Title - To the Chief Musician - So glad a song as this becomes ere it closes, should be in the keeping of the most skilled of all the temple minstrels. Al-taschith, i.e., Destroy. This petition is a very sententious prayer, as full as it is brief, and well worthy to be the motto for a sacred song. David had said, "destroy not," in reference to Saul, when he had him in his power and now he takes pleasure in employing the same words in supplication to God. We may infer from the spirit of the Lord's prayer, that the Lord will spare us as we spare our foes. There are four of these "Destroy not" Psalms, namely, the Psalm 57:1-11, Psalm 58:1-11, 59th, and Psalm 75:1-10. In all them there is a distinct declaration of the destruction of the wicked and the preservation of the righteous, and they all have probably a reference to the overthrow of the Jews, on account of their persecution of the great Son of David: they will endure heavy chastisement, but concerning them it is written in the divine decree, "Destroy them not." Michtam of David. For quality this Psalm is called golden, or a secret, and it well deserves the name. 'We may read the words and yet not know the secret joy of David, Which he has locked up in this golden casket. When he fled from Saul in the cave. This is a song from the bowels of the earth, and, like Jonah's prayer from the bottom of the sea, it has a taste of the place. The poet is in the shadow of the cave at first, but he comes to the cavern's mouth at last, and sings in the sweet fresh air, with his eye on the heavens, watching joyously the clouds floating therein.

Divisions - We have here prayer, Psalm 57:1, and praisePsa 57:7. The hunted one takes a long breath of prayer, and when he is fully inspired, he breathes out his soul in jubilant song.

Hints to Preachers

Psalm 57:1 (first clause) - Repetition in prayer.

I. Its dangers. May degenerate into "vain repetitions." Carried to excess painfully suggests the idea, God is unwilling.

II. Its uses. Eases the soul like tears. Manifests intense emotion. Enables those of less mental activity to join in a general supplication.

- R. A. Griffin.

Psalm 57:1 - Here are -

I.Calamities.

1War.

2Pestilence.

3Privations.

4. Sin, greatest of all.

5. Death.

6. Curse of a broken law.

II. Here is a refuge from these calamities.

1. In God.

2. Specially in the mercy of God.

III. There is flying to that refuge.

1. By faith; "My soul trusteth in thee;" "Under the shadow," etc.

2. By prayer; "Be," etc.

IV. Here is continuance both in faith and prayer; "until," etc.

- G. R.

Psalm 57:1, Psalm 57:4, Psalm 57:6, Psalm 57:7 - Note the varying condition of the same heart, at the Same time. "My soul trusteth in thee." "My soul is among lions." "My soul is bowed down." "My heart is fixed."

Psalm 57:2 - Prayer to the performing God. He performs all his promises, all my salvation, all my preservation, all needed between here and heaven. Here he reveals his omnipotence, his grace, his faithfulness, his immutability; and we are bound to show our faith, patience, joy, and gratitude.

Psalm 57:2 - Strange reasons.

I. The Psalmist, in the depths of distress, cries to God, because he is most high in glory. Surely this thought might well paralyse him with the fear of divine inaccessibility, but the soul quickened with suffering, sees through and beyond the metaphor, rejoices in the truth, "Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly."

II. He cries to God for help, because God Is performing all things for him. Why urge him then? Prayer is the music to which "the mighty man of war" goes forth to battle.

- R. A. G.

Psalm 57:3 - The saint's comfort in adversity.

I. All contingencies are provided for: "He shall (or will) send."

II. The highest resources are available: "from heaven."

III. The worst foes will be overcome in the end: "him that would swallow me up."

IV. By the holiest mean: "mercy and truth."

- R. A. G.

Psalm 57:3 - The celestial messengers. What they are. The certainty of their being sent. Their effectual operation. The grateful receiver.

Psalm 57:3 (last clause) - The harmony of the divine attributes in salvation. Mercy founded on truth, truth vindicating mercy. Mercy without injustice, justice honoured in mercy.

Psalm 57:4 - "My soul is among lions." How came I there? If for God's sake, then I may remember -

1. So was my Lord in the wilderness.

2. The lions are chained.

3. Their howling is all they can do.

4. I shall come out of their den alive, unhurt, honoured.

5. The Lion of Judah is with me.

6. I shall soon be among the angels.

Psalm 57:5 -

I. The end which God has in view, both in heaven and earth, in a sinful and in sinless worlds - his own glory.

II. Our duty to acquiesce in that end: "Be thou," etc. - not self, not men, not angels - "Be thou exalted," etc. In this we would acquiesce -

1. Actively, by seeking that end.

2. Passively, by submission to his will.

- G. R.

Psalm 57:6 (first clause) -

I. Who are they?

1. Those who lead us into sin.

2. Who argue from worldly philosophy.

3. Who proclaim priestly and sacramental superstition.

4. Who decoy us from the church of God.

5. Who teach Antinomian doctrine.

II. How shall we escape them?

1. Keep out of their way.

2. Keep to God's way.

3. Trust daily in the Lord.

Psalm 57:6 - "My soul is bowed down."

