” In many of the psalms he wrote, David begins with a problem that seems to overwhelm him, and then he turns his thoughts to the Lord God, and instead of the petition and earnest prayer, he begins to praise, even though the answer hasn’t yet come. Faith doesn’t eliminate the difficulties of life. It takes us through them with confidence that the outcome will be right. In this psalm, David’s thoughts alternate between his knowledge of God and his relationship with Him and his enemies that oppose him. Then, he returns to God and again to his enemies until his heart is finally fixed on God. He then gives his focused praise, glory, and song to the Lord who exalts God in his heart and mind.
We should be thankful that our God is “rich in mercy” and merciful to those who trust in Him. This psalm begins with a prayer for protection and concludes with a resolve to praise God. The cry for help is that of one who is confident that God is near and is overshadowing his servant so that he can find his security and assurance under the “shadow of His wings.” The “wings” of God’s mercy are personal to us and to the psalmist, and someday will be the hiding place of the nation of Israel, but it has yet to make God their hiding place. He will send mercy and truth to Israel when our Lord returns in power.
Satan is like a lion, with other lions under his control. He is going up and down on the earth, seeking to defeat the work of God in His people by whatever means he can. For us, rather than seek vengeance and retaliate against verbal abuse or any other kind, we need to take these matters to the Lord in prayer. Firm faith has greater strength and farther-reaching effects than the loud boasting and lies of those who oppose our Lord and His people.
The confession of confidence in “God Most High” and assurance that he will vindicate his servant brings calmness to the soul. God sends His love and faithfulness, His mercy and truth, to deal with the situation in which one is found – in this case, man-eating “lions.” So, pray to God for His power to be seen by rescuing His servant, and open his heart to praise for the anticipated deliverance he is sure will come.
When our hearts are “fixed” on our God, everything else that seemed such a great problem is less important. The night of suffering will end. Enemies will be overcome and defeated. Hopelessness is temporary and completely gone when our hearts are fixed on the Lord. Satan’s future is the lake of fire, and the Lord will reign on earth, so even the nation of Israel can have hope in God.
The psalmist’s mind changed from anxiety and prayer to a resolve to praise. In his praise, a song is raised in his heart. His skill as a musician comes into play as he finds ways to openly express his gratitude to God for deliverance even before it happens. His heart and mind are stayed on the Lord his God. He looks ahead and can see the threat removed when his enemies fall into the pit they dug for him. The cause of his fear is removed, and joy awakens, bringing in a new day of praise and thanksgiving. He doesn’t just do this in his heart but openly praises the Lord so that others can see his joy and experience it themselves.
God’s mercy and truth go way beyond human expression. Our expectation does not begin to describe how great God’s mercy is. We cannot comprehend the scope of God’s mercy because we only see a little of what is right around us. We would be scared to venture outside the door if we knew all His mercy does for us constantly. But Satan and his demons, false teachers and deceivers, counterfeit Christians, and all that would bring us down are kept at bay by the mercy of God and His truth in our souls. It is most appropriate for us to commit ourselves to public praise and thanksgiving. Such confidence in God’s love and faithfulness is our best defense. That will turn stress into a blessing because praise takes care of worry. Comparing God’s blessings with passing problems puts a proper perspective on everything in our lives.