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
Three Centuries of 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.
In the same way I too was having the truth about the catholic church, as it is spread throughout the whole world, dinned into me from every side by the words of the divine Scriptures; and the false accusations about the betrayers leveled against it by my relatives made me deaf. I am not comparing myself with Paul’s merits but with his sins. Even if I have not been found worthy to be as good as he was, still, before receiving the remedy of correction, I was not as bad. He failed to recognize the bridegroom in the books he read, and I failed to recognize the bride. The one who revealed to him what is written about Christ’s glorification, “Be exalted over the heavens, God,” also revealed to me what follows about the spread of the church: “over the whole earth your glory.” The evidence of both texts is plain to those who can see but hidden from the blind. It was the baptism of Christ that opened his eyes, the peace of Christ that opened mine. He was made new by the washing of the holy water; whereas it was charity that covered the multitude of my sins.
Call to mind the psalm. To whom was it said, “Be exalted above the heavens, O God”? Who was being spoken to? It would not be said to God the Father, would it, “be exalted,” seeing that he has never been brought low? No, you are exalted, you who were enclosed in your mother’s womb; you who were made in her whom you had made; you who lay in the manger; you, suckled at the breast as a baby, according to the very nature of flesh; you, holding up the world and being held by your mother; you, the baby acknowledged by Simeon the old man and praised as great; you, seen by the widow Anna being suckled and acknowledged as almighty; you, who were hungry for our sakes, thirsty for our sakes, tired along the road for our sakes—did you ever hear of bread being hungry, a fountain being thirsty, a road being tired?—you who endured all these things on our account; you who went to sleep, and yet you “slumber not, watching over Israel”; you, finally, whom Judas sold, whom the Jews bought and did not gain possession of; you, arrested, bound, scourged, crowned with thorns, hung on the tree, pierced with the lance, you dead, you buried: “be exalted above the heavens, O God.”
Whence "troubled"? Who troubling? Let us see in what manner he brands an evil conscience upon the Jews, wishing to excuse themselves of the slaying of the Lord. For to this end, as the Gospel speaks, to the judge they delivered Him, that they might not themselves seem to have killed Him....Let us question Him, and say, since You have slept troubled, who have persecuted You? Who have slain You? Was it perchance Pilate, who to soldiers gave You, on the Tree to be hanged, with nails to be pierced? Hear who they were, "Sons of men" [Psalm 57:5]. Of them He speaks, whom for persecutors He suffered. But how did they slay, that steel bare not? They that sword drew not, that made no assault upon Him to slay; whence slew they? "Their teeth are arms and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword." Do not consider the unarmed hands, but the mouth armed: from thence the sword proceeded, wherewith Christ was to be slain: in like manner also as from the mouth of Christ, that wherewith the Jews were to be slain. For He has a sword twice whetted: [Revelation 1:16] and rising again He has smitten them, and has severed from them those whom He would make His faithful people. They an evil sword, He a good sword: they evil arrows, He good arrows. For He has Himself also arrows good, words good, whence He pierces the faithful heart, in order that He may be loved. Therefore of one kind are their arrows, and of another kind their sword. "Sons of men, their teeth are arms and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sabre." Tongue of sons of men is a sharp sabre, and their teeth arms and arrows. When therefore did they smite, save when they clamoured, "Crucify, crucify"?
Amos too speaks of the glory of the humanity [Christ] had assumed: “He who builds a means of ascent in heaven and founds his promise on earth.” He built a means of ascent in heaven when he created for himself a human body and soul in which he would be able to mount up to heaven. He founded his promise on earth when by sending the Spirit from above he filled all the ends of the earth with the gift of his faith, as he had promised. The psalmist, foreseeing in his spirit that the gift of this promise would come and desiring that it come quickly, said, “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth!” Here he clearly means that before our Redeemer assumed a mortal body and demolished the kingdom of death, “God was known only in Judah, and in Israel was his name great.” But when the God-man arose from the dead and penetrated the heights of heaven, then the glory of his name was proclaimed and believed throughout the whole wide world.
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Summary
Psalms 57:5 is a profound declaration and prayer from David, uttered amidst intense personal peril, that shifts focus from his desperate circumstances to the supreme majesty and universal renown of God. It is a fervent plea for God's inherent transcendence and glory, already existing "above the heavens," to be visibly manifested and universally acknowledged "above all the earth," reflecting a selfless devotion that prioritizes God's honor above personal safety or comfort.
