Psalm 58 - GOD - Our Righteous Judge.

INTRODUCTION - Read Psalm 58

David had been spending a long time with God in the cave, but there were still those enemies waiting for him outside. His courage was welling up inside of him - but was he ready to go home? What about the leaders and judges in Jerusalem? They weren't all fair and just. In fact, when it came to helping him in a time when he really needed help, whose side were they on? Would they really be there for him when he needed them?

David no longer felt overwhelmed by his enemies, for He knew that God was on His side. He had his supporters - though few, but they were loyal to him.  He wanted to make sure that God would take care of these loyal people, and that they knew that they could trust in a righteous judge - the one and only loving and faithful God. 

God truly does care for His people, and He will reward those who live a righteous life of service for Him. But He will also bring the unrepentent to justice. 

"There truly is a reward for those who live for God, surely there is a God who judged justly here on earth." Psalm 58:11 (NLT)

HUMAN JUDGES - Read Psalm 58:1-9

Human judges were bad people. We can see by David's description that they were wicked and corrupt, and it seemed, wanted nothing but to hurt people. There were two ways they did this:

1. By keeping quiet. David believed that the judges in Jerusalem should have stood up for him, when Saul was against him. Instead of depending him, and his position in Saul's court, they kept silent. 

 "Can it be so? Is it possible? Are you silent; you whose office is to speak for God against the sins of men." (Alexander, cited in Spurgeon)

2. These judges, like all humans, were corrupt from birth. It was in their nature. Especially in their words, which were as 'deadly as a cobra's venom'. 

"These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way." Psalm 58:3

"To be untruthful is one of the surest proofs of a fallen state and since falsehood is universal, so also is human depravity." 
(Charles Spurgeon)

David prayed that God would take vengeance on these dangerous judges, for he knew he couldn't rule if they were still around. David asked God to take away their 'deadly bite', for 'if they had no capacity for good', they needed to be deprived of their 'ability for evil'. (Spurgeon - cited by David Guzik). 

David had confidence on God's judgement over these earthly judges, he knew that his judgment would come quickly, 'like a flash of fire', then the righteous would be victorious. (D.Guzik)

“He will wipe them out quicker than a pot can be heated by setting thorns on fire." Psalm 57:9 (CEV)

THE TRUE JUDGE - Read Verses 10&11

"The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged...... at last everyone will say, 'THERE TRULY IS A REWARD FOR THOSE WHO LIVE FOR GOD; surely THERE IS A GOD WHO JUDGES JUSTLY HERE ON EARTH."  Psalm 58:11

With this realization came two choices:

1. A continued lifetime of guilt and fear, as you await the judgement day; knowing that you, like all humans beings have sinned. 

 “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Romans 3:23 (NLT)

2. Or, a glorious peace that comes after you have sought forgiveness from our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who took away your sins, and sacrificed his life on the cross for you, cleansing you from all guilt. On judgement day, you will stand fearless, for you know you have been freed.

“Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past."Romans 3:24&25

"This can be your experience today, as you turn in faith to Christ and give your life to Him. Don't let another day go by without committing your life to Christ?" Billy Graham - cited by Max Lucado, Devotional Bible. 

CONCLUSION

God is truly our righteous judge and he cares for people who try to live a life that is set apart for His service. We have all sinned - we are human, and He will bring the unrepentant to justice - eternal death; but for the repentant, we will have ETERNAL LIFE, by His side in Heaven. 

“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.”John 3:16 (CEV)

Contemporary English Version, 1998, American Bible Society

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2007, Tyndall House Publishers

Guzik, David, 2015, "Psalm 58:Words Against the Wicked Judges", Enduring Word.com

Lucado, Max, 2003, Devotional Bible, New Century Version, Ebook, Thomas Nelson. 

Spurgeon, Charles, 1869, 'The Treasury of David", Bible Study Tools Com. (2017)

PSALM 57 - STILL SHELTERED IN THE CAVE

INTRODUCTION - Read Psalm 57

Saul was still king of Israel and David had been one of his favoured servants and later a soldier in his army. But as David's fame increased, so did Saul's jealousy, and as we found David in the last Psalm 56, David had run away and was still sheltered in a cave.

But this Psalm 57 was a little different from the previous one; for David was now on his knees, looking up to God, instead of within. He had made mistakes - by lying to a priest and pretending to be insane - but now he was seeking God's grace and protection, a God who would `shelter him under his wings'.

"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed." Psalm 57:1 (NIV)

He is now surrounded in the cave by men who were also running away, for Jerusalem was not a great place to be at that time. They are `malcontents' a thoughtless group of people, so overwhelmed with their own needs, in emotional despair; just as David was.  But `surrounded by these lions', inside and out the cave,  David wants to find a way out. So, David remembers his answers from the past, as a young Shepherd boy;  with his harp and lyre, he begins to glorify and praise God.

"Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be overall the earth." Psalm 57:5  (NIV)

PRAYER AND PRAISE is the language of TRUST, and this psalm is written in this language. David `saw beyond the cave to the Lord'. (S.J Cole, 1993). David knew that God was bigger than the situation he faced and any emotional despair he felt. By relying on God and fixing his heart on praise, even though surrounded by his enemies, David knew, he could find his way out of his cave.

David also knew that praise was a great witness to the other people in the cave with him, and he wanted them to know of God's lovingkindness and faithfulness too.

"For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies." 
Psalm 57:10  (NIV)

Are you sheltered in a cave - in the depths of depression, overwhelmed by guilt, surrounded by adversaries - do you need a refuge, someone in whom YOU CAN TRUST ; 'well, you can come, BEYOND THE CAVE', through PRAYER AND PRAISE, like David, for the loving and faithful LORD IS WAITING FOR YOU!


REFUGE IN THE SHADOW OF HIS WINGS -  Read Verses 1-5

"In thee my soul takes refuge in the shadow of Thy wings" (RSV) reminds us of the great image of `an eagle and her eaglets', (Alexander McLaren). God is great, yet He cares for His young children, if we will take refuge in His care.

Another instance in which this figure is used was by David's ancestor Ruth. God took care of her as she took refuge in a foreign country with her mother in law Naomi.

"May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge." Ruth 2:12 (NIV)

But even with this great image and the hope it gave him, David still fought off fear - `the lions' . Some theologians see these as Saul and his army, `their teeth - the spears and their tongues - a sharp sword". (A. McLaren). He saw Saul and his men like "wild animals who wanted to eat him". (G. Churchyard, 2001).  Others believe he is talking about the men in the cave with him.

"I am in the midst of lions; I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts - men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords."  Psalm 57:4 (NIV)

Whoever he is referring to, 'David is hurting enough to admit that he is in need. He is honest enough to cry for help, and he is humble enough to learn from God,"  (Charles R Swindoll, 1997)

He knows that by only fixing his eyes on God and His power he can have deliverence, and this is the only way WE CAN HAVE DELIVERANCE TOO!


REFUGE IN GOD'S UNFAILING LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS -  Read Verses 6-11,
                                                                                                                         1 Samuel 24:5-6

A number of theologians believe this psalm was written after Saul had been in the cave `to relieve himself'. David's men had been hiding further back in the cave, and, Saul's eyes, dull from the desert sun, did not see them. But they saw him and thought it was a good chance to kill him, but David signals for his men to hold back. He edges along the wall and cuts of a piece of Saul's robe, then creeps back into the cave. David couldn't believe what he had done, but he wanted to prove something to Saul.

He exited the cave after Saul, lifted the piece of garment and shouted: "I could of killed you, but I didn't". Saul looks up, stunned. David wanted Saul and men to see that he was a man of integrity, but more than that, he wanted them to see that GOD WAS IN CONTROL; and it was in HIS TIME, not David's that He would `take care of his enemies'. Standing before Saul was David's way of showing that He truly trusted God's plans.  (Max Lucado, 2006)

With a heart empty of vengeance of full of grace, David was now able to get his harp and psaltery and begin his praises. He begins by thanking God for watching over him and protecting him. David was singing in the cave, glorifying God for His unfailing love and faithfulness, "his never ending care and nurturing love". (S.J. Cole, 1993). David knew that one day he would be king, but it would be in God's timing; meanwhile he would fix his heart on praise.

Sometimes we need to set our hearts on praise, even when we don't feel like it, for it can often be the only way we can keep our eyes focused on God.


CONCLUSION -  Read Verses 5&11

What does it mean to glorify God? The Hebrew word `kakod' refers to God's `instrinsic worth and honour' - simply WHO HE IS, not just what He has done. God is glorified when we praise him through our trials, even when things are not going the way we plan - because that is showing that we truly TRUST HIM!


God's Word, New International Version (2011), Biblica

Revised Standard Version (2012), British & Foreign Bible Society


Churchyard. Gordon (2001) "Danger!" - Psalm 57", www, easyenglish,bible.

Cole. Steven. J (1993) "Psalm 57: Singing in the Cave", Bible, Org

Lucado, Max (2006) `Facing your Giants', Thomas Nelson.

McLaren, Alexander, `The Life of David, as Reflected in the Psalms', 

Swindoll, Charles R, (1997) `David, a Man of Passion & Destiny', Thomas Nelson