In Psalm 62, I am reminded again to seek God and His presence (Psalm 62:2,5-7). This psalm is conjectured that David wrote this when he was fleeing from Absalom, when Absalom, David’s son, tried to dethrone David.
In the midst of the cumulative effect of lies and hypocrisy that’s building against David, he still says God is his refuge. He’s still seeking and depending on God to save him through the tumult.
One of the things I love about the Psalms is God teaches us that our plans don’t always go as we intend and it can get overwhelming real quick. We’re confused. The Psalms teach us in the midst of the onslaught of attacks and threats, God sometimes seems silent. How do we handle that? What will we do? I’m reminded life happens like this sometimes.
God’s Spirit, through David, teaches us what to do. Just let God know. Question Him. Notice how David articulates his struggle – the man after God’s own heart.
First, the honest, anguished, heartfelt, prayer of Psalm 60:1-5. David just starts right in to his lament and desperation. It seems God is not helping. So David asks again for God’s help (Ps 60:5). He remembers God’s promises (Ps 60:6-8). It appears God has rejected them and no longer is helping (Ps 60:10). But David knows where his help comes from and where it doesn’t come from (Ps 60:11). He comes back around through His struggle. He sees what is going on with his eyes in the world around him, but he also knows who is help is to attain victory (Ps 60:12).
Psalm 60:12 (NIV)
12With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.
O Lord Jesus, help me to see you in the midst of the overwhelming struggle. Help me depend on you when I think I can’t go on. Help me see in and through you, I can overcome.
Romans 8:37 (ESV)
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
I am drawn to verses 4-5 this morning:
4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you, that they may flee to it from the bow. Selah
5 That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer us!
God has indeed “set up a banner” for us in giving us Jesus, the one we flee to when we have a need to escape the “bows” (or to quote Shakespeare the “slings and arrows”) of our own lives. He is our salvation not just for our eternal souls, but from our earthly turmoil as well. He can give us that peace that defies explanation. And in verse 5 we see that He gives that salvation from His dwelling place at God’s right hand! (By the way – Ascension Day is this Thursday when he formally assumed that position! We talked about this in SS this week.)
In verse 7 we see another reminder of Jesus and his authority when we read that Judah is God’s scepter. David would be encouraged by that as a descendant of Judah, but the ultimate royal descendant was yet to come in Jesus.
When everything can seem chaotic and out of control, this psalm can remind us who is still reigning and ruling and somehow try to help us see that our lack of being in control should in a strange way be comforting, not terrifying.
I am hearing God speak from Psalm 59 that for those who trust Him and seek Him in prayer, that He will work and move in their behalf. This psalm was written in response to Saul trying to kill David, as mentioned in the subtitle.
But when David was presented opportunities to kill Saul, he wouldn’t do it (1 Samuel 24:1-15; 1 Samuel 26:1-25). So, he himself did not enact revenge, but he prayed for God to rescue him and intervene.
We are not to seek revenge, but leave room for God to pay back those who are out to stop His kingdom work through those who are in His will. I am reminded again of Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30. God will bring vengeance.
Again, Dr. Tim Tennent is helpful as we see all of scripture ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
“As Christians, we must understand that although we may face injustices, structural evils, and a host of earthly enemies arrayed against us, this is not our ultimate struggle. There are larger perspectives that we, as Christians, have been given. Paul says that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12). When we see these references to enemies in the Psalms, we should be reminded of our real and more profound struggle with the Evil One and his satanic forces. We also should remember that whatever curses are called down upon enemies are all fully borne by Jesus Christ, who became “a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13). Therefore, whenever we pray or sing psalms, we always (as with all of Scripture) encounter them as Christians and sing them through the lens of the new covenant. Every psalm becomes a pointer to greater realities that have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. This is precisely what enables us, in the end, to love our enemies and pray for them.”
Excerpt From
A Meditative Journey through the Psalms
Timothy and Julie Tennent
Christopher Ash in his commentary of Psalm 59 gives us these reflective thoughts:
“REFLECTION AND RESPONSE
1. Charles Spurgeon nicely notes how suffering “is the tuner of the harps of sanctified songsters,” for without trials we would lack so many beautiful psalms.
2. Psalm 59:1–2 is, as Augustine puts it,
the experience of Christ in his flesh, and our experience too. Our enemies are the devil and his angels who constantly, daily, rise up against us and try to dupe us in our weakness and fragility. They are relentless in their attempts to ensnare us by their tricks, promptings, temptations, and any traps they can devise, as long as we live on earth.
3. The phrases “for no transgression or sin of mine” and “for no fault of mine” (59:3–4) cause us to search our consciences, so that we walk in the light as we are covered by the righteousness of Christ.
4. The repetition of lurking threat in the refrain warns us to expect that the ending of one trial is no safeguard against the onset of another.
5. When praying for God to judge, we must take great care to avoid the twisted desires for personal revenge. Only as our pure-hearted King leads us can we hope to pray Psalm 59:11–13 with our affections set solely on the glory of God.”
Ash, C. (2024). Psalms 51–100 (Vol. 3, p. 109). Crossway.
