FIGHT OR FLIGHT? (PSALM 57)
This psalm has a title: “To the chief Musician, Al-tas'-chith, Mich'-tam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.”
What does the word "flee" mean?
Cambridge Dictionary: 1. to escape by running away, especially because of danger or fear.
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries: to leave a person or place very quickly, especially because you are afraid of possible danger.
Here are some sentences with the verb “flee” from the Internet:
1. Follow love and it will flee, flee love and it will follow thee.
2. To flee vice is the beginning of virtue.
3. It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.
4. War, famine and oppression have forced people in the region to flee from their homes. https://sentencedict.com/flee.html
No one in the Bible is more associated with the verb “flee” than David in the Bible (eight times - 1 Sam 19:12, 18, 20:1, 21:10, 22:17, 27:4, 2 Sam 15:14, 19:9). Moreover, twice in the Psalms mentioned David “fled” - one fleeing his son Absalom (Psalm 3:1) and this psalm running from his father-in-law Saul (Psalm 57).
If you ever have to flee from foes, what do you need? How do you face your fears and frustrations? Why is our focus on God and not man or things?
Plead to God for Mercy
For the director of music. [To the tune of] "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam. When he had fled from Saul into the cave.
1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. 2 I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills [his purpose] for me. 3 He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me; Selah
Here are some quotes on “calamities” (“disasters” in NIV) from the Internet:
“Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility but through greatness of mind.” Aristotle
“When any calamity has been suffered, the first thing to be remembered is, how much has been escaped.” Samuel Johnson
“The calamity that comes is never the one we had prepared ourselves for.” Mark Twain
“Often it takes some calamity to make us live in the present. Then we suddenly wake up and see all the mistakes we have made.” Bill Watterson
“It is not every calamity that is a curse, and early adversity is often a blessing.
Surmounted difficulties not only teach, but hearten us in our future struggles.” James Sharp
“There’s no disaster that can’t become a blessing, and no blessing that can’t become a disaster.” Richard Bach
More than one third (55) of 150 psalms were dedicated to the Chief Musician (For the director of music “NIV”), but Psalm 57 is the first of three with the introduction: “David’s poem: Thou shall not destroy.” On top of this, this is the only setting where David “fled from Saul” in the Psalms.
While the title mentioned Saul, David never disclosed a name in the psalm itself to make it applicable to all sufferers. Instead he called his situation “disasters” or “calamities” (v 1 KJV), plural and not singular (NIV). Ironically, plural means more than one person, including Saul’s advisers and army. You might as well include the mischief, misfortune and madness. This word “disaster” did not appear in the Bible until the long-suffering Job uttered the first of three times it appeared in the Bible (Job 6:2, 30, 30:13).
David’s focus, however, is on his relationship with God. The imperative “Have mercy” or “be merciful” (“chanan”) occurs only in the Psalms, as many as 18 times, but only five of the 18 pleas occur as soon as verse 1 of the psalm, and Psalm 17 is the only time the heartbreaking cry (have mercy) is repeated twice in the beginning. “Have mercy” means to have sympathy, make supplication and provide support. It is asking God to be your help, haven, hideout, harbor and helmsman. Mercy occurs a record-breaking 127 times in the psalms, more than goodness (69 times), glory (51 times) and holy (45 times).
A reason (“ki”) is attached – “for in you my soul takes refuge.” (v 1) Like the verb “have mercy,” “take refuge” is repeated too in verse 1. Take refuge is to run, race and rush for safety, solace and support, to escape menace, malice, malevolence, mischief, and maltreatment. Take refuge signals our attitude, approach and acknowledgement, rejecting inaction, indecision and inability.
Wings (v 1) is plural. Wings absorb shock, stress and scrapes.
Google AI says, “Birds use their wings to cushion landings by flapping them in a way that generates both drag and lift, acting as an airbrake and suspension system to decelerate and absorb the force of touchdown.”
Cry (v 2 I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills [his purpose] for me) is often translated as a simple “call” (qara) in the form of a plea, petition or prayer. The title “Most High” can be translated as “uppermost” (Gen 40:17). He is the “most” – the topmost, foremost and utmost and God.
“Save” (v 3) means deliver, defend and direct us from troubles, threats and trials.
Praise Him in the Highest
3b God sends his love and his faithfulness. 4 I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts — men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. 6 They spread a net for my feet — I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path — but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
Alyssa Liu said in an interview:
“I got there through trial and error. Genuinely. If I didn't hit like rock bottom so many times I could not have gone up.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESUV-vTEzVc
“Everything that you could consider 'bad,' I'm so happy that happened because I learned so much from it. It's not a low point. It's a learning point.”
“I don't think anything is going to be hard. You know, it's like what is there to lose? Every second you're there, you're gaining something.”
Verse 4 says, “I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts — men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.”
