Psalm 57
Psalm 57
From the Cave to Above the Heavens
Psalm 57 is titled, “To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.” The word “Altaschith” means “Destroy not,” and it may refer to the tune used for the psalm. There are four psalms connected with this phrase, Psalm 57, Psalm 58, Psalm 59, and Psalm 75. Each of them contains a clear declaration that God preserves the righteous and brings judgment upon the wicked. This title also fits David’s own conduct toward Saul, because David refused to destroy Saul when he had the opportunity.
1 Samuel 26:9, “And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?”
This psalm is also called a “Michtam,” meaning it is one of David’s golden psalms. It was written when David fled from Saul into the cave. The cave may have been the cave of Adullam in 1 Samuel 22:1, or possibly the caves of Engedi in 1 Samuel 24:1. Adullam seems to fit especially well, because David came there after the fearful events connected with Gath, described in Psalm 56. David had been alone, hunted, threatened, and nearly swallowed up by enemies. Now he is in a cave, physically hidden, but spiritually looking far above his circumstances.
1 Samuel 22:1, “David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.”
Psalm 57 shows a man in danger who refuses to let danger define his worship. David begins under the shadow of God’s wings while surrounded by lions. He ends with God exalted above the heavens and His glory above all the earth. The cave was dark, but David’s faith looked upward. His circumstances were low, but his praise rose high.
Psalm 57:1 to 3, The Trusting Soul
Psalm 57:1 to 3, “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. I will cry unto God most high; Unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me From the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.”
David begins by repeating his plea, “Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me.” Repetition here is not empty. It reveals urgency. David is in real danger, and he knows he needs mercy. He does not come to God as a man claiming that he deserves rescue. He comes as a dependent servant needing divine compassion. Mercy is the right appeal when a man is overwhelmed, threatened, and unable to save himself.
David had already passed through several near death dangers. Saul pursued him. The Philistines threatened him. He had fled from place to place. Now he is in a cave, not a palace. The man anointed to be king is hidden in the earth, hunted by the king he will one day replace. David’s outward condition looks contradictory to God’s promise, but his prayer shows that faith is still alive.
He says, “for my soul trusteth in thee.” David is not claiming that his trust earns God’s mercy. Mercy cannot be earned. He is declaring that God is his only refuge. His soul does not ultimately trust the cave, his cleverness, his future throne, his weapons, or his men. His soul trusts in God. That is the heart of the psalm.
“Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, Until these calamities be overpast.” This is one of the tender images of Scripture. David pictures himself like a helpless young bird under the wings of the mother bird. The wings provide nearness, warmth, covering, and protection. David does not say the cave is his refuge, even though physically it offered shelter. He says God is his refuge. The cave may hide his body, but only God can shelter his soul.
This same image appears elsewhere in the Psalms.
Psalm 17:8, “Keep me as the apple of the eye, Hide me under the shadow of thy wings,”
Psalm 36:7, “How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.”
Psalm 63:7, “Because thou hast been my help, Therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.”
The image also appears in the words of Christ over Jerusalem.
Matthew 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, And stonest them which are sent unto thee, How often would I have gathered thy children together, Even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”
The same picture teaches both judgment and mercy. The Lord is willing to gather and shelter, but men often refuse. David does not refuse. He runs to the shadow of God’s wings and remains there “until these calamities be overpast.” He knows calamities are real, but he also knows they are temporary. God’s refuge outlasts the storm.
This connects with Psalm 55, where David wished for wings like a dove so he could fly away and be at rest. Here the answer is better. David does not need the weak wings of a dove to escape. He has the strong wings of God for refuge.
Psalm 55:6, “And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest.”
In Psalm 57, David has learned that refuge is better than escape when the refuge is God Himself. He may still be in the cave, but he is spiritually covered.
David says, “I will cry unto God most high.” The title “God most high” lifts David’s eyes above Saul, above Gath, above the cave, above the danger, and above the earth. David was a military man and understood the importance of high ground. God occupies the highest ground of all. He reigns from heaven. No enemy can rise above Him.
