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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.
And what have they done to You, O Lord? Let the Prophet here exult! For above, all those verses the Lord was speaking: a Prophet indeed, but in the person of the Lord, because in the Prophet is the Lord...."Be exalted," he says, "above the Heavens, O God." Man on the Cross, and above the Heavens, God. Let them continue on the earth raging, Thou in Heaven be judging. Where are they that were raging? Where are their teeth, the arms and arrows? Have not "the stripes of them been made the arrows of infants"? For in another place a Psalm this says, desiring to prove them vainly to have raged, and vainly unto frenzies to have been driven headlong: for nothing they were able to do to Christ when for the time crucified, and afterwards when He was rising again, and in Heaven was sitting. How do infants make to themselves arrows? Of reeds? But what arrows? Or what powers? Or what bows? Or what wound? "Be Thou exalted above the Heavens, O God, and above all the earth Your glory" [Psalm 57:6]. Wherefore exalted above the Heavens, O God? Brethren, God exalted above the Heavens we see not, but we believe: but above all the earth His glory to be not only we believe, but also see. But what kind of madness heretics are afflicted with, I pray you observe. They being cut off from the bond of the Church of Christ, and to a part holding, the whole losing, will not communicate with the whole earth, where is spread abroad the glory of Christ. But we Catholics are in all the earth, because with all the world we communicate, wherever the Glory of Christ is spread abroad. For we see that which then was sung, now fulfilled. There has been exalted above the Heavens our God, and above all the earth the Glory of the Same. O heretical insanity! That which you see not you believe with me, that which you see you deny; you believe with me in Christ exalted above the Heavens, a thing which we see not; and deniest His Glory over all the earth, a thing which we see.
We heard the apostle telling us, "We are ambassadors for Christ, exhorting you to be reconciled with God." He would not be exhorting us to be reconciled unless we had been enemies. So the whole world was the Savior's enemy, the captor's friend; that is, God's enemy, the devil's friend. And the whole human race, like this woman, was bent over and bowed down to the ground. There is someone who already understands these enemies, and he cries out against them and says to God, "They have bowed my soul down." The devil and his angels have bowed the souls of men and women down to the ground; that is, have bent them forward to be intent on temporal and earthly things and stop them from seeking the things that are above.
Our Lord Jesus Christ gave great assurance to his witnesses, that is, to the martyrs who, on account of their human weakness, were worried that perhaps they would perish after death if they died while confessing him. He did this by telling them, “Not a hair of your head will be harmed.” Are you, whose hair will not be harmed, afraid of perishing? If inconsequential things in your life are protected in this way, under how much protection is your soul? A hair, which you do not feel when it is cut, does not perish; does the soul, through which you feel, perish? To be sure, he foretold that they were going to suffer many difficult circumstances, in order that by his prediction he might make them stronger. They said, then, to him, “My heart is steadfast.” What does this mean, “My heart is steadfast,” except that my will is strong? In their martyrdom the martyrs had their will steadfast, but “their will was made steadfast by the Lord.” As they thought about the future harsh and difficult evils, he added, “By patient endurance you will save your lives.” By patient endurance, he said, for patient endurance would not be there if your will were not in it. “In patient endurance,” but where does ours come from? Both what we possess and what is given to us are ours, for if it were not ours, it would not be given to us. How do you give something to another, unless it comes to belong to the one to whom you are giving it? That confession is revealed: “Will not my soul be subject to God? For from him comes my patience.” He himself tells us, “In patient endurance.” Let us also say to him, “From him comes my hope.” He made it yours by giving it to you; do not be ungrateful by attributing it to yourself.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 57:6 powerfully depicts the precarious position of King David, who, despite being profoundly distressed and "bowed down" by the cunning machinations of his adversaries, ultimately witnesses God's perfect justice. The verse vividly illustrates his enemies' malicious efforts to ensnare him with "nets" and "pits," only for their own destructive schemes to backfire and cause their self-inflicted downfall, thereby showcasing God's sovereign intervention in reversing the fortunes of the wicked and triumphantly vindicating the righteous.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalms 57 is designated a "Michtam of David," a term often associated with psalms expressing deep personal reflection, earnest prayer, and profound trust in God amidst severe distress. This psalm, belonging to a collection that includes Psalms 16, Psalms 56, and Psalms 58-60, follows a common psalmic trajectory. It commences with an urgent plea for divine mercy and refuge (verses 1-3), transitions into a lament describing the psalmist's anguish and the fierce hostility of his enemies (verses 4-6a), and then dramatically shifts to an unwavering declaration of praise and confident trust in God's unfailing love and ultimate triumph (verses 6b-11). Verse 6 stands as the pivotal turning point, marking the transition from David's desperate lament and the detailed description of his enemies' plots to the triumphant assertion of their self-inflicted demise, thereby setting the stage for the psalm's concluding doxology of praise.
