Psalm 57:1-11 Divinely Shelter during Disaster
This Psalm 57 offered to the Pure and Shining One, i.e., Yahweh. David sang this Psalm in the tune of -Do not Destroy. It is one of the golden (Michtam) songs of David. There are four psalms in this pattern, namely Psalms 57, 58, 59 and 75. This individual lament refers back to those perilous times when David fled from Saul and hid in caves (1 Samuel 22: 24). From Psalm 57:1, I would like to share three lessons:
1. Deadly disaster,
2. Divinely shelter,
3. Devotedly pray.
Deadly Disaster:
David sings this Psalm while he was struggling for his survival. He was very nearer to Death. So he used the word disaster (Psalm 57:1). The word disaster translated by various scholars as Terrible Trouble(PT), Devastations(OJB), Destroying Storms (NSRV Catholic Edition), Calamities Pass over(YLT), and wickedness (Wycliff Bible).
Disaster is not new to the human race. The fall of Adam not only brought eternal death sentence to the soul but also death decree to the human body. Ever since that day human beings are passing away from this world almost every second of a day. People die of all kinds of diseases. The Black Death in the 14th Century killed one-third of Europe population i.e., 25 million. Spanish flu killed many millions in the last century.
But today the world is worried about only one thing known as CORONA VIRUS or COVID-19. Whether Coronavirus is a biblical plague? Is it the punishment of God? Is it the sign of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ? Are the economic collapse, the continuous outbreak of the pandemic through the spread of viruses point to the fulfilment of the book of Revelation? Before we answer all these questions, it is good to know the definition of the plague and its place in the Bible.
According to Jewish Encyclopaedia: Bible uses five different words to denote plague. They are meggefah (a striking or smiting – Exodus 9:3-4, Numbers 15;37), negef (a blow -Joshua 22:17, Numbers 16:46-47), Nega (a touch or a stroke – Exodus 11:1, Leviticus 13,15), Makkah (a blow or wound – Numbers 11:3, 1 Samuel 4:8), and deber (rendered plagues – Hosea 13:14 Murrian of cattle plague and Habakkuk 3:5 -pestilence of the human).
Bible uses interchangeably in OT for 120 times as per KJV, but Hebrews Bible has 70 references to these words. Common words used are meggefah and deber to indicate the divine anger to destroy the idolatrous (Exodus 32:35) and rebellious people on earth by pestilence, death blow and the slaughter was numerous in every occasion of the Plagues in the Bible.
The New Testament used common words for plague are loimos and plege’.
Most of us are affected by Diabetes, Hypertension, tuberculosis, and much other terminal illness. Some of us had the experience of going through Bird Flu, Swine Flu, Malaria, Typhoid, Dengue, chikungunya SARS and MERS. By the grace of God, many healed from those diseases few are surviving with those diseases.
Life on earth is the uncertain end is a reality. We are walking every day nearer to the grave, but we do not know how many steps are yet to make. We are worried so much about this Coronavirus and death because of its power to destroy us quickly. Not only that we are bombarded with updates on the affected, diseased by COVID-19 through all TV Channels, Print and Social media.
It is good to know about the danger of this contagious disease but need not panic and depressed. Follow the instructions of cleanliness and live with a positive mindset and energy. Finally, put your trust in Divine Shelter.
As David pursued by King Saul, we are pursued by the Coronavirus as a great disaster. David offered this prayer for divine shelter. At this juncture, let us seek the grace of God to overcome our disastrous situations in personal and community living. We need not worry about the end times if we live under his shadow and shelter. Fear not about the deadly disaster takes shelter in God.
Divine Shelter:
David eagerly prayed for the shelter of God because of the hopeless circumstances in his circumferences. David pursued by King Saul and a great army. His comrades and relatives were against him. His close friend Jonathan was not able to save him from King Saul. David pushed to the end of his life. He was hiding in the clefts of Rocks. We understand that David had his best shelter at Adullam Cave (1 Samuel 22:1).