I. The prostration.

1. Caused by enemies, weakness, fear, pain.

2. Deep, agonising, self-revealing.

3. Common to the Head and the members.

II. The consolation.

1. Bowed down, but not condemned.

2. Hoping in the promise.

3. Trusting in God.

4. Expecting a blessing from the trial.

Psalm 57:7 (first clause) - It is implied that the "heart" is the main thing required in all acts of devotion; nothing is done to purpose in religion further than it is done with the heart. The heart must be "fixed;" fixed for the duty, fitted and put in frame for it; fixed in the duty by a close application; attending on the Lord without distraction - Matthew Henry.

Psalm 57:7 -

I. What is fixed? the heart, not the mind merely, but the will, the conscience, the affections, which draw the mind after them: "My heart is fixed;" - found an anchorage, a resting-place, not therefore at the mercy of every gale, etc.

II. The objects upon which it is fixed.

1. Upon God.

2. Upon his word.

3. Upon his salvation.

4. Upon heaven.

III. The fixedness of the heart upon these objects, denotes -

1. Singleness of aim.

2. Uniformity of action.

3. Perseverance to the end.

- G. R.

Psalm 57:7, Psalm 57:8, Psalm 57:9 -

1. He that will be thankful must treasure up in his heart and memory the courtesy that is done him; so had David done, and therefore he mentions his heart; and to make it more emphatical, he names it again, "My heart."

2. After he remembers it, he must be affected with it, and resolve upon it; so doth David: "My heart is ready," or else, "My heart is fixed;" confirmed I am in it to be thankful, and I cannot be altered.

3. 'Tis not enough that a man carry about with him a thankful heart; he must anunciare, tell it abroad, and make it known publicly what God hath done for him; yea, and do it joyfully too: "I will," saith David, "sing and give praise."

4. He must use all means he can to make it known - "tongue," "psaltery," and "harp," all are little enough. Whence, by an apostrophe, David turns to these. "Awake, my glory:" i.e. Tongue, awake; lute and harp, awake; I myself will awake.

5. He must not do it in a sleepy manner, but with intention and earnestness of spirit: "Awake, awake, I will awake."

6. He must take the first opportunity to do it, and not hang off and delay it: "I will awake early."

7. He must do it in such a place, and such an assembly as may most redound to God's honour: "I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations."

- William Nicholson.

Psalm 57:8 - "I myself will wake early." I will sleep lightly, for I am in an enemy's country; I will ask God to arouse me; I will set the alarum of watchfulness; I will hear the cock of providential warning; the light of the Sun shall arouse me; the activities of the church, the trumpet of my foes, and the bell of duty shall combine to awaken me.

Psalm 57:9 - Who? "I." What? "Will praise." Whom? "Thee, O Lord." Where? "Among the people." Why?

Psalm 57:9 - Public profession.

I. A necessity.

II. A privilege.

III. A duty.

- R. A. G.

Psalm 57:10 - The mercy of God reaches to the heavens -

I. As a throne, God is exalted in our eyes by his mercy.

1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.

3 He shall send groin heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.

4 My 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.

5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.

6 They 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.

Psalm 57:1

"Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me." Urgent need suggests the repetition of the cry, for thus intense urgency of desire is expressed. If "he gives twice who gives quickly," so he who would receive quickly must ask twice. For mercy the Psalmist pleads at first, and he feels he cannot improve upon his plea, and therefore returns to it. God is the God of mercy, and the Father of mercies, it is most fit therefore that in distress we should seek mercy from him in whom it dwells. "For my soul trusteth in thee." Faith urges her suit right well. How can the Lord be unmerciful to a trustful soul? Our faith does not deserve mercy, but it always wins it from the sovereign grace of God when it is sincere, as in this case where the soul of the man believed. "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness." "Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge." Not in the cave alone would he hide, but in the cleft of the Rock of ages. As the little birds find ample shelter beneath the parental wing, even so would the fugitive place himself beneath the secure protection of the divine power. The emblem is delightfully familiar and suggestive. May we all experimentally know its meaning. When we cannot see the sunshine of God's face, it is blessed to cower down beneath the shadow of his wings. "Until these calamities be overpast." Evil will pass away, and the eternal wings will abide over us till then. Blessed be God, our calamities are matters of time, but our safety is a matter of eternity. When we are under the divine shadow, the passing over of trouble cannot harm us; the hawk flies across the sky, but this is no evil to the chicks when they are safely nestling beneath the hen.

Psalm 57:2

"I will cry." He is quite safe, but yet he prays, for faith is never dumb. We pray because we believe. We exercise by faith the spirit of adoption whereby we cry. He says not, I do cry, or I have cried, but I will cry, and indeed, this resolution may stand with all of us until we pass through the gates of pearl; for while we are here below we shall still have need to cry. "Unto God most high" - Prayers are for God only; the greatness and sublimity of his person and character suggest and encourage prayer: however high our enemies, our heavenly Friend is higher, for he is "Most high," and he can readily send from the height of his power the succour which we need. "Unto God that performeth all things for me." He has cogent reason for praying, for he sees God performing The believer waits and God works. The Lord has undertaken for us, and he will not draw back, he will go through with his covenant engagements. Our translators have very properly inserted the words, "all things," for there is a blank in the Hebrew, as if it were a carte blanche, and you might write therein that the Lord would finish anything and everything which he has begun. Whatsoever the Lord takes in hand he will accomplish; hence past mercies are guarantees for the future, and admirable reasons for continuing to cry unto him.