Context
Literary Context
Psalm 57 is designated as a "Michtam of David," a type of psalm often associated with deep spiritual insight and enduring truth, composed during a time of extreme distress. The psalm opens with David's desperate plea for mercy and refuge from his relentless enemies, who are vividly described as ravenous lions and those who set traps (e.g., Psalms 57:1-4). Verse 5 marks a pivotal transition in the psalm, moving from lament and petition to a bold declaration of God's sovereignty and a fervent desire for His glory to be universally recognized. This declaration is so central to the psalmist's faith that it is repeated almost verbatim in Psalms 57:11, effectively framing the psalm's triumphant conclusion and highlighting David's unwavering trust despite ongoing threats. This powerful movement from distress to a declaration of praise is a common and profound motif found throughout the Psalter, demonstrating the transformative power of focusing on God's character.
Historical & Cultural Context
The superscription attributes Psalm 57 to David "when he fled from Saul in the cave." This likely refers to specific episodes in David's life as a fugitive, such as his hiding in the cave of Adullam or the cave of En-gedi. During these periods, David was relentlessly hunted by King Saul, facing constant threats to his life, living in precarious conditions, and experiencing profound isolation. Caves, while offering temporary shelter, were also symbolic of vulnerability, darkness, and a desperate need for deliverance. In this context of imminent danger and profound uncertainty, David's prayer transcends his immediate predicament, demonstrating remarkable spiritual maturity and an unwavering focus on God. Culturally, the concept of a king's "glory" (Hebrew: kavod) was paramount, representing his visible power, honor, and authority. David's prayer elevates God's kingship above any earthly ruler, including Saul, by declaring God's glory to be supreme over all creation.
Key Themes
Psalms 57:5 powerfully articulates several core themes central to the book of Psalms and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it underscores Divine Sovereignty and Transcendence, declaring God's absolute supremacy over all creation, including the heavens themselves. This theme resonates with other passages that speak of God's unchallengeable authority, such as Psalm 115:3. Secondly, it expresses a profound desire for Universal Glory, moving beyond David's personal deliverance to a longing for God's inherent splendor and renown to be acknowledged and celebrated across the entire earth. This theme resonates with broader prophetic visions of God's kingdom filling the world and His glory being revealed to all nations, as seen in Isaiah 40:5. Thirdly, the verse exemplifies Trust in Adversity, showcasing David's ability to shift his focus from his dire circumstances to God's unchanging character and greatness, even while facing mortal danger. Finally, it highlights Selfless Devotion, revealing David's primary concern to be the vindication and magnification of God's name, demonstrating a spiritual maturity that places God's reputation above personal safety or comfort, a principle echoed in the Lord's Prayer, "Hallowed be your name" (Matthew 6:9).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From a primitive root meaning "to be high actively, to rise or raise (in various applications, literally or figuratively)." In the context of God, this verb signifies His supreme position, inherent authority, and incomparable majesty. It is not a request for God to become more exalted, but a declarative prayer acknowledging and affirming His already existing, incomparable state of being above all things. It is a fervent call for His true nature to be recognized, honored, and lifted up in the perception of all creation.
Properly meaning "weight," but used figuratively in a good sense to denote "splendor or copiousness." This rich Hebrew term carries the sense of "honor," "majesty," and "visible splendor." When applied to God, it refers to His inherent greatness, His manifest presence, and the tangible revelation of His attributes. It is His reputation, His renown, and the sum of all that makes Him worthy of worship. David's prayer is for this divine reality—God's intrinsic worth and manifest presence—to be universally perceived and celebrated.
The dual of an unused singular, meaning "the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)." This word refers to the visible sky, the celestial sphere, and often represents the highest point of creation accessible to human perception. God's exaltation "above the heavens" signifies His absolute transcendence over all created order, emphasizing that His being and authority are not confined by any earthly or cosmic boundary, but rather He is sovereign over all.
Verse Breakdown
"Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens"
This opening clause functions as both an imperative prayer and a declarative affirmation. It is a direct address to God, acknowledging and calling for the recognition of His supreme position and absolute authority. The phrase "above the heavens" signifies God's absolute transcendence over all creation, including the celestial realm, affirming that He is not merely powerful within creation but is sovereign over it. This declaration sets the stage for a proper understanding of God's majesty, asserting His rightful place as the supreme ruler of the cosmos.
"let thy glory be above all the earth"
This second clause expresses a fervent desire and a prophetic plea. Following the declaration of God's transcendence, David prays for the visible manifestation and universal acknowledgment of God's inherent splendor, majesty, and renown across the entire world. This is a longing for God's character and presence to be revealed and celebrated by all humanity, not just within the confines of Israel or David's immediate circumstances. It connects God's transcendent glory with its immanent display, expressing a hope that God's ultimate purpose for creation—to be filled with His glory—will be realized.