In Psalm 62, I am reminded again to seek God and His presence (Psalm 62:2,5-7). This psalm is conjectured that David wrote this when he was fleeing from Absalom, when Absalom, David’s son, tried to dethrone David.
In the midst of the cumulative effect of lies and hypocrisy that’s building against David, he still says God is his refuge. He’s still seeking and depending on God to save him through the tumult.
One of the things I love about the Psalms is God teaches us that our plans don’t always go as we intend and it can get overwhelming real quick. We’re confused. The Psalms teach us in the midst of the onslaught of attacks and threats, God sometimes seems silent. How do we handle that? What will we do? I’m reminded life happens like this sometimes.
God’s Spirit, through David, teaches us what to do. Just let God know. Question Him. Notice how David articulates his struggle – the man after God’s own heart.
First, the honest, anguished, heartfelt, prayer of Psalm 60:1-5. David just starts right in to his lament and desperation. It seems God is not helping. So David asks again for God’s help (Ps 60:5). He remembers God’s promises (Ps 60:6-8). It appears God has rejected them and no longer is helping (Ps 60:10). But David knows where his help comes from and where it doesn’t come from (Ps 60:11). He comes back around through His struggle. He sees what is going on with his eyes in the world around him, but he also knows who is help is to attain victory (Ps 60:12).
Psalm 60:12 (NIV)
12With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.
O Lord Jesus, help me to see you in the midst of the overwhelming struggle. Help me depend on you when I think I can’t go on. Help me see in and through you, I can overcome.
Romans 8:37 (ESV)
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
I am drawn to verses 4-5 this morning:
4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you, that they may flee to it from the bow. Selah
5 That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer us!
God has indeed “set up a banner” for us in giving us Jesus, the one we flee to when we have a need to escape the “bows” (or to quote Shakespeare the “slings and arrows”) of our own lives. He is our salvation not just for our eternal souls, but from our earthly turmoil as well. He can give us that peace that defies explanation. And in verse 5 we see that He gives that salvation from His dwelling place at God’s right hand! (By the way – Ascension Day is this Thursday when he formally assumed that position! We talked about this in SS this week.)
In verse 7 we see another reminder of Jesus and his authority when we read that Judah is God’s scepter. David would be encouraged by that as a descendant of Judah, but the ultimate royal descendant was yet to come in Jesus.
When everything can seem chaotic and out of control, this psalm can remind us who is still reigning and ruling and somehow try to help us see that our lack of being in control should in a strange way be comforting, not terrifying.
I am hearing God speak from Psalm 59 that for those who trust Him and seek Him in prayer, that He will work and move in their behalf. This psalm was written in response to Saul trying to kill David, as mentioned in the subtitle.
But when David was presented opportunities to kill Saul, he wouldn’t do it (1 Samuel 24:1-15; 1 Samuel 26:1-25). So, he himself did not enact revenge, but he prayed for God to rescue him and intervene.
We are not to seek revenge, but leave room for God to pay back those who are out to stop His kingdom work through those who are in His will. I am reminded again of Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30. God will bring vengeance.
Again, Dr. Tim Tennent is helpful as we see all of scripture ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
“As Christians, we must understand that although we may face injustices, structural evils, and a host of earthly enemies arrayed against us, this is not our ultimate struggle. There are larger perspectives that we, as Christians, have been given. Paul says that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12). When we see these references to enemies in the Psalms, we should be reminded of our real and more profound struggle with the Evil One and his satanic forces. We also should remember that whatever curses are called down upon enemies are all fully borne by Jesus Christ, who became “a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13). Therefore, whenever we pray or sing psalms, we always (as with all of Scripture) encounter them as Christians and sing them through the lens of the new covenant. Every psalm becomes a pointer to greater realities that have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. This is precisely what enables us, in the end, to love our enemies and pray for them.”
Excerpt From
A Meditative Journey through the Psalms
Timothy and Julie Tennent
Christopher Ash in his commentary of Psalm 59 gives us these reflective thoughts:
“REFLECTION AND RESPONSE
1. Charles Spurgeon nicely notes how suffering “is the tuner of the harps of sanctified songsters,” for without trials we would lack so many beautiful psalms.
2. Psalm 59:1–2 is, as Augustine puts it,
the experience of Christ in his flesh, and our experience too. Our enemies are the devil and his angels who constantly, daily, rise up against us and try to dupe us in our weakness and fragility. They are relentless in their attempts to ensnare us by their tricks, promptings, temptations, and any traps they can devise, as long as we live on earth.
3. The phrases “for no transgression or sin of mine” and “for no fault of mine” (59:3–4) cause us to search our consciences, so that we walk in the light as we are covered by the righteousness of Christ.
4. The repetition of lurking threat in the refrain warns us to expect that the ending of one trial is no safeguard against the onset of another.
5. When praying for God to judge, we must take great care to avoid the twisted desires for personal revenge. Only as our pure-hearted King leads us can we hope to pray Psalm 59:11–13 with our affections set solely on the glory of God.”
Ash, C. (2024). Psalms 51–100 (Vol. 3, p. 109). Crossway.