Psalm 57

“They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down; they have dug a pit before me; into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. - Selah - My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise. Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations. For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth.”  Psalm 57:6-11 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm is subtitled in my Bible, “A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.”  1 Samuel 22 records that incident.

“David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him. Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me.” So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.  Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.”  So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.” 1 Samuel 22:1-5 (NKJV)

Apparently, David was not the only Israelite Saul wanted dead because, when word got out that David was hiding in a cave, many people showed up at his doorstep - "cap in hand."  The real miracle may have been how people with no resources easily found David while Saul, who had the kingdom at his disposal, could not!  

At that point, David had a decision to make.  Was he going to shoo away the discontented, indebted, and distressed crowd?  He had every right.  Undoubtedly, David was concerned that such a crowd might draw unwanted attention to him. For instance, one of the people might have desired Saul’s ransom or a chance to get back into the king’s graces by passing along David’s whereabouts.  But David had compassion on the crowd, as a shepherd would naturally be inclined to do.

Today’s passage shifts from David’s joy over his deliverance from Saul to how David’s faith was strengthened by God’s deliverance.  David’s kingdom may have been scabby at that point, but he was no longer alone.  It is amazing how even the most humble community can be so comforting!  Furthermore, David declares a new day ("awaken the dawn") where he would sing the praises of the Lord to "the nations.”  Indeed, his next move was to send his father and mother to Moab, traditionally bitter enemies of Israel.  But David had an ace up his sleeve.  His great-grandmother was a young Moabite girl named Ruth, who married a righteous Israelite, Boaz.  And like that, the true testimony about Israel’s God had (again) come to the Gentiles.