However, he was longing for the shelter of God. Therefore, he made this meaningful heart-breaking prayer for divine protection. David found real security, not in the hidden recesses of the caves but the shadow of the wings of God. Our Godly shelter is in Christ, the ROCK of Salvation. God is God of grace and Father of mercies. So it is most fit that we seek the mercies of God in distress from whom it dwells.
May Your mercy come to me, O God, for my soul is safe within You, the guardian of my life. I will seek protection in the shade of Your wings until the destruction has passed (The Voice translation). David looked upon grace until these calamities be an overpass. Dear brothers and sisters, be sure that evil will pass away, calamities will pass away, they are matters of time, but our safety is a matter of eternity.
When we are under the divine shadow, the passing over of trouble cannot harm us; the eagle flies across the sky, but this is no evil to the chicks when they are safely nestling beneath the hen. David believed that these calamities would pass away, or would cease; that a time would come when he would live in peace. At present, he knew that he was in danger, and desired the divine protection that cares he would be safe.
It is good to read Psalm 91:1-3 & 9-11 & 14-16, he is our shelter, he sends guardian angels, he gives long life on earth. Hallelujah, Amen. The Lord is Good His love endures forever.
Please refer the following verses: Psalm 27:5 in the day of trouble he is my dwelling place. Psalm 32:6-8 -you are my hiding place. Psalm 46:1, 61:3-5, 119:114 - God is our protection and refuge. Isaiah 25:4 you are a refuge in the Storm.
St. Athanasius one of the Church Father of early Christianity said of Julian furiously raging against Christians; Julian is a little cloud; he will soon pass away, Man is born to labour and dolour, travail and trouble; labour in his actions, to dolour in his passions. Great are troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivered him out of all. If we put our trust in him and cast all our care upon him, he will in his good time bring it to pass, that all our afflictions shall overpass (biblestudytools.com)
Dedicated Prayer:
Passion Translation: "Please, God, show me mercy! Open your grace-fountain for me, for you are my soul’s true shelter. I will hide beneath the shadow of your embrace, under the wings of your cherubim, until this terrible trouble is past."
The tune of, Do Not Destroy, has a double purpose a plea to King Saul and a prayer to the Lord. He expressed how his soul trusted in Yahweh. How can the Lord be unmerciful to a trustful soul? Our faith does not deserve mercy, but it always wins mercies from the sovereign grace of God when it is sincere and desperate. With the heart, man believes unto righteousness. God takes pleasure in those who seek and hope in his mercy (Psalm 147:11).
David was living under continuous pressures but never gave up his faith in God. He prayed earnestly for the Mercies of God. We all go through danger. The parent bird completely shields her brood from evil, and meanwhile cherishes them with the warmth of her own heart, by covering them with her wings. So David prays for two things one is shelter during the calamities and warm to the soul. David was confident that his troubles would come to an end, storms will calm.
Yes, this Corona Virus will have an end. God would relieve us from this deadly pestilence. As David prayed till then let us live under his shadow; only under his power to have safety and life. Job 14:13 - Job earnestly prayed for the shelter of God shelter until the disaster death goes from him. In Psalm 27:13 - David says, I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Isaiah 26:20 – go my people enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed.
John Hill comments: I trust in thy word as the Targum; and in the only, both as the God of providence and the God of grace; and a great act of faith this was to trust in the Lord in such circumstances, and it was not a bare profession of trust, but it was hearty and sincere.
Many Doctors, Nurses and Medical Personnel had lost their lives across the globe due to Corona Virus. Yet let us not give up our hope in God. Continue in dedicated prayers with repentance and reality, no show-up prayers. Let us pray to please the Lord and not men, let us humble ourselves and seek his face as mentioned in 2 Chronicle 7:14.
Conclusion: Press on with hope and faith in God. He is our God and great God. No research on the disaster, run to the shelter of God and offer sincere and devoted prayer reconcile with God and be ready for anything life on earth or coming of Christ.