He continues, “Unto God that performeth all things for me.” This is a statement of deep providence. David believes God is not merely watching. God is accomplishing His purposes. God performs all things for His servant. This does not mean David is passive or careless. It means David’s life is held inside the active will and power of God. The Lord who called him, anointed him, protected him, and promised him a future will perform what concerns him.
Psalm 138:8, “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: Forsake not the works of thine own hands.”
David’s confidence in Psalm 57 rests on this same truth. God finishes what He begins. God performs what He promises. God completes His work in His people.
“He shall send from heaven, and save me From the reproach of him that would swallow me up.” David’s help does not need to come from earth. If no human helper is available, God can send from heaven. He can send angels, providence, confusion among enemies, loyal friends, changed circumstances, or direct divine intervention. Heaven is not empty. Heaven is active.
David says God will save him from the reproach of the one who would swallow him up. The enemy wanted to devour David. Whether Saul, the Philistines, or others, the threat was real. But God can reproach the devourer. One word from God is enough to rebuke the enemy and preserve His servant.
Then comes “Selah,” calling the reader to pause. David is in a cave, but he speaks of heaven. He is threatened by devouring enemies, but he speaks of God’s saving intervention. The pause allows the weight of that confidence to settle.
“God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.” Mercy and truth are joined together. Mercy speaks of God’s gracious compassion toward David. Truth speaks of God’s faithfulness, reliability, and covenant integrity. David needs both. Mercy without truth would be unstable sentiment. Truth without mercy would leave a sinner exposed. God sends both mercy and truth to rescue His servant.
Psalm 57:4, The Dangerous Enemies
Psalm 57:4, “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.”
David describes his danger with vivid force. “My soul is among lions.” He feels surrounded by predators. Lions are powerful, hungry, dangerous, and deadly. David does not minimize his enemies. Faith does not require pretending the lions are harmless. David knows he is vulnerable in himself, and that knowledge drives him to God.
The image may have been especially vivid in the cave. Wild beasts may have prowled around the region. Yet David’s deeper point concerns human enemies. He lies among men who are like lions in their cruelty and appetite for destruction.
The New Testament also describes Satan as a devouring lion.
1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; Because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
David’s experience reminds believers that spiritual danger is real. The enemy of the soul seeks to devour. Wicked men may act like lions. Yet God is greater than the lions. The believer surrounded by lions must stay sober, vigilant, and dependent on God.
David says, “And I lie even among them that are set on fire.” His enemies are not only beasts, but men inflamed with rage. They are burning with hostility. Their passions are uncontrolled. Men set on fire by hatred are dangerous because they do not reason rightly. They are driven by malice, jealousy, fear, pride, and bloodlust.
He describes them as “the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword.” Their mouths are weapons. Their teeth are spears and arrows. Their tongue is a sharp sword. David again emphasizes the destructive power of speech. His enemies do not only threaten with physical weapons. They wound with words, accusations, lies, slander, threats, and counsel against him.
This theme has appeared repeatedly in these psalms. Doeg’s tongue was like a sharp razor in Psalm 52. David’s words were twisted in Psalm 56. Here the enemy’s tongue is a sharp sword. Scripture is clear that speech can become a deadly weapon.
James 3:6, “And the tongue is a fire, A world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, That it defileth the whole body, And setteth on fire the course of nature; And it is set on fire of hell.”
David’s enemies are like lions, like fire, and like warriors armed with spears, arrows, and swords. This is a full picture of danger. Yet David has already declared where he will hide, under the shadow of God’s wings.
Psalm 57:5, The God Exalting Refrain
Psalm 57:5, “Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let thy glory be above all the earth.”
In the middle of danger, David breaks into exaltation. “Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens.” This is remarkable because his circumstances have not changed. He is still in the cave. Saul is still dangerous. The enemies are still like lions. Yet David refuses to let the cave be larger than God in his imagination.
He asks God to be exalted above the heavens. This is the highest possible praise. The heavens are high from the human perspective, but God is above even them. David’s danger is earthly, but God’s glory is heavenly. David’s enemies are on the earth, but God’s throne is above the heavens.