Literary Devices
Psalms 57:5 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound theological message and emotional depth. The most prominent is Parallelism, specifically synonymous parallelism, where the two clauses ("Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens" and "let thy glory be above all the earth") echo and reinforce each other's meaning. The first clause focuses on God's transcendent position and inherent greatness, while the second emphasizes the universal manifestation and recognition of His inherent splendor, creating a comprehensive picture of His sovereignty and renown. Additionally, the phrases "above the heavens" and "above all the earth" function as a form of Merism, a literary device where two contrasting or extreme parts represent the whole. Together, they encompass the entirety of creation—from the highest heavens to the lowest earth—emphasizing God's absolute supremacy and universal dominion over everything that exists. The verse also serves as a powerful Prayer/Declaration, combining an imperative plea ("Be thou exalted") with a confident statement of God's ultimate reality, demonstrating David's profound faith that God's glory will indeed fill the earth and be universally acknowledged.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 57:5 stands as a powerful theological statement, asserting God's absolute sovereignty and the ultimate purpose of His creation: His glory. It teaches that God is not merely a deliverer in times of trouble, but the transcendent Lord of all, whose majesty surpasses every earthly and heavenly realm. David's prayer is not an attempt to make God more glorious, but a yearning for God's inherent glory to be revealed and recognized by all. This aligns with the biblical understanding that God acts for His own name's sake and that the proper response of humanity, even in suffering, is to acknowledge and declare His supreme worth. It calls believers to shift their perspective from self-centered concerns to God-centered worship, understanding that His renown is the ultimate goal. This psalm reminds us that true worship is the recognition and proclamation of God's unchallengeable greatness, regardless of our circumstances.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 57:5 offers a profound model for prayer and worship, particularly in the midst of personal distress. It challenges us to elevate our gaze beyond our immediate circumstances and fix our eyes on the transcendent majesty of God. Like David, who prayed this in a cave while fleeing for his life, we are called to prioritize God's glory above our own comfort, safety, or desires for deliverance. This perspective transforms our anxieties into awe, reminding us that no matter how overwhelming our problems, God remains supremely exalted. It encourages us to pray not just for our needs, but for God's name to be hallowed and His kingdom to come in power, believing that His ultimate purpose is to fill the earth with His glory, and that our worship contributes to this grand design. By exalting God in our "caves" of difficulty, we invite His peace, power, and presence into our situations, aligning our hearts with His ultimate purpose and finding strength in His unshakeable sovereignty.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does David pray for God to be "exalted" if God is already supreme?
David's prayer is not an attempt to make God more exalted or to enhance His inherent supremacy, which is already absolute. Rather, it is a fervent prayer for the recognition and manifestation of God's existing glory and supreme position. It's a plea for God's character, power, and majesty to be visibly demonstrated and acknowledged by all creation, both in David's personal deliverance from his enemies and universally across the earth. It is akin to praying for God's name to be hallowed and His kingdom to come, as taught in Matthew 6:9-10, where the focus is on the realization of God's will and renown on earth. David is aligning his will with God's ultimate purpose—that His glory would be known and celebrated by all.
What does "glory" mean in this context?
In this context, "glory" (Hebrew: kavod) refers to God's inherent weight, substance, honor, and visible splendor. It encompasses the sum of His divine attributes, His character, and the manifest presence of His power and majesty. It is His reputation and renown. When David prays "let thy glory be above all the earth," he is expressing a deep desire for this divine reality—God's inherent greatness and the visible revelation of His presence—to be universally recognized, celebrated, and experienced across the entire world, fulfilling God's ultimate purpose for creation. This desire for God's glory to fill the earth is a recurring theme in Scripture, emphasizing that all things exist for His praise, as articulated in passages like Romans 11:36.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 57:5, with its passionate cry for God's glory to be universally recognized and exalted above all creation, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the very "radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being" (Hebrews 1:3), through whom the Father's majesty is perfectly revealed. The exaltation of God "above the heavens" is supremely embodied in Christ's ascension to the right hand of the Father, where "God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name which is above every name" (Philippians 2:9). This divine elevation of Christ ensures that the desire for God's "glory to be above all the earth" is progressively realized through the spread of the Gospel. As the good news of Christ's saving work reaches every nation, people from every tribe and tongue are brought to worship the Father through the Son, fulfilling the vision of creation giving glory to God (Revelation 5:13). Ultimately, this psalm anticipates the day when "every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10-11), perfectly demonstrating God's glory above all the earth through His Son, who is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15).