RETURN TO SYLLABUS
PSALMS 57
LESSON #14/P2 A PERMANENT WALKING STICK: GOD’S MERCY
MEMORY VERSE: PSA 57:1
THE SUB-TITLE: "
To the chief Musician, Al-Taschith, Michtam of
David, when he fled from Saul in the cave."
"AL-TASCHITH" MEANS = DESTROY NOT.
"
MICHTAM" MEANS = ENGRAVEN OR PERMANENT AND USUALLY HAS TO DO WITH
DELIVERANCE.
THIS IS THE SECOND OF THE MICHTAM PSALMS.
"WHEN DAVID FLED FROM SAUL IN THE CAVE" = 1SAM 22:1-2 1 SAM 24:1-8
DAVID EVIDENTLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE CAVES ALONG THE DEAD SEA. THERE WAS ONE VERY
LARGE CAVE CALLED, ADULLAM. IT WAS LARGE ENOUGH FOR TWO GROUPS OF MEN TO OCCUPY THE SAME
CAVE AND NOT KNOW THAT THE OTHERS WERE THERE. DAVID USED THIS LARGE CAVE AS A HIDE OUT FOR
HIS MEN AS THEY FLED FROM KING SAUL.
PSALMS 142 ALSO HAS A SIMILAR SUB-TITLE THAT RELATES TO THIS SAME SITUATION IN
DAVID’S LIFE.
THE PRIMARY INTERPERTATION:
READ PSA 57:1-3
DAVID’S PLEA FOR GOD’S MERCY:
MAN DOES NOT DESERVE GOD’S MERCY. BECAUSE ALL HAVE SINNED, (ROM 3:23) WE ALL
DESERVE GOD’S PUNISHMENT FOR OUR SIN AGAINST GOD. BECAUSE GOD IS A LOVING GOD, HE
EXTENDS MERCY TO MAN THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
READ ROM 9:18-24
"…
IN THE SHADOW OF THY WINGS WILL I MAKE MY REFUGE…" (1)
IN TIMES OF TROUBLE, IT IS THAT REFUGE FROM THE STORMS OF LIFE THAT IS VERY COMFORTING
FOR THE BELIVER.
WE CAN ENTER THIS PEACEFUL REFUGE IN PRAYER AT ANY TIME BECAUSE IT IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE
TO THOSE WHO SEEK HIM.
DAVID PICTURES THIS REFUGE AS A MOTHER BIRD WHO COVERS HER YOUNG WITH HER WINGS FOR
PROTECTION.
WE ARE THOSE BABY BIRDS WHO NEED GOD’S PROTECTION FROM THE STORMS OF LIFE.
DAVID PROBABLY USED THIS MENTAL IMAGE OF A MOTHER BIRD COVERING HER CHICKS TO GAIN THE
PEACE HE NEEDED.
IT IS MENTAL IMAGES LIKE THIS THAT CALM THE FEAR.
NOTICE THAT DAVID SAYS, "UNTIL THESE CALAMITIES BE OVERPAST". (1)
IN OTHER WORDS, ALL TROUBLES ARE ONLY TEMPORARY.
WITH THE SAME LIKENESS OF A MOTHER BIRD AND HER CHICKS, JESUS OFFERED THIS SAME REFUGE
TO THE JEWS, BUT THEY DID NOT ACCEPT HIS OFFER.
READ MAT 23:37
"I WILL CRY UNTO GOD MOST HIGH…" (2)
DAVID KNEW EXACTLY WHERE TO GO FOR HELP.
SOMETIMES WE TRY EVERYTHING WE CAN THINK OF TO TRY TO HELP OURSELVES OUT OF DIFFICULT
SITUATIONS, WHEN IT IS BETTER TO GO TO GOD FIRST. WHY?
BECAUSE GOD HAS ALL WISDOM REGARDING YOUR SITUATION.
BECAUSE GOD HAS ALL POWER TO CHANGE YOUR SITUATION.