Historical & Cultural Context: The superscription attributes this psalm to David's period of flight from King Saul, specifically "when he fled from Saul in the cave." This likely refers to the harrowing events recounted in 1 Samuel 22:1 or 1 Samuel 24:3, where David sought refuge in desolate caves while being relentlessly pursued. During this tumultuous time, King Saul, consumed by irrational jealousy and paranoia, sought David's life despite David's unwavering loyalty and divine anointing. The vivid imagery of "nets" and "pits" is deeply rooted in ancient Near Eastern hunting practices and military strategies. Hunters would set hidden snares or dig camouflaged pits to trap wild animals, and similar tactics were employed in warfare to ensnare or impede enemies. This imagery powerfully conveys the treacherous, calculated, and pervasive nature of Saul's pursuit, which involved spies, ambushes, and constant vigilance, making David's daily existence one of extreme physical danger and profound psychological strain.
Key Themes: Psalms 57:6 significantly contributes to several profound theological and narrative themes within the Psalter and the broader biblical canon. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates the theme of Divine Justice and Retribution, affirming God's active intervention to ensure that the wicked's malicious schemes recoil upon themselves. This principle is a foundational aspect of biblical ethics, underscoring God's righteous governance over human affairs and His commitment to upholding justice, as vividly articulated in passages like Psalm 9:15-16. Secondly, the verse underscores God's Protection and Vindication of the Righteous. Despite David's profound vulnerability and deep emotional distress ("my soul is bowed down"), God's sovereign hand is unmistakably evident in preserving His anointed one and dramatically reversing the fortunes of his persecutors. This theme offers immense comfort and assurance to believers, affirming that God serves as a faithful shield and deliverer even in the face of overwhelming opposition. Lastly, it exemplifies Poetic Justice and Reversal, where the punishment perfectly fits the crime, often utilizing the very instruments of destruction originally intended for the innocent. This dramatic reversal is a recurring motif throughout Scripture, emphasizing God's ultimate control and His ability to transform situations of despair into triumphant declarations, as compellingly seen in the story of Haman's demise in Esther 7:10.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 57:6 is rich in literary devices that amplify its emotional and theological impact. Metaphor is central, with "net" and "pit" serving as vivid symbolic representations of the enemies' insidious, cunning, and destructive plots. These are not literal objects but powerful images of hidden traps and schemes designed to ensnare and destroy. The verse employs striking Irony and Poetic Justice, as the very instruments of destruction meticulously prepared for David become the precise means of his adversaries' catastrophic downfall. This ironic reversal powerfully underscores God's sovereignty and His unfailing ability to turn evil intentions back upon their perpetrators. The description of David's "soul bowed down" is a form of Synecdoche, where "soul" (nephesh) represents the whole person, emphasizing his deep internal distress and the comprehensive impact of his suffering. The structure of the verse, moving from the detailed description of the threat to the sudden, triumphant declaration of the enemies' self-entrapment, creates a powerful sense of Antithesis and dramatic shift, highlighting the unexpected and decisive nature of divine intervention.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 57:6 profoundly articulates the biblical principle of divine retribution, a fundamental aspect of God's character as a righteous and just judge. It offers a powerful assurance to believers that God is never passive in the face of injustice but actively oversees human affairs, ensuring that evil deeds often boomerang back upon their perpetrators. This is not merely a matter of natural consequence but a direct demonstration of God's sovereign justice, where He meticulously vindicates the oppressed and holds the wicked fully accountable for their malice. The verse provides immense comfort and a firm basis for unwavering trust, reminding us that even when we feel overwhelmed and "bowed down" by malicious attacks or unjust circumstances, God sees, God knows, and God will act in His perfect timing to bring about justice and a dramatic reversal. It serves as a strong deterrent against personal vengeance, demonstrating that God Himself is the ultimate avenger and the unfailing defender of His people.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
In a world where injustice frequently appears to triumph and malicious intent can inflict deep wounds, Psalms 57:6 offers profound solace and a robust framework for enduring adversity with unwavering faith. It serves as a powerful reminder that even when our "soul is bowed down" by the cunning schemes of others, or by the sheer cumulative weight of life's trials, God is actively and sovereignly at work behind the scenes. We are called not to succumb to despair or to seek personal revenge, but rather to faithfully commit our battles and our vindication to the Lord, trusting implicitly in His perfect timing and His righteous methods. This verse encourages us to maintain our integrity, to persist in righteousness, and to fix our focus on God's glory, knowing with certainty that He sees every hidden plot, every malicious intent, and every unjust action. Our ultimate vindication comes solely from Him, and often, the very traps meticulously set for us become, by His divine orchestration, the instruments of our adversaries' undoing—not by our hand, but by His righteous judgment. This profound truth empowers us to live with confident hope, even in the midst of intense persecution or unfair treatment, resting securely in the unwavering assurance that God is eternally just and unfailingly faithful.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "Selah" mean in the context of this psalm?
