Confident: feeling or showing certainty about something.
Certainty: the firm conviction that something is the case; a fact that is definitely true or an event that is definitely going to take place; a person or thing that may be relied on. Now that you know what it is, I ask, “Is your heart confident in God?” Let’s look at this week’s Psalm…
Psalm 57
For the choir director: A psalm (miktam) of David, regarding the time he fled from Saul and went into the cave. To be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!” (Check out the story in 1 Samuel 24)
1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
I look to you for protection.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings
until the danger passes by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
3 He will send help from heaven to rescue me,
disgracing those who hound me. Interlude (Selah — pause and ponder)
My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness.4 I am surrounded by fierce lions
who greedily devour human prey—
whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows,
and whose tongues cut like swords.5 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens!
May your glory shine over all the earth.6 My enemies have set a trap for me.
I am weary from distress.
They have dug a deep pit in my path,
but they themselves have fallen into it. Interlude7 My heart is confident in you, O God;
my heart is confident.
No wonder I can sing your praises!
8 Wake up, my heart!
Wake up, O lyre and harp!
I will wake the dawn with my song.
9 I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.
I will sing your praises among the nations.
10 For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.11 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
Psalm 57 NLT
May your glory shine over all the earth.
You can be confident that God is Bigger than your problem!
Several years ago, my 88 year-old mom had to have gall stone surgery. She lived in Puerto Rico, I lived in Phoenix. I was in touch with my cousin and some of her neighbors and friends. Problem was that each person told me something different. Not only about her health, but on what was going on with her house and financial issues. Every time I spoke with someone, in my eyes, I saw this snowball growing and growing. I couldn’t afford to go to PR. I didn’t know who to believe. I posted on Facebook that the snowball was the size of a Volkswagen!
Then, one of my friends from church commented…
“God is bigger than the snowball!”
That was it! That’s what I needed to hear! I gave it all to God. Some friends gave me the funds to travel there to see for myself and it was a mess, which I won’t get into. What I am getting at, is I went there knowing that it was ALL in God’s hands. No matter what I found, He would help me handle it. He would guide me through it. And, He did!
Breaking Down Psalm 57
Looking to God for protection…
David asked God for mercy, for protection. He’s hiding in a cave from King Saul, who wants to kill him. He expects God to protect him like a mother hen protects her chicks. Interestingly, Jesus uses the same analogy when he prays over Jerusalem just before His crucifixion.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.”
Matthew 23:37 NLT
Cry out to God who fulfills His purpose for you…
Did you know that God has a plan for you life? Yes, He does! Unfortunately, people in this “Me” world think they can do everything by themselves. Hey, I grew up in the “I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar” era. I was taught that there’s nothing I can’t do if I put my mind to it. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way.
God’s will has to be part of your plan. The thing is, you can’t know what His plan is until you surrender your WHOLE LIFE to HIM! Halfheartedly doesn’t work. Wholeheartedly does.
God’s Glory is all over!
David repeats this exaltation at the end also. When something is repeated in the Bible, it means — pay attention! This is important. Obviously, more important than David’s asking for help is glorifying God. This is an affirmation that God is greater than anything here on earth — including all our problems, trials, and issues.
Our enemy is like a lion…
Peter warned us…
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8 NLT
Satan sets traps for us all the time. They’re called temptations. But God has a way of protecting us if we stay strong in the faith and in His Word.
Is YOUR Heart Confident?
David is confident. Are you? He even yells to his heart to wake up and sing. Did you know that you can’t be depressed while you’re praising God. Try it! I’ve embedded some great worship songs at the bottom — including a new one I heard in church this morning. (Amazing how God does that — gives me songs Sunday morning in worship for my Sunday Psalms blog.)
Next, David Praises God. He…
- Thanks the Lord among the people. That means that he’s not ashamed to give Glory to God rather than take accolades for himself.
- Praises God among the nations. Today we do that via the Internet and social media! Share the Word! Again, don’t be ashamed!
- Admits that God’s love is not only unfailing, but higher than the heavens.
- Admits that His faithfulness reaches to the clouds, which, by the way, cover the earth.
Lastly, he repeats…
Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
Psalm 57:11 NLT
May your glory shine over all the earth.
God’s glory shines everywhere. Likewise, His glory shines over YOUR life, too. He’s bigger than anything you could ever encounter, so why not surrender your life — including all your problems, cares, and trials — to Him now?
Just before Peter’s warning about the devil being like a lion, he writes…
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
1 Peter 5:6-7 NLT
I’m going to end with Paul’s prayer to the Ephesians found at the end of Ephesians chapter 3…
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT
