Psalms 59:1-17: a reflection

1Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me. 2Deliver me from the workers of iniquity. Save me from the bloodthirsty men. 3For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, LORD. 4I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Rise up, behold, and help me! 5You, LORD God of Armies, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish the nations. Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah. 6They return at evening, howling like dogs, and prowl around the city. 7Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, “For”, they say, “who hears us?” 8But you, LORD, laugh at them. You scoff at all the nations. 9Oh, my Strength, I watch for you, for God is my high tower. 10My God will go before me with his loving kindness. God will let me look at my enemies in triumph. 11Don’t kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield. 12For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride, for the curses and lies which they utter. 13Consume them in wrath. Consume them, and they will be no more. Let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth. Selah. 14At evening let them return. Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city. 15They shall wander up and down for food, and wait all night if they aren’t satisfied. 16But I will sing of your strength. Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning. For you have been my high tower, a refuge in the day of my distress. 17To you, my strength, I will sing praises. For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.

David, surrounded by enemies who prowl the city like howling dogs, seeking his life, resolves not to sink into despair but to sing. But I will sing of your strength, he says; yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning; for you have been my high tower, a refuge in the day of my distress. In the midst of the danger and the night of trouble, he looks to God as his high tower, his refuge, and resolves to sing of God's strength and love, even to sing aloud in the morning after the night of distress.

Notice David's resolve in the midst of trouble: to sing of God's strength and love, looking to the morning. He was surrounded by enemies, in real danger, in a night of distress; yet he did not only lament, but resolved to sing of God's strength and love, to praise the God who was his high tower and refuge. And he looked to the morning, resolving to sing aloud then, in hope that the night of trouble would give way to morning. His resolve was to praise God even in the trouble, looking to the morning, trusting God his refuge through the night.

That resolve is worth taking to heart, for we too can choose to praise God even in the night of trouble, looking to the morning. When we are in distress, surrounded by trouble, we can sink into lament and despair alone; but David, in his distress, resolved to sing of God's strength and love, and to look to the morning. Do not only lament in your night of trouble; resolve, as David did, to praise God, singing of his strength and love even in the distress, looking to the morning in hope. Praise God even in the night of trouble, trusting him as your high tower and refuge, and looking to the morning, as David resolved to sing of God's strength and to sing aloud of his love in the morning, for God had been his refuge in the day of distress; let praise, not only lament, rise from you in trouble, in hope of the morning that God your refuge will bring.

Lord, David, surrounded by enemies who prowl the city like howling dogs, seeking his life, resolves not to sink into despair but to sing. But I will sing of your strength, he says; yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning; for you have been my high tower, a refuge in the day of my distress. In the midst of the danger and the night of trouble, he looks to you as his high tower, his refuge, and resolves to sing of your strength and love. Show me David's resolve in the midst of trouble: to sing of your strength and love, looking to the morning. He was surrounded by enemies, in real danger; yet he did not only lament, but resolved to sing of your strength and love, to praise you, his high tower and refuge. And he looked to the morning, in hope that the night of trouble would give way to morning. His resolve was to praise you even in the trouble. Take that resolve to my heart, for I too can choose to praise you even in the night of trouble, looking to the morning. When I am in distress, surrounded by trouble, I can sink into lament and despair alone; but David resolved to sing of your strength and love, and to look to the morning. Keep me from only lamenting in my night of trouble; help me resolve, as David did, to praise you, singing of your strength and love even in the distress, Lord, looking to the morning in hope. Help me praise you even in the night of trouble, trusting you as my high tower and refuge.