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Psalm chapter 57

What does Psalm chapter 57 mean?

This song was written during David's attempts to evade Saul, the jealous and murderous king (1 Samuel 19:1–2; 22:1; 24:2–3). This included fleeing from pursuing attackers and hiding in caves. The same series of events factored into the writing of Psalms 56 and 142. The psalm is presumably set to a then-known tune called "Do Not Destroy." This same melody is referenced in Psalms 58, 59, and 75.

David begins by calling on God for mercy: to be rescued from his current situation. He depicts the Lord as a mother bird guarding her young from storms and rain with her wings. Because of God's promises to David (1 Samuel 16:12–13), David was confident the Lord would keep him safe. Though his enemies attack him like wild animals, using both weapons and words, David is assured of God's protection. He declares that the Lord's praise should be heard over the entire world (Psalm 57:1–5).

Because of this deep faith, David is assured that his enemies will only harm themselves. He promises to praise God early in the morning, using all his spiritual and musical strengths. David then refers to praising God among both "the peoples" and "the nations." This suggests an audience beyond Israel and extending into the Gentile world. David refers to the Lord's "steadfast love," or "lovingkindness;" this depicts God's merciful loyalty to His chosen people. The psalm ends by repeating the refrain of verse 5, calling for God to be praised worldwide (Psalm 57:6–11).
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