Day 1113: Standing on the promises - Psalm 56

For the Music Director. To the melody of “Silent Dove at a Distance.” A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

1-2 Be gracious to me, O God, for man would crush me; all day long he who battles oppresses me. All day long my enemies would crush me, for there are many who arrogantly battle against me. 3-4 In the day when I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God whose word I praise, in God I have trusted; I will not fear. What can mere flesh do to me?

5-6 Every day they twist my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil. They stir up strife, they lurk, they watch my steps, when they wait for my life. 7 Should there be deliverance for them on account of wickedness? In Your anger cast down the peoples, O God. 8-11 You take account of my wandering; put my tears in Your bottle; are they not in Your book? In the day I cry to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know, that God is for me. In God whose word I praise, in the Lord whose word I praise, in God I trust, I will not fear; what can a man do to me?

12-13 Your vows are on me, O God; I will complete them with thank offerings to You; for You have delivered my soul from death, even my feet from stumbling, to walk before God in the light of the living. Psalm 56 Modern English Version

We read that this Psalm was written to the melody of 'Silent dove at a Distance', and at a time when David was seized by the Philistines at Gath. In the previous Psalm David had said: “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” (Psalm 55:6) And when King Hezekiah became seriously ill, he wrote “I mourn as a dove; my eyes look wistfully upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me.” (Isaiah 38:14) It seems that doves were often associated with a seemingly helpless situation of God's servants.

If the Psalm recollects the time described in 1 Samuel 21:10-15, when David fled from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath, we get a sense of how fearful he was. When the King's servants told Achish that this was the David of whom songs were sung that 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’, that David took those words to heart and greatly feared Achish. So how did David describe those who were against him? (vs 5-6)

He says they 'twisted his words, were full of evil thoughts, stirred up strife, and watched his steps, lurking in the shadows and waiting to harm him. In vs 1-2 he said they wanted to crush him. No wonder he was fearful, and cried out to God 'should there be deliverance for them'? But what did David do in the midst of his fears? (vs 8-11)

He called out to God. He knew that God was watching over him, and seeing all his wanderings. He knew that God had, as it were, kept his tears in a bottle! And so he confidently says that in the day of trouble when he called to the Lord, his enemies would turn back. If God is for us, who can be against us! If we trust in God, what can man do to us?

But what was it about God that David was especially putting his trust in?

Twice in the Psalm he says that his trust was in God - whose word I praise. Paraphrased versions of the Bible put this as “I will trust the promises of God.” I think they've caught the meaning of David's words. Paul would later write: “The Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us . . . was not 'Yes' and 'No.' In Him it was 'Yes'. For all the promises of God in Him are 'Yes,' and in Him 'Amen,' to the glory of God through us.” (2 Corinthians 1:19-20) And later he said: “I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present nor things to come, neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) So, like David, let us also remember to give God thanks and praise for all His precious promises. (vs 12-13)