TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 57:1–6. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
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.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
4 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
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?
"I will cry to God most high" [Psalm 57:2]. If most high He is, how hears He you crying? Confidence has been engendered by experience: "to God," he says, "who had done good to me." If before that I was seeking Him, He did good to me, when I cry shall He not hearken to me? For good to us the Lord God has done in sending to us our Saviour Jesus Christ, that He might die for our offenses, and rise again for our justification. [Romans 4:25] For what sort of men has He willed His Son to die? For ungodly men. But ungodly men were not seeking God, and have been sought of God. For He is Most High in such sort, as that not far from Him is our misery and our groaning: because "near is the Lord to them that have bruised the heart." "God that has done good to me."
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Summary
Psalms 57:2 is a profound testament to David's unwavering faith and deliberate resolve to trust God amidst life-threatening circumstances, likely while hiding from King Saul in a cave. In this declaration, David articulates his intention to cry out to "God most high," acknowledging His supreme sovereignty and transcendent power over all earthly opposition. He expresses absolute confidence that this same God is actively "performing all things" for him, signifying God's faithful, purposeful, and effective intervention to bring His divine plans to completion on David's behalf, ensuring his ultimate deliverance and vindication.
Context
Literary Context
Psalms 57:2 flows directly from David's urgent plea for mercy and refuge in Psalms 57:1, where he seeks shelter "under the shadow of thy wings." This verse, therefore, is not merely a spontaneous cry of desperation but a deliberate, faith-filled declaration of the object of his trust and the unwavering source of his hope. The superscription, "A Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave," provides the crucial narrative backdrop, indicating that David's prayer is offered from a place of extreme vulnerability and imminent danger. This statement of trust in verse 2 then sets the stage for the psalm's subsequent oscillation between expressions of dire threat and confident praise, demonstrating David's spiritual journey from a place of fear to one of profound faith and ultimately, a commitment to glorify God. The structure of Psalms 57 moves from lament to praise, with this verse serving as a pivotal turning point, anchoring the psalm's hope in God's active providence.
Historical & Cultural Context
The superscription points to a specific and perilous period in David's life, most likely the events detailed in 1 Samuel 24, where David and his men are hiding from King Saul in the cave of En Gedi. Saul, consumed by jealousy and a relentless desire to kill David, pursued him relentlessly across the wilderness. This historical context highlights David's precarious position: a hunted fugitive, unjustly persecuted by the reigning king, with his life constantly threatened. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, kings held immense, often absolute, power, and to be an enemy of the king often meant certain death. David's "cry" to God, therefore, is not a casual prayer but a desperate, life-or-death appeal to a higher authority than any earthly monarch—a God who alone possesses the power and will to deliver him from such overwhelming odds and to fulfill the promises made to him regarding his kingship.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the Psalms and the broader biblical narrative. It underscores the theme of Divine Sovereignty and Providence, presenting God not as a distant or passive deity but as "God most high" (El Elyon), actively and purposefully involved in the affairs of His people, "performing all things" according to His perfect and unthwartable will. It also highlights Absolute Trust in Adversity, showcasing David's exemplary model of faith that looks beyond immediate dangers and human impossibilities to the ultimate power and faithfulness of God. This trust is not naive optimism but a profound conviction rooted in God's character. Furthermore, it reinforces the theme of God as the Ultimate Deliverer and Vindicator, emphasizing that true salvation and vindication come not from human strength, cunning, or political maneuvering, but solely from God's sovereign hand, as seen in numerous instances of God's miraculous intervention throughout the Old Testament, such as the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage in Exodus 14 or the protection of Daniel in the lion's den in Daniel 6.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies "to call out to," "to address by name," or "to proclaim." It implies a deliberate and often urgent vocalization, but more than just an utterance, it's an act of purposeful invocation. For David, "crying" to God is not a random sound of distress but a focused, intentional appeal to a specific, known deity. It carries the weight of a formal summons, a public declaration of reliance, and an earnest invitation for divine intervention, demonstrating a profound engagement with God rather than mere lament.
Derived from a root meaning "to ascend" or "to be high," this term, when applied to God (as in El Elyon), signifies His supreme transcendence, His exalted position above all creation, and His ultimate sovereignty. It emphasizes God's unmatched power, authority, and dominion, making Him the one true God to whom all appeals should be directed. For David, calling God "Most High" is an affirmation that no earthly power, not even King Saul, can thwart God's ultimate purpose or prevent Him from acting on David's behalf. It is a declaration of God's absolute supremacy over all circumstances and all earthly rulers.
This verb means "to end," "to complete," "to perfect," "to accomplish," or "to bring to pass." It carries the strong sense of bringing something to its destined conclusion or fulfilling a purpose. When David states that God "performeth all things for me," he is expressing a deep conviction that God will finish what He starts, seeing His divine plan through to completion on David's behalf. This is not a passive hope but an active trust in God's ongoing, purposeful, and effective involvement in David's life, ensuring that His promises and purposes will be fully realized, regardless of the present difficulties. It speaks to God's faithfulness to His covenant and His unwavering commitment to His chosen ones.
Verse Breakdown
"I will cry unto God most high;"
This opening clause reveals David's determined resolve and the specific, exalted object of his fervent prayer. The phrase "I will cry" (Hebrew, qârâʼ) signifies a deliberate and intentional act of calling out, not merely an emotional outburst. It is a conscious choice to appeal to a higher power. Directing this cry "unto God most high" (Hebrew, El Elyon) is crucial. This title emphasizes God's supreme transcendence, His absolute sovereignty, and His exalted position above all earthly powers and circumstances. It signifies David's theological understanding that the one he appeals to is the ultimate ruler of the universe, capable of intervening in any situation, no matter how dire, and whose authority surpasses that of any human king. It is an act of humble submission and confident reliance on divine omnipotence.