DAVID KNEW GOD. HE HAD THAT CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. THAT IS WHY DAVID
COULD SAY, "…(HE) THAT PERFORMETH ALL THINGS FOR ME." (2)
WE NEED TO KNOW GOD LIKE DAVID DID. THEN, BY FAITH, WE CAN MAKE THAT SAME STATEMENT.
"HE SHALL SEND FROM HEAVEN AND SAVE ME FROM THE REPROACH OF HIM THAT WOULD SWALLOW
ME UP. SELAH" (3)
WHAT IS IT THAT WE SHOULD STOP AND THINK ABOUT AT THE END OF VERSE 3?
WHO IS IT THAT WOULD "SWALLOW" DAVID? CERTAINLY NOT SAUL. THE ENEMY IS SATAN
BEHIND THE SCENES WORKING THROUGH KING SAUL.
SO OFTEN WE SEE PROBLEMS IN OUR LIFE ON A SURFACE LEVEL. WE ONLY SEE THE OUTWARD
MANIFESTATION WHEN THE REAL BATTLE IS BEHIND THE SCENES ON A DEEPER, SPIRITUAL LEVEL.
WE WOULD HAVE A MORE REALISTIC PERSPECTIVE IF WE VIEW THESE PROBLEMS FROM A SPIRITUAL
PERSPECTIVE.
DAVID, WITH THE CONFIDENCE OF FAITH, SAYS THAT GOD WILL SEND DELIVERANCE FROM HEAVEN TO
SAVE HIM. (HEB 11:1)
READ PSA 57:4-6
DAVID’S PRECARIOUS SITUATION: (4)
"MY SOUL IS AMONG LIONS…" (4)
DAVID WAS IN A WILDERNESS SITUATION WHERE WILD BEASTS WERE UNDOUBTEDLY AROUND HIM.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THE REAL ENEMY IS SATAN, NOT KING SAUL.
READ 1PET 5:8-12
THE REFRAIN:
DAVID’S BASIS FOR GOD’S DELIVERANCE: (5)
"BE THOU EXALTED, O GOD, ABOVE THE HEAVENS; LET THY GLORY BE ABOVE ALL THE
EARTH." (5)
THIS IS THE REFRAIN OR CHORUS IN THIS SONG (PSALM). NOTICE THAT THE REFRAIN IS REPEATED
AGAIN IN VERSE 11.
NOTICE THAT DAVID BASES HIS PRAYER NOT ON HIS OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS BUT ON GOD’S MERCY.
(1) AND,
NOTICE THAT DAVID BASES HIS PRAYER ON THE GLORIFICATION OF GOD AND NOT ON HIS OWN
COMFORT OR DESIRES. (5)
THIS IS A GOOD BASIS FOR OUR PRAYERS…NOT THAT WE GET WHAT WE WANT, BUT THAT GOD BE
GLORIFIED BY GIVING US WHAT WE REQUEST.
THE VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY: (6)
"…THEY HAVE DIGGED A PIT BEFORE ME, INTO THE MIDST WHEREOF THEY ARE FALLEN
THEMSELVES. SELAH." (6)
WHAT IS IT THAT WE SHOULD STOP AND THINK ABOUT HERE?
EVEN BEFORE GOD DELIVERS DAVID FROM SAUL, DAVID SEES THE END RESULT. BY FAITH AND
PROPHECY, HE SEES GOD’S VINDICATION AND THAT THE ENEMY WILL FALL INTO HIS OWN TRAP.
KING SAUL HAD AN ARMY CHASING DAVID ALL OVER THE COUNTRYSIDE. IN THE END, KING SAUL
EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING WHEN THE PHILISTINES CHASED SAUL, WOUNDED HIM, AND KILLED HIS
SONS. .
READ 1SAM 31:2-6
READ PSA 57:7-11 "MICHTAM" = THAT WHICH IS FIXED, PERMANENT, AND ENDURING:
DAVID SAYS, AND THEN EMPHASIZES BY REPETITION, THAT HIS HEART IS FIXED.
