steadfast divine faithfulness, illustrating how profound trust can anchor the soul even in the direst circumstances.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 57:1 is rich in literary devices that amplify its message and emotional impact. The most striking is Repetition, seen in David's fervent cry, "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me." This doubling emphasizes the intensity of his distress, the urgency of his plea, and his absolute dependence on divine compassion. It serves as a powerful rhetorical strategy to convey the depth of his need and the earnestness of his prayer. Metaphor is powerfully employed in the phrase "in the shadow of thy wings," which vividly portrays God as a protective, nurturing, and all-encompassing refuge, much like a mother bird shielding her young. This imagery conveys both the tender care and the immense power of God's presence. The Superscription itself, though a common feature in the Psalms, functions as a crucial literary device, providing immediate historical and contextual grounding that deepens the reader's understanding of David's desperate situation and the authenticity of his faith. Finally, the verse exemplifies the initial movement of a Lament Psalm, which typically begins with a cry of distress, moves to an expression of trust, and often concludes with a vow of praise, demonstrating a movement from desperation to confidence in God's ultimate deliverance.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 57:1 profoundly illustrates the theological truth that God is both merciful and a steadfast refuge for His people, particularly in times of extreme distress. David's repeated plea for mercy underscores God's character as the compassionate One who hears the cries of the afflicted, while his declaration of trust highlights the essential human response of faith. This trust is not a naive optimism but a deliberate act of anchoring one's soul in the unchangeable nature of God, even when circumstances are chaotic and life-threatening. The imagery of taking refuge "in the shadow of thy wings" speaks to God's intimate, personal, and comprehensive protection, reminding us that true security is found not in the absence of trouble, but in the abiding presence of God within the trouble, until He brings us through.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 57:1 offers profound encouragement and a practical model for believers navigating their own "calamities." David's immediate and fervent cry for mercy teaches us that prayer should be our first and most persistent resort when facing fear and overwhelming difficulties. His unwavering declaration, "for my soul trusteth in thee," reminds us that our faith is not merely a theological concept but the very anchor of our being, capable of holding us steady even when the world around us is in turmoil. To "make our refuge in the shadow of thy wings" is an active choice to seek God's presence, protection, and comfort above all else, recognizing that He is our ultimate safe haven. This psalm encourages us to endure with hope, knowing that our trials, however severe, are temporary and that God, in His faithfulness, will bring them to an end. It calls us to cultivate a deep, abiding trust in God's character, allowing His mercy and power to overshadow our fears and uncertainties, transforming our lament into a song of confident expectation and steadfast hope.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "Altaschith" and "Michtam" in the superscription?
Answer: "Altaschith" (אַל־תַּשְׁחֵת, ʾal-tašḥēṯ) literally means "Do not destroy." It is most likely a musical instruction, indicating the tune to which the psalm was to be sung, possibly a popular melody from another psalm or song that began with these words. The phrase also carries a profound thematic resonance, reflecting the psalm's content of God's preservation of David from destruction. "Michtam" (מִכְתָּם, mikhtām) is a less certain term, but it is often translated as "golden psalm" or "inscription." It suggests a psalm of lasting value, a precious composition, or perhaps a psalm meant to be permanently recorded or inscribed, highlighting its profound spiritual insights and enduring significance for generations.
Why does David repeat "Be merciful unto me" twice?
Answer: The repetition of "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me" is a powerful literary device known as anaphora, used for emphasis and intensity. It underscores the profound distress David is experiencing and the urgency of his plea. This is not a casual request but a fervent, desperate cry from the depths of his soul, indicating the overwhelming nature of his circumstances and his utter dependence on God's compassion and grace. The repetition conveys the heartfelt, sincere nature of his appeal, signifying that divine mercy is his only hope in a life-threatening situation.
How does the "shadow of thy wings" imagery apply to believers today?
Answer: The imagery of taking refuge "in the shadow of thy wings" is a powerful and enduring metaphor for God's intimate, comprehensive, and tender protection. For believers today, it signifies finding ultimate security, comfort, and peace under God's sovereign care, even amidst life's storms. Just as a mother bird shelters her young from danger, God provides a spiritual haven from the anxieties, threats, and spiritual attacks of the world. This "shadow" is not merely a passive covering but an active, personal presence that offers safety, rest, and renewal. It reminds us that our true safety is not found in controlling our circumstances but in trusting in God's unwavering faithfulness and seeking His presence as our ultimate refuge, just as Jesus Himself longed to gather His people under His protective wing (Matthew 23:37).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalm 57:1, with David's desperate cry for mercy and his unwavering trust in God's protective "shadow of wings," finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. David, pursued by Saul and finding refuge in a physical cave, foreshadows Christ, who, though innocent, was relentlessly pursued by the forces of evil and ultimately faced the "calamities" of the cross. In His agony in Gethsemane, Jesus, like David, poured out a fervent prayer to His Father, submitting His will and trusting in divine providence even unto death (Luke 22:42). Christ is the very embodiment of God's mercy, for it is through His sacrificial death that humanity receives the ultimate act of divine compassion and forgiveness (Romans 5:8). Furthermore, Jesus is the ultimate "refuge" and the "shadow of wings" for all who believe. He gathers His people to Himself, offering eternal security and protection from the ultimate calamities of sin and death (Matthew 23:37). Through Him, we are not merely preserved until calamities pass, but we are given victory over them, for Christ has overcome the world, and in Him, we find true and lasting peace that surpasses all understanding (John 16:33). David's experience points to the greater reality that in Christ, God Himself provides the perfect, eternal shelter for our souls, a dwelling place where we are forever secure.