"unto God that performeth [all things] for me."
This second clause clarifies the profound basis of David's confidence and illuminates the active nature of God's character. The repetition of "unto God" underscores the singular focus of his trust and the unwavering direction of his hope. The phrase "that performeth [all things] for me" is a powerful affirmation of God's active and purposeful providence. The verb "performeth" (Hebrew, gâmar) suggests completion, accomplishment, and bringing to fruition. David believes that God is not merely aware of his plight but is actively working to bring His plans to their destined end on David's behalf, ensuring his deliverance, protection, and the ultimate fulfillment of His promises regarding David's kingship. This speaks to God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant and His steadfast commitment to His chosen ones, orchestrating every detail for their ultimate good and His glory.
Literary Devices
Psalms 57:2 employs several potent literary devices that amplify its message of faith and trust. The most prominent is Invocation, as David directly addresses God with the specific and ancient title, "God most high," immediately establishing the sacred, authoritative, and supreme nature of his appeal. This is coupled with a powerful Declaration of Trust, where David boldly states his intent to cry out and his profound conviction that God "performeth all things for me," transforming a moment of potential despair into an unwavering affirmation of faith. The entire psalm, and this verse within it, functions as a Supplication, a humble and earnest prayer for divine help and intervention. Furthermore, the "cave" (from the superscription) serves as a potent Metaphor for David's desperate, confined, and vulnerable circumstances, making his outward cry and inward trust even more poignant against such a backdrop. The phrase "all things" can be seen as a form of Hyperbole, emphasizing the comprehensive and exhaustive nature of God's providential care, implying that no detail or aspect of David's life, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, is outside God's active management and purposeful orchestration.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This verse profoundly articulates the doctrine of God's active providence and sovereign control over all circumstances. David's declaration that God "performeth all things for me" is a powerful testament to the theological truth that God is not a passive observer but an engaged, purposeful orchestrator of events, meticulously working out His divine will in the lives of His people. It underscores the concept that even in the darkest "caves" of life—moments of extreme fear, persecution, or uncertainty—God's ultimate plan for His children will come to fruition. This unwavering confidence in God's faithfulness to complete what He starts is a cornerstone of biblical theology, assuring believers that God's promises are secure and His purposes will prevail, regardless of present trials or the strength of opposition. It invites believers to cultivate a deep, abiding trust in God's unfailing love, omnipotent power, and perfect wisdom, knowing that He is actively working all things for their ultimate good and His glory.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 57:2 offers immense encouragement and a powerful model for believers navigating their own "caves" of distress, fear, or uncertainty. It reminds us that our primary response to overwhelming circumstances should not be despair, but a deliberate, faith-filled cry to the "God most high." This isn't merely an emotional outburst but a conscious act of placing our hope and trust in the One whose power transcends all earthly limitations and whose purposes cannot be thwarted. To believe that God "performeth all things for me" means embracing the profound truth that even trials, setbacks, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles are part of God's grand design, being meticulously woven together by His sovereign hand for our ultimate good and His glory. This perspective transforms our struggles into opportunities to witness God's active providence, fostering a deeper reliance on His faithfulness and cultivating a profound peace that transcends human understanding, even amidst chaos. It calls us to surrender our limited control and rest in His perfect, unfolding plan.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "God most high" signify in the context of Psalms 57:2?
In Psalms 57:2, "God most high" is a translation of the Hebrew title El Elyon (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן). This ancient and profound title for God emphasizes His supreme transcendence, His exalted position above all creation, and His ultimate sovereignty. It signifies that God is not merely powerful, but He is the highest authority, unmatched in power, dominion, and glory. For David, appealing to El Elyon meant acknowledging that no earthly power, including King Saul who was relentlessly pursuing him, could stand against God's ultimate will or prevent Him from acting on David's behalf. It underscores God's absolute control over all circumstances and His ability to deliver from any peril, no matter how dire. This title assures David, and us, that the God to whom we cry out is fully capable of intervening and bringing His purposes to fruition, as He is the one who "performeth all things" for His people.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 57:2 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodied David's cry of trust and God's faithful performance. Just as David, facing mortal danger and hiding in a literal cave, cried out to the "God most high," Jesus, in His earthly ministry, consistently demonstrated absolute reliance on His Father, the God who "performeth all things." In the Garden of Gethsemane, facing the ultimate "cave" of suffering and the terrifying prospect of bearing the world's sin, Jesus cried out to His Father, submitting to His will even unto death on the cross (Luke 22:42). God, the "Most High," indeed "performed all things" for Jesus, not by sparing Him from the cross, but by raising Him from the dead (Acts 2:24), thereby accomplishing the greatest work of salvation for humanity and perfectly fulfilling the Father's redemptive plan. Through Christ, God's promise to "perform all things" extends to believers, assuring us that He is actively working out His redemptive plan in our lives, conforming us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29) and bringing us to ultimate glory, even amidst trials and tribulations. Our trust in the "God most high" is now firmly anchored in the finished work of Christ, who is Himself seated at the right hand of God, the ultimate demonstration of God's perfect performance and the guarantee of our future hope (Hebrews 1:3).