Psalms 57

David, fleeing from Saul, seeks refuge and mercy in God, trusting in His divine protection amidst severe danger. He describes his enemies as fierce and treacherous, yet expresses unwavering resolve to praise God for His great mercy and truth. David calls for God's glory to be exalted above all the earth, confident in His deliverance.

Psalm 57, a Michtam of David when he fled from Saul in the cave, opens with an earnest plea for God's mercy and refuge, as David's soul trusts in the shadow of God's wings until calamities pass. He declares his intention to cry to the Most High, who performs all things for him, expecting divine intervention to save him from his adversaries. David vividly portrays his enemies as ravenous lions and men whose words are sharp weapons, yet he anticipates their downfall into the very traps they set. Despite the perilous circumstances, David's heart is fixed in his resolve to sing and give praise, awakening his spirit and instruments early for worship. He vows to praise the Lord among the people and nations, proclaiming God's mercy to be great unto the heavens and His truth unto the clouds. The psalm concludes with a fervent call for God to be exalted above the heavens and His glory above all the earth.

This Michtam of David, penned during his flight from Saul in a cave, begins with an urgent supplication for divine mercy and protection. David expresses profound trust in God, seeking refuge under the shadow of His wings until the present calamities are overcome. He affirms his intention to appeal to God Most High, confident that God, who performs all things for him, will intervene. David anticipates God sending salvation from heaven, delivering him from the reproach of those who seek to destroy him, emphasizing God's forthcoming mercy and truth. He graphically depicts his perilous situation, describing his soul as being among fierce "lions" and men whose "teeth are spears and arrows" and whose "tongue a sharp sword," highlighting the extreme danger posed by his adversaries. Amidst this peril, David interjects a powerful declaration, calling for God to be exalted above the heavens and His glory above all the entire earth. He then reveals the treachery of his enemies, who prepared a net for his steps and dug a pit, only to fall into it themselves, illustrating a theme of divine justice. Despite the ongoing threat, David's spirit shifts to one of resolute praise, declaring his heart to be "fixed" and determined to sing and give thanks. He calls upon his own "glory" (his soul or spirit) and his musical instruments—the psaltery and harp—to awaken early for worship. David pledges to praise the Lord not only among his own people but also among the nations, demonstrating a universal scope to his worship. His motivation for such praise is rooted in the boundless nature of God's attributes: His mercy is great unto the heavens, and His truth extends unto the clouds. The psalm culminates with a reiteration of the fervent desire for God's supreme exaltation, echoing the earlier declaration for His glory to be above all the earth.