Psalms · psalm 57 of 150
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Psalm 57 is a Miktam of David, written when he fled from Saul and hid in a cave. He asks for mercy and takes refuge in the shadow of God's wings until the dangers pass. Surrounded by enemies like lions, he affirms that his heart is steadfast and promises to sing and awake the dawn. Twice he asks that God be exalted above the heavens.
The title dedicates it to the choirmaster, according to Do Not Destroy, and calls it a Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. First Samuel 22:1 and 24:3 speak of two occasions when David was in a cave, at Adullam and at En Gedi, and the text does not say which it means. Psalms 57 to 59 share the direction Do Not Destroy, and all three arise from Saul's pursuit.
David begins with a repeated prayer: be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. He cries out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for him. He will send from heaven and save me; he puts to shame him who tramples on me. God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness.
His situation is grave: my soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts, the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. In the midst of that scene he asks for something greater than his own rescue: be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. His enemies set a net for his steps, and his soul was bowed down; they dug a pit in his way, but they have fallen into it themselves.
Then the tone turns to song. My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make melody. Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn. I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations, for your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. The psalm ends with the same refrain as verse 5: be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
David takes refuge in the shadow of God's wings until the dangers pass. The picture of a bird covering her young shows constant nearness and protection.
In the midst of danger David asks not only for rescue but that God be exalted above the heavens and his glory cover all the earth. His priority is God's glory.
David's heart is steadfast, ready to sing and make music. It is steady not because the danger disappears but because his trust is in God.
God's steadfast love reaches to the heavens and his faithfulness to the clouds. David uses the height of the sky to describe a love without end.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: In the shadow of God's wings, until the storms of destruction pass. — Psalm 57:1
Answer: His steadfast love and his faithfulness, to save David. — Psalm 57:3
Answer: Lions, with teeth like spears and arrows and tongues like sharp swords. — Psalm 57:4
Answer: God, with his glory over all the earth. — Psalm 57:5
Answer: They fell into it themselves. — Psalm 57:6
Answer: Awake it with singing, with harp and lyre. — Psalm 57:8
Psalm 57 offers a model for praying in a crisis: take refuge, describe the danger, seek God's glory and end singing. In a small group you can write a refrain of your own like David's, a brief sentence that recalls that God is greater than what we face.
The image of God's wings is also a way of speaking of his maternal, protective care. Jesus uses a similar image when he speaks of gathering Jerusalem as a hen gathers her brood, in Matthew 23:37. To take refuge is to stop depending on our own defenses and trust the One who covers us.
Psalm 57 ends with a song of praise among the peoples. Psalm 58 changes tone with a hard prayer against unjust judges and reminds us that there is a God who judges on earth.
The title says the cave, with no more detail. First Samuel 22:1 mentions the cave of Adullam, and 1 Samuel 24:3 tells that David hid with his men in a cave at En Gedi when Saul went into it. We do not know which of the two inspired this psalm, or whether it was another occasion.
It is a musical direction found in Psalms 57, 58, 59 and 75. It may refer to a well-known melody, perhaps a vintage song like the one Isaiah 65:8 suggests. Its exact sense is not certain.
It is a poetic device to frame the psalm. The first time it appears in the midst of danger and the second after the song of trust. It shows that David's priority is God's glory in any circumstance, not only his own salvation.