“Let thy glory be above all the earth.” David’s troubles came from the earth, from men, from Saul, from enemies, from danger. But he wants God’s glory above all the earth. His personal deliverance matters, but God’s glory matters more. David desires not only to be safe, but to see God exalted through his circumstances.
This is mature faith. The natural man asks only, “How can I get out of this?” Faith asks, “How can God be glorified in this?” David wants God to be exalted by the way he trusts, prays, waits, and praises in the cave.
The refrain lifts the psalm from survival to worship. David is not merely trying to endure. He is worshiping. He is not merely hiding from Saul. He is exalting God.
Psalm 57:6, The Enemy’s Trap and What Became of It
Psalm 57:6, “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.”
David now returns to the enemy’s schemes. “They have prepared a net for my steps.” The image changes from lions to hunters. His enemies are not only violent, they are crafty. They lay traps. They study his movements. They prepare snares to catch him. David is being hunted.
“My soul is bowed down.” The pressure has affected him inwardly. He is not pretending to feel untouched. His soul is bent low under the weight of danger, betrayal, pursuit, and uncertainty. Faith can sing while the soul is bowed down, but it does not deny that the soul is bowed down.
“They have digged a pit before me.” The enemies dig a pit with the intention that David will fall into it. This is a common biblical image for wicked schemes. Men prepare destruction for the righteous, but God often turns the trap back on the wicked.
“Into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves.” David declares that the pit they prepared becomes their own downfall. This may be spoken in faith before the visible outcome, or in testimony after deliverance. Either way, the principle is biblical. God is able to make the wicked fall into the very destruction they planned for others.
Psalm 7:15 to 16, “He made a pit, and digged it, And is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.”
Proverbs 26:27, “Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: And he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.”
This is poetic justice under the rule of God. The wicked are often trapped by their own devices. Lies entangle liars. Treachery consumes traitors. Violence returns upon violent men. God is not mocked.
The verse ends with “Selah,” calling the reader to pause again. The first Selah in this psalm follows the declaration that God will send from heaven and save. This Selah follows the declaration that the wicked fall into their own pit. Together they emphasize God’s salvation of His servant and God’s overthrow of the enemy.
Psalm 57:7 to 10, Praise From a Steadfast Heart
Psalm 57:7 to 10, “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory; Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, And thy truth unto the clouds.”
David now moves into confident praise. “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed.” Earlier he repeated, “Be merciful unto me.” Now he repeats, “My heart is fixed.” The repeated plea for mercy has become repeated confidence. His circumstances are still dangerous, but his heart is settled. The fixed heart is not controlled by panic, bitterness, or despair. It is anchored in God.
A fixed heart is necessary for praise. A double minded heart wavers between God and fear. A bitter heart cannot praise rightly. A proud heart refuses dependence. A fixed heart says, “God is my refuge. God is Most High. God performs all things for me. God will send mercy and truth.” From that kind of heart, singing rises.
“I will sing and give praise.” David intends to worship in the cave. He does not wait for the palace. He does not wait for the throne. He does not wait until Saul is gone. He sings where he is. That is one of the great lessons of Psalm 57. The cave can become a sanctuary when the heart is fixed on God.
“Awake up, my glory; Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.” David calls his whole being to worship. “My glory” likely refers to his soul, his tongue, or his inner honor as a man made to praise God. He calls the instruments to awaken, and he says he himself will awake early. Praise is intentional. David does not passively wait to feel worshipful. He summons himself to worship.
The psaltery and harp were stringed instruments used in praise. David may not have had them physically in the cave, but his heart is already making music before God. His worship is so strong that he imagines awakening the dawn itself. “I myself will awake early” carries the sense of rising before the day to praise God. David will not let the darkness have the final word. He will meet the morning with praise.
“I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.” This is extraordinary because David is hidden in a cave, yet his vision reaches the nations. Faith lifts him beyond personal survival. He sees his praise extending beyond Israel, among the peoples and nations. God’s mercy toward David will become testimony to the world.
This language is connected with the broader biblical mission of God’s glory among the nations. Paul later uses similar language from Psalm 18:49 in Romans 15 to show that the Gentiles would glorify God for His mercy.