IN OTHER WORDS, DAVID USES HIS OWN WILL AND DETERMINATION TO FIX HIS HEART ON PRAISING
THE LORD PERMANENTLY. THEN HE PRAISES THE LORD IN VERSES 8-11.
WHEN YOU FIX YOUR HEART ON PRAISING THE LORD DURING TIMES OF DEEP STRESS AND PROBLEMS,
YOU RAISE YOURSELF ABOVE THE DEPTHS OF FEAR AND ANXIETY OF THE SURROUNDING CIRCUMSTANCES.
THIS IS THE MEANS BY WHICH WE ARE TO TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE TO FOCUS ON THE LORD.
READ 2COR 10:5
DAVID’S HEART IS FIXED ON THE LORD BECAUSE HE IS A GOD OF PERMANENT AND ENDURING
MERCY AND TRUTH (MICHTAM). (10)
THIS FIXED ASPECT IS FROM WHERE THE SUB-TITLE, "MICHTAM" COMES.
DAVID ENDS THE PSALM IN VERSE 11 WITH THE REPEATED REFRAIN FROM VERSE 5 THAT GOD BE
GLORIFIED ABOVE ALL.
THE PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION:
IT WILL BE DURING THE FUTURE TRIBULATION PERIOD THAT THE JEWS WILL SEEK THE REFUGE THEY
REFUSED IN MAT 23:37.
WHEN THE ANTICHRIST BEGINS TO PURSUE THEM AND PERSECUTE THEM AS DAVID WAS PURSUED AND
PERSECUTED BY KING SAUL, THEY WILL MAKE THIS SAME CRY AS DAVID DID FOR MERCY AND REFUGE.
THEIR PRAYER WILL BE ANSWERED AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST WHEN THEY WILL ACCEPT HIM
AS THEIR TRUE MESSIAH. (ZEC 12:1-2, 10)
WHEN CHRIST COMES AT HIS SECOND COMING, THE DARKNESS OF SIN AND TROUBLE WILL BE OVER,
THEN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OF CHRIST WILL BEGIN.
LIKE DAVID WHO SAID, "…I WILL PRAISE THEE, O LORD, AMONG THE PEOPLE."
(9), ALL BELIEVERS WILL JOIN TOGETHER IN PRAISE TO GOD FOR 1,000 YEARS.
SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
AS WE WALK THE CHRISTIAN WALK, WE NEED HELP THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES. THIS PSALM IS
ANOTHER WALKING STICK TO LEAN ON. THIS WALKING STICK CENTERS ON THE MERCY OF GOD.
YES, WE NEED FAITH AS A WALKING STICK IN PSA 56, BUT WE ALSO NEED GOD’S MERCY TO
HELP US WALK UPRIGHTLY BECAUSE WE OFTEN FAIL, STUMBLE, AND FALL. IT IS GOD’S MERCY
THAT PICKS US UP AND GETS US WALKING AGAIN.
HOMEWORK
PSALMS 58
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR
CORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF PSA 57:
IN TIMES OF STRESS AND PROBLEMS, ON WHAT DO YOU FIX YOUR HEART?
IF YOUR ANSWER IS THAT YOU FIX YOUR HEART ON YOUR PROBLEM, THEN YOU WILL NOT RISE ABOVE
IT AND GAIN FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND WORRY.
IF YOUR ANSWER IS THAT YOU FIX YOUR HEART ON THE LORD, THEN YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED THE
PEACE AND REFUGE DAVID SPOKE ABOUT.
WRITE YOUR EXPERIENCES HERE:
PREPARATION FOR PSA 58
READ PSA 58:1-11
WHAT TWO KEY WORDS ARE REPEATED 3 TIMES (IN 2 FORMS) IN VERSES 1-3 AND 10-11?
WHAT DOES VERSE 3 MEAN WHEN IT SAYS, "THEY GO ASTRAY AS SOON AS THEY BE BORN?