Daily Devotions 3rd Oct 2017

Psalm 57: 1I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.

David was in the midst of his troubles when he wrote many psalms while he hid in the caves at En Gedi besides the Dead Sea. In this psalm while his mind is troubled but he could still collect his thoughts to praise God and to write psalms to Him.

David declared to God. ‘Be exalted O God above the heavens..’ In fact this verse is currently turned into a song of worship by some Christian song writer and worshipper in the present time. This has become such a popular worship song that we would not have imagined that the setting for writing this psalm was in a difficult position for David.

I verse 4 David compares his position as being like in the midst of ferocious lions. He was referring to the men sent out by King Saul to kill him. They were armed with spears and arrows which David described as the sharp teeth of the lions and the sharp tongues that they speak were as hurtful as sharp swords.

Even in the midst of such threats and dangers David continues to remember God and to worship Him and also to write psalms of praise to God which are kept to this day as a reminder and exaltation for us to draw near to God in all circumstances.

David drew an analogy of coming under God’s protection just like a mother hen would protect her chicks under her wings. For those of us who had lived in the country and had kept chickens before, we will remember how the mother hen will call out to the chicks when danger is around. This can be when predators are around that would want to steal the chicks. Upon hearing the call of the mother hen, all the chicks will run to the mother and she would spread her wings and the chicks will go underneath the wings and be protected.

This is the picture that David painted when he wrote this psalm, he compared the protection and safety that God provides for His people like that of a mother hen covering her chicks.

When God’s hands are over us, we will enjoy His protection and all the threats around us would not be able to harm us. This was the assurance that David received whenever he called out to God in times of need. Therefore we too must learn from David and also call out to God when we face difficulties and threats of danger any time we are threatened.

Of course we must be maintaining a close and intimate relationship with God just as David did, only then can we be assured of God’s response and protection.