Psalm 57:3

"He shall send from heaven." If there be no fit instruments on earth, heaven shall yield up its legions of angels for the succour of the saints. We may in times of great straits expect mercies of a remarkable kind; like the Israelites in the wilderness, we shall have our bread hot from heaven, new every morning; and for the overthrow of our enemies God shall open his celestial batteries, and put them to utter confusion. Wherever the battle is more fierce than ordinary, there shall come succours from headquarters, for the Commander-in-chief sees all. "And save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up." He will be in time, not only to rescue his servants from being swallowed up, but even from being reproached. Not only shall they escape the flames, but not even the smell of fire shall pass upon them. O dog of hell, I am not only delivered from thy bite, but even from thy bark. Our foes shall not have the power to sneer at us, their cruel jests and taunting gibes shall be ended by the message from heaven, which shall for ever save us. "Selah." Such mercy may well make us pause to meditate and give thanks. Rest, singer, for God has given thee rest! "God shall send forth his mercy and his truth." He asked for mercy, and truth came with it. Thus evermore doth God give us more than we ask or think. His attributes, like angels on the wing, are ever ready to come to the rescue of his chosen.

Psalm 57:4

"My soul is among lions." He was a very Daniel. Howled at, hunted, wounded, but not slain. His place was in itself one of extreme peril, and yet faith made him feel himself secure, so that he could lie down. The cave may have reminded him of a lion's den, and Saul and his band shouting and yelling in their disappointment at missing him, were the lions; yet beneath the divine shelter he felt himself safe. "And I lie even among them that are set on fire." Perhaps Saul and his band kindled a fire in the cavern while they halted in it, and David was thus reminded of the fiercer fire of their hate which burned within their hearts. Like the bush in Horeb, the believer is often in the midst of flames, but never consumed. It is a mighty triumph of faith when we can lie down even among firebrands and find rest, because God is our defence. "Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword." Malicious men carry a whole armoury in their mouths; they have not harmless mouths, whose teeth grind their own food as in a mill, but their jaws are as mischievous as if every tooth were a javelin or an arrow. They have no molars, all their teeth are canine, and their nature is canine, leonine, wolfish, devilish. As for that busy member the tongue, in the case of the malicious, it is a two-edged, keen, cutting, killing sword. The tongue, which is here compared to a sword, has the adjective sharp added to it, which is not used in reference to the teeth, which are compared to spears, as if to show that if men were actually to tear us with their teeth, like wild beasts, they could not thereby wound us so severely as they can do with their tongues. No weapon is so terrible as a tongue sharpened on the devil's grindstone; yet even this we need not fear, for "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that riseth against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn."

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7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

8 Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.

9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people' I will sing unto thee among the nations.

10 For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.

11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.

Psalm 57:7

"My heart is fixed." One would have thought he would have said, "My heart is fluttered;" but no, he is calm, firm, happy, resolute, established. When the central axle is secure, the whole wheel is right. If our great bower anchor holds, the ship cannot drive. "O God, my heart is fixed." I am resolved to trust thee, to serve thee, and to praise thee. Twice does he declare this to the glory of God who thus comforts the souls of his servants. Reader, it is surely well with thee, if thy once roving heart is now firmly fixed upon God and the proclamation of his glory. "I will sing and give praise." Vocally and instrumentally will I celebrate thy worship. With lip and with heart will I ascribe honour to thee. Satan shall not stop me, nor Saul, nor the Philistines. I will make Adullam ring with music, and all the caverns thereof echo with joyous song. Believer, make a firm decree that your soul in all seasons shall magnify the Lord.

"Sing, though sense and carnal reason

Fain would stop the joyful song:

Sing, and count it highest treason

For a saint to hold his tongue."

Psalm 57:8

"Awake up, my glory." Let the noblest powers of my nature bestir them-selves: the intellect which conceives thought, the tongue which expresses it, and the inspired imagination which beautifies it - let all be on the alert now that the hour for praise has come. "Awake, Psaltery and harp." Let all the music with which I am familiar be well attuned for the hallowed service of praise. "I myself will awake early." I will awake the dawn with my joyous notes. No sleepy verses and weary notes shall be heard from; I will thoroughly arouse myself for this high employ. When we are at our best we fall far short of the Lord's deserts, let us, therefore, make sure that what we bring him is our best, and, if marred with infirmity, at least let it not be deteriorated by indolence. Three times the Psalmist calls upon himself to awake. Do we need so much arousing, and for such work? Then let us not spare it, for the engagement is too honourable, too needful to be left undone or ill done for want of arousing ourselves.

Psalm 57:9

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