V 4 Lions… ravenous beasts Senseless Animals Voracious Devour
V 4 (sons of) men … teeth… tongues Sinister People Vicious Diabolical
V 4 spears and arrows ... sharp swords Sharp Objects Violent Damaging
While the verb “exalt” (v 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens) occurs as many as 190 times, the imperative “be exalted” occurs four times only in the Bible (vv 7, 11, 21:13. 108:5), of which twice is in this chapter. “Be exalted” means be elevated, empowered and enthroned - to the farthest end, the finishing line and final outpost. Over the sky, space and all spheres. The Hebrew preposition “over” occurs twice in verse 5 – as “above” and “over.”
“Glory” (v 5 let your glory be over all the earth) means God’s greatness, grace and goodness in sanctity and simplicity, sunrise and sunset, seasons and songs, storms and stillness, floods and fires, earthquake and emergencies, beauty and bleakness, nature and nurture, the least and the lowliest, and most of all, the Savior and Scripture. Here is what others say about God’s “glory”:
Sanctity and simplicity Sunrise and sunset Seasons and songs
Storms and stillness Floods and fires Earthquake and emergencies
Dark and desert Beauty and bleakness Nature and nurture
Least and lowliest Strength and sickness SAVIOR AND SCRIPTURE
“Over all the earth” (v 11) is not exclusive to earth, but extended everywhere to the extreme end.
How is a net (v 6 They spread a net for my feet — I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path — but they have fallen into it themselves) and a pit a contrast?
COPILOT:
- Net: Often symbolizes being caught in a situation—like lies, obligations, or manipulation. It’s something that wraps around you.
- Pit: Represents falling into despair, danger, or a trap. It’s something you fall into and struggle to climb out of.
PERPLEXITY:
A net and a pit contrast in how they trap: a net catches many all at once, often unexpectedly and broadly, while a pit is a hidden, confined trap designed to catch something when it falls in. So, a net is open and spread out, a pit is enclosed and concealed.
Fall (v 6) is downfall, disgrace and doom. In other words, they dug their own grave, determined their own demise, and drew their own downfall.
Put Your Trust in Him
7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. 8 Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. 9 I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. 10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. 11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
One day I received this forward from others: God said, “Don't look around because you'll be impressed, don't look down you'll be depressed; just look to me and you'll be blessed!”
Corrie Ten Boom said, “If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest.”
Where V 7 My heart 2x
What V 8 Awake 2x (imperative)
How V 8 harp and lyre
When V 8 the dawn
Who V 9 among (in) the nations
Why V 10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens
Steadfast (v 7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast) is “fixed” in KJV, to be fixed firmly, fastened, fashioned and fitted. It is repeated, meaning doubly, durably, deeply and doggedly.
Steadfast means to be resolute, resilient and reliable.
The equation “I will sing and (+) I will make music” (v 7; I will sing and make music) is a cohortative or an indirect imperative, and should be translated as “let me sing and let me make music.” with a daring, dramatic, determined and doable “LET ME” declaration! It is proactive, passionate, powerful and pleasing to God.
The next verse must be the most dramatic verse in the chapter. The verb “awake” (v 8 Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn) is mentioned three times, twice as imperatives and once as cohortative, or indirectly as the first person imperative. Awake is “bare, open my eyes,” as it corresponds “dawn” (v 8), daytime, daylight or daybreak. It is the moment you open your eyes, organize your day and order your life.
I asked Perplexity, What the difference between a harp and a lyre (v 8). The reply:
1. *Shape & Size*:
- Lyre: Smaller, U-shaped frame, held in the lap.
- Harp: Larger, triangular frame, played vertically (on floor or stand).
2. *Strings & Sound*:
- Lyre: Fewer strings (5–24), softer, mellow, intimate sound.
- Harp: Many strings (up to 47), rich, resonant, fuller sound that can fill big spaces.
David did not forget to return to God, rely on God, and to rejoice in God in his darkest hour, through his deepest troubles and in his deadliest combats.
Verse 9’s “I WILL praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I WILL sing of you among the peoples” is contrasted to the dark mood and depressed state in verse 1’s “I WILL take refuge” and verse 2’s “I (WILL) cry out to God.”
V 1 “I WILL take refuge
V 2 “I (WILL) cry out to God
V 9 “I WILL praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I WILL sing of you among the peoples”
David should be feeling disadvantaged, desperate and doomed at this time, but it did not stop him from verse 9 to the nations and peoples, both plural.
“God” (6x) is the leading actor of Psalm 57, while “heavens” is the supporting actor of the chapter. What is the distance of the heavens? (v 10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies/clouds) A former Harvard physics lecturer and science communicator, Michael Guillén, has said controversially that “heaven” could lie roughly 273 billion trillion miles away (about 439 billion trillion kilometers), beyond the cosmic horizon. A billion has 9 zeros and a trillion has 12 zeros!
Conclusion: Heaven is the most popular noun other than God in Psalm 57. Are your eyes fixed on HEAVEN daily? Do you trust and thank Him?
Handiwork
Existence
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