Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb19970112.htm

PSALMS: DIARIES OF GODLY OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS
Psalm Fifty-Seven - God's Encouragement In Life's Entrapments
(Psalm 57:1-11)
  1. Introduction
    1. In the trials of a life of faith that the believer has, a formidable battle is that of feeling one is in a deep rut, a ravine out of which there seems no hope of rescue. Maybe he feels "trapped" by a sour marriage, "trapped" by a job that is going nowhere or by physical limitations in life. He may feel hopeless.
    2. David found himself trapped in a cave out which there seemed absolutely no human means of escape. In this situation, he authored Psalm 57 with a great lesson for all believers feeling "trapped" in life's trials!
  2. Trusting God's Encouragement In Life's Entrapments, Psalm 57:1-11.
    1. The introductory notes of Psalm 57 indicate that David authored this psalm when he had fled for his life from Saul by hiding in a cave from which there was no more retreat!
    2. We may assume from David's several emphases about the heavens (v. 5, 10a, 10b and 11) and the similar emphasis on hope to see a future day dawn (v. 8) that David probably felt a bit claustrophobic in the cave; after all, were Saul to enter and find him, there would be no way out but to fight him, a no-win situation for David who was not to attack Saul a s the Anointed of the Lord, cf. 1 Sam. 26:9.
    3. David's solution for this sense of end-of-the-road-hopelessness is revealed in the fifty-seventh psalm:
      1. David knew that God was sovereign, the Most High, Ps. 57:2a.
      2. He also knew that as the sovereign, Most High Creator-God (Elohim), God would "complete that which concerns me", Ps. 57:2b. In other words, God would fulfill His sovereign purposes regarding matters relating to David's divinely determ ined destiny!
      3. He also knew that God was loyal in His love to David in that He would keep the Davidic covenant and make David king over Israel, cf. 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Ps. 57:3c; 57:10.
      4. Based upon the sovereign Lord's plan to make David king over Israel, David trusted that somehow, some way, he would make it out of the cave and to the throne in spite of Saul: accordingly, his hope is expresse d in the fifty-seventh psalm:
        1. David cried out to the Lord for His mercy, or for the application of His Davidic Covenant to David for David to be rescued out of the cave, Ps. 57:1,2.
        2. David trusted in God's halting of his enemies as a result of this petition, Ps. 57:3-4.
        3. Accordingly, he glorified God's name above the heavens which he could only hope to see again, v. 5.
        4. Accordingly, he trusted that God would catch his enemies in the trap they had set for him, v. 6. In actuality, Saul came into that very cave to relieve himself and was placed in the control of DAVID, a fulfil lment of this thought, cf. 1 Sam. 24:3-4!
        5. Confident in God's character and promise backed up by that character, David hoped for a song at dawn, the future as he had hope for his future at his end-of-the-line cave experience, v. 8.
        6. He clarified that future to be one of ruling over peoples, and honoring the Lord's glory to the heavens as the king of Israel, Ps. 57:9-11!
Lesson: God has an eternal plan for the believer's life and ministry, and if the believer trusts and obeys God as he should, absolutely NOTHING can keep that destiny from being fulfilled! David thus knew that he would make it out of his cornered c ave circumstance and to the glorious throne. His only part was to trust and obey the God of mercy, loyal love and faithfulness.

Application: We know from 2 Timothy 1:9 that the CHRISTIAN in the CHURCH era has been called according to the purpose of God that was GIVEN TO HIM in Christ Jesus BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN! In other words, the PURPOSE of our lives was established bef ore Genesis 1 that we might achieve certain steps in life and ministry. That being so, just as God purposed for David to sit on Israel's throne, and that he could use that promise for hope of getting out of the cave, we ALSO can trust God "to complete that which concerneth us" to make sense of the end-of-the-line situations we face. Whether it be a no-win marriage, job, relationship, etc., GOD'S will shall be done! Just trust Him, and joyously anticipate a destiny that really counts!