Psalm 57:1, 5-6, 9-11 (NIV)
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. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. They spread a net for my feet—I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path—but they have fallen into it themselves. I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
King David spent a lot of time in caves. Sometimes they were literal, and other times they were figurative. He hid in some of them due to his accusers and pursuers and enemies…but others he occupied because of his own sin and foolishness. Despite the reasons for his cave dwelling, he always took his concerns…and then his praise…to the Lord. And after some time had passed, he was always able to walk out of the darkness and despair of the cave and into the glorious light and fresh air of God’s deliverance.
Have you ever been in a cave? I was recently in Chattanooga, TN to visit family and made a half-day trip to Rock City, located on top of Lookout Mountain. Of the many beautiful attractions and views to enjoy, the most ominous was a 15-minute trek into a cave. Fortunately, this cave had some lighting and eventually, a back exit, but there were moments when you simply had no idea where you were in relation to the outside world, and had the lights gone out, the darkness would have been all-encompassing. Unfortunately, life can sometimes be like that in the midst of trials and tribulations…attacks and betrayals…disappointments and difficulties. David says in verse 3 that he is “in the midst of lions,” and as long as we live on the earth, the same can be said of us. So, what are we to do?
David prays. David praises. David waits. David praises, again. It is a drumbeat that resounds through nearly every single one of the 150 psalms in the book…and it is a drumbeat that should echo in our minds and spirits on a daily basis. In today’s psalm, he begins with a cave-dweller’s prayer request but then suddenly launches into a one-line praise that seems to come out of nowhere: “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth” (v. 5). Could it be that David needed to remind himself to whom he was praying? Spurgeon notes that, “Before he has quite concluded his prayer the good man interjects a verse of praise; and glorious praise too, seeing it comes from the lion’s den and from amid the coals of fire. Higher than the heavens is the Most High, and so high ought our praises to rise.” Praising God in the caves of life will serve our souls well, as we preach the truth of Him to our own downtrodden spirit, despite the darkness that surrounds us at the time.
Out of the darkness and into the light…
Once God leads us out of the cave, like David, we need to declare his goodness and mercy from every mountaintop we can access. God deserves nothing less than our praises and honor. It will stir our own faith and strengthen us all the more for when we enter the next cave…and it will serve as a light in the darkness of other Believer’s caves. Our praise as we exit the cave is multi-directional. Up – to our heavenly Father. In – to our own spirit and mind. Out – to a watching world. A friend recently told me of an atheist neighbor who was intrigued by how they handled their pain and difficult circumstances with a joyful and hopeful spirit…and wanted to know more. The atheist heard their praise from the midst of their cave, and it didn’t make sense. We praise from the midst of the cave…because it does.
