skip to content

Psalms 57

the book of psalms
David (73 psalms), Asaph, Sons of Korah, Moses, Ethan, and others · c. 1450–430 BC
Psalm the Fifty-seventh
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. 
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. 
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. 
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. 
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. 
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth. 
HOW TO USE
PROVISIONIST · DISPENSATIONAL · PRE-TRIBULATIONAL
Chuck Smith · Sunday Nights, 1979 to 1985 (C2000)
Psalms 51-60
Tape C2095 · 1:05:28
Chuck Smith · Sunday Nights, 1985 to 1999 (C3000)
Psalms 54-57
Tape C3183 · 54:15
Raul Ries · Through the Bible
Psalms 57-60
38:58

Chuck Smith on Psalms 57

Verse by verse, taught on Sunday nights: the C2000 series, 1979 to 1985. Permission granted by The Word For Today.

Chapter introduction

Psalm 57. To the chief musician, and that Altaschith is "destroying not." It is a prayer of David when he fled from Saul and was hiding in the cave. So Saul is looking for David; he is hiding in the cave.

Verses 1–6

And David says,

Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusts in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities are over. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performs all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. 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. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. For they have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, and in the midst whereof they are fallen themselves (57:1-6).

Remember, Saul came in and went to sleep there in the cave. And David, when they were sound asleep, went down and he took his sword and cut off Saul's skirt. And then he got out of there and he got over a safe distance and cried, "Saul, look at what I've got." So he speaks about him falling in the net that they had prepared for me. "My soul is bowed down. They have digged a pit before me wherein the midst they have fallen."

Verses 7–11

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Wake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. For 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. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and let thy glory be above all the earth (57:7-11).