Psalm 57

1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me,
for in you my soul takes refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.

2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who fulfills {his purpose} for me.

3 He sends from heaven and saves me,
rebuking those who hotly pursue me;
Selah
God sends his love and his faithfulness.

4 I am in the midst of lions;
I lie among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

6 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.
Selah

7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.

8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.

9 I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.

10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

In Psalm 57, David described himself as being trapped and surrounded by his enemies. Look at verse 4 "I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts — men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords".

Yet, in the midst of all the negative circumstances, David chose to 1) cry out to God and admit that he needed His help, and 2) praise God with all his heart to everyone around him.


Very often, when I'm trapped in a bad situation, I tend to complain to God. I even sometimes blame Him for what happened. I really need to follow the example of David - to cry out to God and praise Him even if the world comes crashing down!


Things to ponder
1. When was the last time you cry out to God for mercy? Why did you do it?
2. When was the last time you gave your all in praising God? Why did you do it?
3. Pray and commit to God that in every situation, crying out to God is our first option, and not last resort.