Bible Commentaries
Psalms 57

Verses 1-11

Psalms 57

Psalm of Praise and Perils

This is a psalm of David when he fled from Saul and hid in a cave, either at Adullam, 1 Samuel 22:1 or at En-gedi; 1 Samuel 24:13. The cave was a symbol of the gloom of his position in Israel, Hebrews 11:38. The psalm had two stanzas: v. 1-5 and v. 6-11 each of which concludes with the refrain, "Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be or exist above all the earth."

Scripture v. 1-11:

Verse 1 pleas "Be merciful" or "be a mercy covering over me, O God." For he declared that his trust existed in the Lord; Even under the security-shadow of His wings did he flee for his refuge. He resolved to remain there until these calamities passed by, passed away, or passed on, and were gone, Psalms 56:1-2; 1 Samuel 24:11; Psalms 17:8; Psalms 36:7; Psalms 121:5-6.

Verse 2 resolves "I will cry (aloud) unto God (Elohim) most high, unto God that performeth all things for me," a seeming cry from En-gedi, 1 Samuel 24:13-15. He trusted in the promise of Israel’s covenant God to perform all things that he needed, Psalms 138:8. See also Psalms 56:4; 1 Samuel 2:9; 1 Samuel 3:12; 1 Samuel 23:17; 1 Samuel 24:21; Job 10:3; Job 8; Job 14:15; Philippians 1:6; Isaiah 26:12.

Verse 3 triumphantly rejoices that God would send angelic help from heaven to save (deliver) him and secure him from those who would devour his life, like a revenous, blood thirsty beast, "Selah," meditate on it, Psalms 34:7; Psalms 144:5. God would mandate mercy and truth to rescue him, John 1:17.

Verse 4 laments "my soul (life) is among lions; I lie among those that are set on fire (inflamed) as sons of depraved men," He adds, "their teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword," with the venom of murder and death in every breath and movement, Proverbs 30:14; Psalms 64:3.

Verse 5 begs "be thou exalted (lifted up) O God, above the heavens, let thy glory be (exist) above all the earth," as described 1 Chronicles 29:11; Psalms 21:13; Psalms 108:5; Isaiah 2:11; Isaiah 2:17; Isaiah 12:4; Isaiah 37:20; Matthew 6:9-10.

Verse 6 complains "they have prepared a net for my steps," an entrapment against me, "my soul is humbled, pressed down," and "they have digged a pit into which they are themselves fallen," from which they could not escape the righteous, indignation judgment of God; "Selah," meditate on, draw nourishment from this thought, Psalms 7:15-16; Psalms 9:15; Psalms 35:7-8; Psalms 140:5.

Verse 7 vows "my heart is fixed (firmly set), or placed, O God, my heart is fixed or prepared," to give glory and praise to God, Psalms 108:1. Nothing beats an heart fixed on God, in an unfixed world of sin.

Verses 8, 9 relate David’s resolve to awake, or to wake up, and give glory to God, all day long, even with the psaltery and harp, that men may hear, know, and praise God for His Divine protection and deliverance as the anointed; coming King of Israel, by Divine covenant promise, Judges 5:12. With zeal and unwearied earnestness he declared that he would bless and praise the Lord, from sunrise to sunset, even before heathen nations, Psalms 63:1; Psalms 78:34; Mark 1:35; Psalms 18:49.

Verse 10 explains "for (because) thy mercy is great (gracious or magnanimous) unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds," beyond the reach of natural man, Psalms 36:5; Psalms 108:4. They are even higher than the heavens above the earth, Isaiah 55:9.

Verse 11 concludes the second stanza with the refrain of v. 5. "Be thou exalted (lifted up)," by the praise of men and angels, "O God, above the heavens; and thy glory above all the earth;" so may it be, even as it is ordained to be, through redeemed men, in and through the church of Jesus Christ, into the ages of the ages, John 1:14; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 3:21; Revelation 5:11-12; Revelation 21:10-11; Revelation 21:23.