A MIGHTY FORTRESS
Opening Prayer
Lord, deliver us from people who desire to harm us.
Read PSALM 59
Psalm 59[a]
For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.[b] When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.
1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
be my fortress against those who are attacking me.
2 Deliver me from evildoers
and save me from those who are after my blood.
3 See how they lie in wait for me!
Fierce men conspire against me
for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
Arise to help me; look on my plight!
5 You, Lord God Almighty,
you who are the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
show no mercy to wicked traitors.[c]
6 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.
7 See what they spew from their mouths—
the words from their lips are sharp as swords,
and they think, “Who can hear us?”
8 But you laugh at them, Lord;
you scoff at all those nations.
9 You are my strength, I watch for you;
you, God, are my fortress,
10 my God on whom I can rely.
God will go before me
and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,[d]
or my people will forget.
In your might uproot them
and bring them down.
12 For the sins of their mouths,
for the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,
13 consume them in your wrath,
consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
that God rules over Jacob.
14 They return at evening,
snarling like dogs,
and prowl about the city.
15 They wander about for food
and howl if not satisfied.
16 But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.
17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.
Footnotes:
a Psalm 59:1 In Hebrew texts 59:1-17 is numbered 59:2-18.
b Psalm 59:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
c Psalm 59:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 13.
d Psalm 59:11 Or sovereign
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
“A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; / Our helper he, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing” (Martin Luther, 1483–1546).
Think Further
“A man’s home is his castle” is a proverbial expression signifying both privacy and protection. It’s also a legal maxim, embedded in English case law. The jurist William Blackstone wrote, “For every man’s house is looked upon by the law to be his castle of defense and asylum, wherein he should suffer no violence” (Commentaries on the Law of England).
This psalm’s superscription tells us the occasion of its contents: “When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.” The full story is recorded in 1 Samuel 19:11–17. Clearly, David’s home is not his castle: Saul has turned against him; evil-doers are after his blood, lying in wait for him, conspiring against him (1–3). The safety of his home is severely compromised. However perilous the situation, however powerful the adversary, however painful the attacks (7), David relies on a safe haven that can never be compromised—the mighty “fortress” that is God himself (1,9,16,17). When under attack, what is the fortress to which you flee? Your well-honed skills? The wealth you have amassed? Influential contacts? Or the Lord God Almighty?
“The longing to see God acknowledged is a mark of a true servant” (Derek Kidner, Psalms 1–72, 213). David’s youthful challenge to the Philistines (1 Sam. 17:45) finds an echo in his cry, “You, Lord God Almighty, you who are the God of Israel” (5). This is no personal battle; there is more at stake than David’s life, for this is about God’s honor and God’s name (13b). Nor is David simply trying to convince himself that things aren’t as bad as they seem. Refusing to be consumed by fear, David anticipates a faithful God to act on his behalf (9). Despite the prowling of enemies by evening (14), he affirms that the morning will find him singing praises to God for his love and protection (16).
Apply
Memorize a Scripture verse that you can repeat in times of fear as a reminder that God is your mighty and impenetrable fortress.
Closing prayer
Lord, like David we proclaim Your power to deliver Your people out of anything our enemies deploy against us.
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