Psalm 18:49, “Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, And sing praises unto thy name.”
Romans 15:9, “And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; As it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, And sing unto thy name.”
David’s praise is not small because David’s God is not small. Even from the cave, David’s theology reaches the nations.
“For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, And thy truth unto the clouds.” David’s heart has moved from the depth of the cave to the height of the heavens. His enemies may be on earth, but God’s mercy reaches to the heavens. His circumstances may be dark, but God’s truth reaches to the clouds. Mercy and truth appeared earlier in verse 3, where God would send them forth. Now David praises their immeasurable height.
This is the proper way to measure life. If David measures only by the cave, he may despair. If he measures by Saul, he may fear. If he measures by lions, nets, and pits, he may collapse. But when he measures by God’s mercy and truth, his heart becomes fixed.
Psalm 57:11, The God Exalting Refrain
Psalm 57:11, “Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: Let thy glory be above all the earth.”
David repeats the refrain from verse 5. Repetition gives emphasis. The first time, the refrain sounded like defiant faith in the middle of danger. The second time, it sounds like grateful confidence from a heart now fixed in praise. The circumstances may not be fully changed, but David’s soul has been lifted.
“Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens.” David wants God lifted higher than every fear, enemy, cave, lion, trap, and earthly power. The God who reigns above the heavens must be praised above all circumstances.
“Let thy glory be above all the earth.” David is still physically on the earth, and his troubles still come from the earth. But his worship rises above the earth. He wants God’s glory to be seen everywhere. His personal rescue is part of a greater purpose, the exaltation of God’s name.
This is the final movement of the psalm. David begins with mercy in the cave and ends with glory above the earth. He begins as a hunted man and ends as a worshiper. He begins under danger and ends under God’s wings. He begins with calamities and ends with exaltation.
The Doctrine of Refuge in Psalm 57
Psalm 57 teaches that God Himself is the true refuge of His people. David was in a cave, but he did not call the cave his refuge. He said, “in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge.” Physical shelters have their place, but they are never ultimate. A cave can hide a man from sight, but only God can keep him from destruction.
The image of God’s wings emphasizes nearness, tenderness, protection, and covenant care. David is not merely hiding behind divine power. He is sheltering under divine compassion. The Lord is not cold strength. He is merciful refuge.
This is important because calamities do not always pass immediately. David says he will take refuge “until these calamities be overpast.” The believer needs a refuge strong enough for the duration of the storm. God is that refuge. The storm may last longer than expected, but God’s wings do not fail.
The Doctrine of God Most High
David calls upon “God most high.” This title reminds the believer that God is supreme over all earthly powers. Saul may have authority as king, but God is higher. The enemies may appear strong, but God is higher. The cave may feel low, but prayer reaches the Most High.
God Most High is not merely above in location. He is above in authority, sovereignty, wisdom, and power. Nothing is over Him. Nothing surprises Him. Nothing can veto His purposes. David’s confidence rests in the God who reigns above all.
This doctrine is essential in crisis. Fear magnifies enemies. Faith magnifies God. David does not deny the lions. He simply sees that God is higher than the lions.
The Doctrine of Providence, God Performs All Things
David says he cries “unto God that performeth all things for me.” This is one of the strongest statements of providence in the psalm. God is not merely capable of helping. He is actively accomplishing His will for David. The Lord performs, completes, and brings to pass what concerns His servant.
This does not mean David understands every event. He may not understand why he is in a cave when he has been anointed for a throne. He may not understand why Saul continues to pursue him. But he trusts that God is performing all things.
The believer must learn this same confidence. God is working even in delays, caves, dangers, and humiliations. The cave is not outside God’s plan. The waiting is not wasted. The threat is not sovereign. God performs all things for His people according to His wisdom.
The Doctrine of Speech and Spiritual Warfare
Psalm 57 again highlights the danger of wicked speech. David’s enemies have tongues like sharp swords. Their teeth are spears and arrows. Their words are weapons. This continues the theme seen in Psalm 52, Psalm 55, and Psalm 56. Speech can be used for truth and worship, or it can be used for destruction.
