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PSALMS 57

Old Testament Studies
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STROPHE DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NASB NKJV NRSV TEV NJB
Prayer for Rescue From Persecutors
MT Intro

For the choir director; set to Al-tashheth. A Mikhtam of
David when he fled from Saul, in the cave.		 Prayer for Safety From Enemies A Prayer for Deliverance From Personal Enemies A Prayer for Help Among Ferocious Enemies
57:1-3 57:1 57:1-3 57:1 57:1
  57:2-3   57:2-3 57:2-3
57:4-6 57:4-5 57:4 57:4 57:4
    57:5 57:5 57:5-6
  57:6 57:6-10 57:6  
57:7-11 57:7-8   57:7-11 57:7
        57:8
  57:9-10     57:9-11
  57:11 57:11    

READING CYCLE THREE (see
“Bible
Interpretation Seminar”)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which
means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the
light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not
relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare
your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is
the key to following the original author’s intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every
paragraph has one and only one subject.

  1. First paragraph
  2. Second paragraph
  3. Third paragraph, etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

  1. Psalm 57 is characterized by the use of double (or triple) words.
    1. be gracious to me, Ps. 57:1
    2. take refuge, Ps. 57:1
    3. my heart is steadfast, Ps. 57:7
    4. awake, Ps. 57:8

     

  2. In Ps. 57:6 and 7 there are several VERBS and NOUNS that
    start with the Hebrew letter Kaph.

     

    1. prepared – BDB 465, KB 464
    2. bowed down – BDB 496, KB 493
    3. dug – BDB 500, KB 496
    4. fall – BDB 656, KB 709
    5. steadfast – BDB 465, KB 464 (twice)
    6. NOUN, glory, Ps. 57:5 – BDB 458
    7. NOUN, my soul/liver, Ps. 57:8 – BDB 458
      (NASB has “glory,” BDB 458)
    8. NOUN, lyre, Ps. 57:8 – BDB 490

     

  3. Psalm 57:6 is a typical “reversal” motif, so common in the OT. Enemies plan evil
    but are caught in their own schemes.

     

  4. Two key theological terms are repeated.
    1. lovingkingness (hesed) – BDB 338, cf. Ps. 57:3 (personified), 10 (see
      SPECIAL
      TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (HESED)
    2. faithfulness/truth (emet) – BDB 54, Ps. 57:3 (personified), 10 (see
      SPECIAL
      TOPIC: BELIEVE, TRUST, FAITH AND FAITHFULNESS IN THE OT      )

     

  5. This Psalm mentions “the nations.” See
    SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH’S
    ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 57:1-3
 1Be
gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me,
 For my soul takes refuge in You;
 And in the shadow of Your wings I
will take refuge
 Until
destruction passes by.
 2I
will cry to God Most High,
 To
God who accomplishes all things for me.
 3He will send from heaven
and save me;
 He reproaches
him who tramples upon me.  Selah.
 God
will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.

57:1 This Psalm is characterized by the double use of words (i.e., Hebrew parallelism, see
SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW
POETRY). See Contextual Insights, A.

▣ “Be gracious to me” Psalm 57:1 (twice). See note at Ps. 56:1-7.

▣ “refuge” The VERB (BDB 340, KB 334) is a recurrent theme in the
Psalms. See note at Ps. 2:12 and 5:11-12. Here there is a play between

  1. the PERFECT denoting completed action and a resulting state
  2. the IMPERFECT denoting ongoing continuing action

▣ “the shadow of Your wings” This is one of several feminine metaphors
to describe God.

  1. as a mother bird — Gen. 1:2; Exod. 19:4; Deut. 32:11; 33:12; Isa. 31:5
  2. nursing mother — Isa. 49:15; 66:13; Hos. 11:4 (emendation)

SPECIAL TOPIC: SHADOW AS
METAPHOR FOR PROTECTION AND CARE

▣ “Until destruction passes by” This continues the metaphor of God as a
mother bird. Note “destruction” (i.e., destructive winds or storm, BDB 217, cf. similar
terms in Ps. 55:8) is personified (cf. Isa. 26:20).

57:2 “God Most High” This is the name Elohim (BDB 43, see
SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES
FOR DEITY) combined with Elyon (BDB 751 I). See notes at Ps. 7:17 and 46:4b.

▣ “God” This is El (BDB 42), the general name for deity in the ANE.

▣ “who accomplishes all things for me” What an inclusive faith assertion
(cf. Ps. 138:8). Experience tells us that “all” must be defined and limited. But this
faithful follower believes (cf. Phil. 1:6).

In this context God’s actions are noted in Ps. 57:3.

  1. send from heaven – who or what is not specified
  2. save me – from vicious enemies (cf. Ps. 57:4,6)
  3. reproach those who trample (cf. Ps. 56:2) – BDB 357 I; it means “rebuke”
    or “put to shame” those who say sharp things (see the enemies described as wild
    lions with sharp teeth, Ps. 57:4)
  4. send forth His personified lovingkingness and truth/faithfulness, cf. Ps. 89:14 and
    also Ps. 43:3, where “light” and “truth” are personified as YHWH’s servants

57:3 “send from heaven” The term “heaven” has two distinct usages.

