In Psalms 57, 58, 59, and 75 we see a clear distinction between David wanting God to destroy the wicked and to protect the righteous. Today we will be reading and reflecting on Psalm 57. In verses 1 – 6 David is devotedly praying and seeking for God’s merciful protection; and then in verses 7 – 11 David is praising God for His constant love.
Please keep in mind that David was being chased by King Saul who was seeking to kill him. Despite those frightening circumstances, David knew, undoubtedly, Who to turn to for his safety. He cried out to God, the Most High, because he knew that God was faithful, and His love endures forever.
Our faith and trust in Jesus should be like David and not waiver no matter what we are facing. God wants to use our difficult circumstances to draw us closer to Him, to grow our trust in Him, and to increase our faith. At the same time, Satan wants us to be debilitated by anxiety, worry, fear, sadness, loneliness, anger, frustration, doubt, etc. so he can draw us closer to him, decrease our trust in God, and decrease our faith.
We must never forget that both heaven and hell are working hard to gain our attention and trust. If we are anchored in our faith and securely trusting in Jesus, we will not only survive the most frightening of current or future circumstances, but on the other side of them we will prosper as the faithful servants of Jesus Christ.
Psalm 57 GNT
A Prayer for Help
1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful,
because I come to you for safety.
In the shadow of your wings I find protection
until the raging storms are over.
2 I call to God, the Most High,
to God, who supplies my every need.
3 He will answer from heaven and save me;
he will defeat my oppressors.
God will show me his constant love and faithfulness.
4 I am surrounded by enemies,
who are like lions hungry for human flesh.
Their teeth are like spears and arrows;
their tongues are like sharp swords.
5 Show your greatness in the sky, O God,
and your glory over all the earth.
6 My enemies have spread a net to catch me;
I am overcome with distress.
They dug a pit in my path,
but fell into it themselves.
7 I have complete confidence, O God;
I will sing and praise you!
8 Wake up, my soul!
Wake up, my harp and lyre!
I will wake up the sun.
9 I will thank you, O Lord, among the nations.
I will praise you among the peoples.
10 Your constant love reaches the heavens;
your faithfulness touches the skies.
11 Show your greatness in the sky, O God,
and your glory over all the earth.
Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for Your unending protection, guidance, and love for each of our lives. Please increase our trust in You and grow us up in our faith. We need to be bearers of Your Truth, who are unaffected by the chaos of this world. Help us during difficult circumstances to see You moving and working on our behalf and for our good. Keep us tied closely together, as Your Family, so we can bring Your encouragement to one another during the challenges. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.