The contrast is striking. The enemy’s tongue is a sword, but David’s tongue becomes an instrument of praise. The enemy uses speech to devour. David uses speech to exalt God. This is the moral divide. A man’s mouth reveals his heart.
Believers should take speech seriously. Slander, deceit, manipulation, accusation, and malicious counsel are not small sins. They belong to the weaponry of wickedness. On the other hand, prayer, praise, truth, thanksgiving, and testimony belong to the worship of God.
The Doctrine of God Turning the Trap
David says the enemies prepared a net and dug a pit, but they fell into it themselves. This teaches that God can turn evil schemes back upon the wicked. This principle appears throughout Scripture. Haman built gallows for Mordecai but was hanged on them. Daniel’s accusers had him cast into the lions’ den, but they were destroyed there. The enemies of Christ used the cross to destroy Him, but God used the cross to secure redemption and defeat the powers of darkness.
Esther 7:10, “So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.”
Daniel 6:24, “And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, And they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; And the lions had the mastery of them, And brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.”
Colossians 2:14 to 15, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, And took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
God is able to defeat evil through the very instruments evil uses. This does not mean every earthly situation resolves immediately, but it does mean wickedness is never beyond the overruling hand of God.
The Doctrine of Praise in the Cave
Psalm 57 teaches that praise is not dependent on favorable surroundings. David sings in the cave. His body is in danger, but his heart is fixed. He has not yet reached the throne, but he can already praise the God who promised it.
This is a necessary lesson for believers. Many people wait to worship until circumstances improve. David worships before they improve. He praises because God’s mercy reaches to the heavens and His truth to the clouds. God’s character is enough reason to sing even before the deliverance is complete.
The cave tests the reality of worship. It is easy to sing in the palace. It is another thing to sing in Adullam. David’s praise from the cave shows that his faith rests in God, not comfort.
The Messianic Foreshadowing in Psalm 57
David’s experience foreshadows Christ in several ways. David was the Lord’s anointed, rejected and hunted before entering the fullness of his kingdom. Jesus is the greater Son of David, rejected by men before being exalted in glory. David was in the cave and then lifted his praise above the heavens. Christ went into the grave and then rose, ascended, and was exalted far above all.
David’s deliverance from the cave points forward in pattern to the greater deliverance of Christ from death. The resurrection of Jesus displayed God’s mercy and truth in the highest way. The enemies of Christ prepared the cross as a trap, but God turned it into the means of salvation.
Acts 2:23 to 24, “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, Ye have taken, And by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: Because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”
The wicked thought they had triumphed, but God overruled them. The pit became the place of victory. The grave could not hold the Son of David.
Practical Lessons from Psalm 57
Psalm 57 teaches that the believer should begin with mercy. David repeats, “Be merciful unto me.” When danger is great, mercy is the right cry. The believer does not stand before God on merit, but on grace.
Psalm 57 teaches that God is the true refuge, not the cave. Earthly shelters may help, but God alone keeps the soul. The believer should use wise means, but never trust the means above the Lord.
Psalm 57 teaches that calamities pass. David says he will hide under God’s wings “until these calamities be overpast.” Trials are real, but they are not eternal. God outlasts the storm.
Psalm 57 teaches that fear must be answered by God’s height and glory. David calls upon God Most High and asks Him to be exalted above the heavens. High theology strengthens low circumstances.
Psalm 57 teaches that enemies may be fierce, but God is sovereign. Lions, fire, spears, arrows, swords, nets, and pits are all serious dangers. Yet none of them outrank God.
Psalm 57 teaches that God can turn traps back upon the wicked. The pit they dig can become their own fall. The believer does not need to manipulate justice. God is able to rule.
Psalm 57 teaches that praise can rise from the cave. David’s heart is fixed, and therefore he sings. The place of danger becomes a place of worship when the heart is anchored in God.
Psalm 57 teaches that God’s glory is greater than personal deliverance. David wants God exalted above the heavens and His glory above all the earth. The highest goal is not merely relief from trouble, but the exaltation of God.