  1. the atmosphere above the earth (cf. Ps. 57:5, see
    SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN)
  2. the place YHWH dwells (cf. Ps. 57:5, see
    SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN AND THE
    THIRD HEAVEN    )

In OT thought God was transcendent. The Holy One of Israel was separated from sinful
creations after Genesis 3. He dwelt with Israel in the Holy of Holies, between the wings of the
Cherubim, above the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant (which symbolized the place of atonement,
cf. Leviticus 16). There is a purposeful tension between YHWH”s transcendent holiness and immanence
with Israel.

▣ “Selah” See note at Ps. 3:2 and Intro. to Psalms, VII.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 57:4-6
 4My
soul is among lions;
 I
must lie among those who breathe forth fire,
 Even the sons of men, whose teeth
are spears and arrows
 And
their tongue a sharp sword.
 5Be
exalted above the heavens, O God;
 Let
Your glory be above all the earth.
 6They have prepared a net
for my steps;
 My soul is
bowed down;
 They dug a pit
before me;
 They themselves
have fallen into the midst of it.  Selah.

57:4-6 These verses characterize the psalmist’s enemies and his God who supports him (cf. Ps. 57:2).

  1. the enemies
    1. like lions
    2. breathe fire (or, KB 521 II, to devour, found only here)
    3. teeth/words are spears and arrows
    4. prepared a trap to catch and kill him but will fall into it themselves (cf. Pro. 26:27)
  2. God (cf. Ps. 57:5,11)
    1. be exalted – BDB 926, KB 1202, Qal IMPERATIVE,
      here “heavens” refers to the atmosphere above the earth (note parallelism)
    2. Your glory be above the earth
  3. the psalmist
    1. I must lie among. . . – BDB 1011, KB 1486, Qal COHORTATIVE
    2. my soul is bowed down – BDB 496, KB 493, Qal PERFECT

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: PSALM 57:7-11
 7My
heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
 I will sing, yes, I will sing
praises!
 8Awake,
my glory! 
 Awake,
harp and lyre!
 I will
awaken the dawn.
 9I
will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;
 I will sing praises to You among the
nations.
 10For
Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens
 And Your truth to the clouds.
 11Be exalted above the
heavens, O God;
 Let
Your glory be above all the earth.

57:7-11 This strophe is almost exactly like Ps. 108:1-5. It may have been a liturgical refrain.

57:7-9 This strophe expresses the psalmist’s faith and confidence in YHWH’s actions on his behalf.

  1. my heart is steadfast, Ps. 57:7 (twice) – BDB 465, KB 464, Niphal
    PARTICIPLE
  2. I will sing, Ps. 57:7 – BDB 1010, KB 1479, Qal COHORTATIVE
  3. I will sing praises, Ps. 57:7 – BDB 274, KB 273, Piel COHORTATIVE
  4. awake my glory (or “my soul,” lit. “liver,” both BDB 458), Ps. 57:8 –
    BDB 734, KB 802, Qal IMPERATIVE
  5. awake my harp and lyre (i.e., instruments for the psalmist to praise God with),
    Ps. 57:8 – BDB same VERB as #4
  6. I will awaken the dawn, Ps. 57:8 – BDB 734, KB 802, Hiphil COHORTATIVE
  7. I will give thanks, Ps. 57:9 – BDB 392, KB 389, Hiphil IMPERFECT used
    in a COHORTATIVE sense
  8. I will sing praises, Ps. 57:9 – BDB 274, KB 273, Piel IMPERFECT
    used in a COHORTATIVE sense

57:9 Notice the parallelism between “the peoples” (BDB 766 I) and “the nations”
(BDB 115 and BDB 52, i.e., not covenant peoples). There is a recurrent emphasis in the Psalms on
the universal aspect of Israel’s God (cf. Ps. 9:11b; 18:47,49; 105:1; 145:12-13). The implication of
monotheism (see
SPECIAL
TOPIC: MONOTHEISM) is that there is only one true God who created all humans in His image for
fellowship (see SPECIAL
TOPIC: YHWH’S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN).

57:10 This verse repeats the personified servants of God (i.e., hesed and emet)
from Ps. 57:3. They are both said to be “above” the heavens and clouds (i.e., atmosphere of
this planet), which denotes

  1. their greatness
  2. their origin in God

57:11 This repeats Ps. 57:5. It functions as a way to denote the greatness of God (i.e., His
transcendence above His creation).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

 

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are
responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You,
the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this
section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

 

  1. Explain the metaphor of “the shadow of Your wings,” Ps. 57:1.
  2. List the three names for Deity in Ps. 57:2 and explain their implication.
  3. Define “heaven.”
  4. Why are aspects of God’s character personified?
  5. Explain Ps. 57:9 in light of monotheism.

 

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Lessons International

 

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