Psalm 57: God Is My Refuge
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Psalms 56 and 57 echo one theme: God “would sooner send every angel out of glory to the relief of faithful souls, to make a hedge about them, than have them deceived and led away by the lying wonders of Satan.” David likens his place of refuge to that of baby birds resting safely under the shadow of the protective wings of a parent (Psalm 57:1).
Protection from his present calamities is likewise assured, for he trusts the Lord to shield him from his enemies. While at peace, David still outlines his predicament.
He is surrounded by enemies. He compares them to wild lions seeking their prey (v. 4). While these lions are human soldiers and militia, armed with spears, swords, and arrows, they are no less dangerous. They seek to trap him (v. 6), but time and time again, he has evaded them. David sees the hand of the Lord in these rescues, and for that, he is grateful. David rises every morning, and before anything else, he takes time to talk with the Lord (v. 8).
His worship at dawn is a time of sustenance and hope.
During this time alone, he sings praises to the Lord, accompanied by his harp. He shares his most intimate thoughts and deepest troubles with his Lord, asking for those things he cannot himself attain without divine aid. Psalm 57:11 repeats verse 5.
Together, these verses are similar to the structure of Psalm 56, in which verse 11 repeats verse 4. The verses in these companion psalms have the appearance of a chorus. “ ‘Heaven and earth have . . . a mutually interwoven history, and the blessed, glorious end of this is in the sunrise of the Divine glory over both.’” David’s trust in God is increasing! Though a fugitive in a wilderness cave, he feels secure in God’s arms. We see in these psalms a complete reversal of David’s early unbelief. He now praises God for His goodness and mercy.
“My God, is any hour so sweet, / From blush of morn to evening star, / As that which calls me to Thy feet, / The hour of prayer?”
