Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 57
The lvii. PSALM.
David being driven into a narrow compass, and being in great straits by his enemy Saul and his complices surrounding him in the cave, flies by prayer and faith to God, and promises himself deliverance by miracle rather than not at all. He sets forth the cruell and proud nature of his enemies, to provoke God thereby against them. And finds all he said to be true concerning Gods faithfulness to deliver him, which was done in so marvellous a manner, that it ravished his heart, and raised him above all fears and doubts for future, so that he promises nothing but faith in, and praise to God for time to come by reason of it.Psalm lvii. To the chief musician Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.
To the President of the Quire in this Psalm, made by David, committed for his ordering it to be sung to the speciall tune of Michtam; The sum or substance whereof is comprised in this one word Al-taschith, signifying destroy not upon occasion of the imminent danger he and all his men were in, when they hid themselves in the cave of Engedi from Saul. 1 Sam. 24.
1 AS my danger is extraordinary,1BE mercifull unto me, O God, be mercifull unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee: yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, untill these calamities be overpast. so, Lord, let be thy mercy, I humbly pray thee, for to effect my deliverance out of it, for from my very heart do I depend upon thee, and stedfastly believe in thee for it; as the chicken refugeth it self under the wing of the Hen, till the Kite be flown over, so do I by faith take sanctuary in thee, thy truth and protection, untill all these storms be blown away, which for an appointed time I must undergo, and that thou land me safe out of all these miseries in an estate of rest.
2 Be my danger whatsoever it will,2I will cry unto God most high: unto God that perform…th all things for me. I will make mine application to God in prayer and faith, because of his omnipotency over all men, and all things wherein I trust▪ for his power and faithfulness is, & will be the same to me it hath been, untill he hath fulfilled all his promises, and perfected his begun undertakings concerning me and his Church.
3He shall send from heaven and save me, from the reproch of him that would swallow me up; Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.3 Rather than I shall miscarry, and God fail of his faithfulness, I know I shall be delivered by miracle, from the rage of my bloudy enemies, who if they could gain their wills of me, would triumph and scornfully mock at my faith in God, and even at God himself too for my sake, I dare say they would. But God will never suffer it so to come to pass, but as occasion requires God shall still manifest his mercy and truth in my behalf.
4My soul is among lions, and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.4 I am in a cave like a den, and mine enemies like lions round about me, raging mad to devour me. I am round beset with men of cruell exasperated minds, that burn with rage against me, men that are given over to wickedness, utterly without the fear of God, or common humanity, who deadly hate me, and irritate Saul against me, to destroy me, by all the damnable lies and slanders they can invent.
5Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.5 Let it appear, O God, that thou that dwellest in heaven art above such earth-worms, as through me (the Type of the distressed Church on earth) do fight against thy self, and could they vanquish me, would trample upon thy great and glorious name, let the proudest of them be forced to stoop, and made to confess that thy power of preserving is above theirs of destroying.
6They have prepared a net for my steps, my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.6 How have they encompassed me, as in a net? so that humanely I see no way of escape, but death is ready to seize on me, as a hawk that is over his prey; they have hunted me narrowly, driven me under ground into this cave, where, in this my hazardous condition, having no other shift, I am forced to hide my self from them, ready to catch me, but yet in stead of finding me whom they seek, I have found them whom I sought not, even Saul himself is cast into mine hands in this mine hiding hole: O strange providence!
7 By this unlooked for deliverance not onelyonly of me,7My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. but of mine enemy into my power, in this my most desperate condition; I am so fully confirmed in my faith touching thy power and faithfulness, as I hope never to doubt again because of danger, but to live the rest of my life in such assurance and praise-full tempers, as if I were actually instated into the full possession of all that thou hast promised me, and I live in hope of.
8 I am so ravished with this providence,8Awake up my glory, awake Psaltery and Harp: I my self will awake early. that I know not how to extoll it to give my self satisfaction, but I will lay out all the skill I have upon it, both in singing and playing, by voice and instrument, there shall be nothing wanting that I can do to set it forth.
9 Nor shall the praise and renown of this wondrous mercy,9I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. and Almighty providence be circumscribed within Jury or Canaan, the Gentils and Heathens shall also hear of it by my means, that in all places, and upon all occasions will extoll it, and thee for it.
10 For to those that fear thee,10For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. and stedfastly trust in thee, thy mercy is unspeakably great, and so is thy faithfulness, comparatively they are as farre beyond the reach of our reason, as the heavens, and clouds there, are above the earth.
11 See the fifth verse of this Psalm,11Be thou exalted, O God▪ above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth. which is here repeated in way of praise, that there was spoken in way of prayer.