Monday, February 3, 2014

Reflections on Psalms 59

 Psalms 59(Contemporary English Version)
  1. (For the music leader. To the tune "Don't Destroy." A special psalm by David when Saul had David's house watched so that he could kill him.) Save me, God! Protect me from enemy attacks!
  2. Keep me safe from brutal people who want to kill me.
  3. Merciless enemies, LORD, are hiding and plotting, hoping to kill me. I have not hurt them in any way at all.
  4. But they are ready to attack. Do something! Help me! Look at what's happening.
  5. LORD God All-Powerful, you are the God of Israel. Punish the other nations and don't pity those terrible and rebellious people.
  6. My enemies return at evening, growling like dogs roaming the city.
  7. They curse and their words cut like swords, as they say to themselves, "No one can hear us!"
  8. You, LORD, laugh at them and sneer at the nations.
  9. You are my mighty fortress, and I depend on you.
  10. You love me and will let me see my enemies defeated.
  11. Don't kill them, or everyone may forget! Just use your mighty power to make them tremble and fall. You are a shield for your people.
  12. My enemies are liars! So let them be trapped by their boastful lies.
  13. Get angry and destroy them. Leave them in ruin. Then all the nations will know that you rule in Israel.
  14. Those liars return at evening, growling like dogs roaming the city.
  15. They search for scraps of food, and they snarl until they are stuffed.
  16. But I will sing about your strength, my God, and I will celebrate because of your love. You are my fortress, my place of protection in times of trouble.
  17. I will sing your praises! You are my mighty fortress, and you love me.

The occasion in David's life to which this psalm refers can be found in 1 Samuel 19:9-18. David was married to Saul's daughter, Michal. One day an evil spirit came over Saul as David played the harp for him and he tried to kill David with a spear. David eluded him, but that night Saul sent agents to David's house to watch him and kill him when morning came. David's wife, Michal, lowered him from a window, allowing him to escape.

In the heat of these events David called out to God for help. He felt justified in asking for God's help because the pursuit of these men against him was unjustified. It was not due to "any sin or rebellion of mine." (59:3) David called out to God to "Awake to help me, and take notice." Did he perhaps think God was not paying attention to his plight or he would not otherwise be running for his life?

Whatever his thoughts in pleading with God to "awake," he had no doubt of God's help. He says, "I will keep watch for You, my strength, because God is my stronghold." (59:9) God was his strength and his stronghold. It was God's strength and not his own on which he was depending. As David waited through the night, his life in danger, he watched, not for his killers to show up, but for God to show up. He knew God was faithful and would "come to meet me." When He did, He would "look down on my adversaries." (59:10) David asked God not to kill his adversaries but rather to "make them homeless wanderers and bring them down." (59:11) Why was this? So his people would not forget what happens to the wicked. Rather than being killed and soon forgotten their plight as "homeless wanderers" would serve as an example.

The psalm concludes as David's psalms often do. He praised God in anticipation of His deliverance, praising Him in the midst of his troubles as if the Lord's deliverance had already come. "But I will sing of Your strength," David says, "and will joyfully proclaim Your faithful love in the morning." (59:16) Then he again affirms that God is his stronghold.

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