Answer: "Selah" is a Hebrew term found frequently in the Psalms and the book of Habakkuk, whose precise meaning and function remain a subject of scholarly debate. While its exact purpose is not definitively known, it is widely believed to be a musical or liturgical notation. It most likely indicates a pause for instrumental interlude, a moment for silent meditation or deep reflection on the preceding verses, or a change in musical emphasis or tempo. In Psalms 57:6, "Selah" serves to powerfully punctuate the dramatic reversal described—the wicked falling into their own traps. It invites the reader or worshiper to pause and deeply consider the profound truth of divine justice, emphasizing the weight and significance of the statement and encouraging a moment of spiritual contemplation and awe at God's righteous judgment.
Does this verse encourage believers to pray for their enemies to suffer harm?
Answer: While Psalms 57:6 vividly describes the downfall of David's enemies, it is crucial to interpret it within the broader context of biblical ethics and the progressive revelation of God's character. David, in this psalm, is expressing a fervent desire for divine justice to prevail, not necessarily a personal thirst for vengeance. The Psalms often contain imprecatory elements, where the psalmist calls upon God to act decisively against the wicked. However, these are prayers for God's righteous judgment to be executed, not a license for believers to harbor personal hatred or to seek revenge. The New Testament calls believers to a radically higher standard, urging us to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, and to pray for those who persecute us. Ultimately, this verse serves as a powerful reminder that God Himself is the just judge, and we are to entrust all judgment and vengeance to Him, knowing with certainty that He will bring about perfect justice in His own perfect time and in His own perfect way.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 57:6, with its potent imagery of the wicked falling into their own meticulously prepared traps and God's ultimate vindication of the righteous, finds its most profound and comprehensive fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The "net" and "pit" set for David, though literal threats to his life, serve as powerful foreshadowings of the ultimate plot against the true King of Israel, Jesus Himself. The crucifixion, orchestrated by Satan and wicked men, was intended to be the ultimate trap, the decisive defeat for God's Son, and the final victory for the forces of darkness. Yet, in a stunning display of divine irony and sovereignty, this very act of apparent defeat became the means of their catastrophic undoing. The powers of darkness, thinking they had triumphed by putting Christ to death, unwittingly set the stage for their own eternal and irreversible defeat. Through His sacrificial death on the cross, Christ disarmed the principalities and powers, triumphing over them decisively, as triumphantly proclaimed in Colossians 2:15. Furthermore, the "pit" of the grave, intended to hold Him captive in death, was gloriously conquered by His resurrection, demonstrating that death itself was caught in its own snare, swallowed up in victory, as echoed in the triumphant declaration of 1 Corinthians 15:54-57. Thus, the ultimate "net" of sin and death, meticulously designed by the enemy to ensnare and condemn all humanity, was paradoxically transformed by Christ's perfect sacrifice into the very means of salvation, liberation, and eternal life for all who believe. Believers, united with Christ through faith, share in this ultimate vindication; though we may face earthly "nets" and "pits" of adversity and opposition, our ultimate and eternal victory is secured in the One who conquered all through His own apparent defeat, thereby turning the enemy's greatest weapon into God's greatest triumph and the foundation of our hope.