Faith in God Most High
Psalm 57:1-11
January 6-7, 2024
Psalm 57 is about the importance of the attitude of faith necessary to navigate the calamities, the difficulties, the adversities of life. If anyone understood how to navigate through such adversities and calamities in the attitude and bearing of faith, it would be David. David is the one who wrote this Psalm. It is the tremendous insight into that attitude of faith because if you do not master adversity, adversity will master you. How do you have this attitude bearing in faith? That's what David shows us. He gives us the answer here in this Psalm.
Now, we know the backstory because God tells us that in the introduction, but there's another part of the introduction that I think is very interesting. Notice how it says, for the choir director, which is, in other words, David wanted this to be sung, but he says, also, "Set to Al-tashheth." Now, most Bible scholars believe that there was a song well known at the time and David wanted the words of this Psalm sung to that tune. It was called Al-tashheth. It means in the Hebrew, do not destroy it.
Now, that is an interesting phrase. It actually was one of those common phrases that people just would say, how people just have sayings. We have sayings, and this was the saying, "Do not destroy it." Where it came from the idea was, imagine there's a cluster of grapes and they've been on the vine a long time and now they're starting to wither. We can all relate to that because there's a personal application to here. If you've been on the vine a long time you know exactly what I'm saying. You start to wither, right?
The expression comes from grapes been on the vine a long time, they're starting to wither, and the expression came, "No, there's still a blessing in there. There's still juice in that grape. Don't destroy it. There's still opportunity." There's the application that's why it became a phrase. That's because it was the idea, "Don't throw it, don't destroy it. There's still opportunity." That's a great message for you and for me. God's not done right there. You've been on the vine, maybe you've withered. Maybe your faith is withered, don't destroy it, there is still yet opportunity. Notice, it comes right out of an expression in Isaiah 65:8.
There, it says, "This is what the Lord says, as when juice is still found in the cluster of grapes, and people say," it's in the saying, "Don't destroy it. There is still yet blessing in that." I will do on behalf of my servants, I will not destroy them all. There's that idea. In fact, we see it further in the next few verses, Isaiah 65:10, where God says like a picture of it, "The Valley of Achor will be a resting place of herds for my people who seek me." Now, the Valley of Achor was a valley of trouble. That's what it means. There in that valley Israel faltered, Israel failed, and all that trouble that came because of that.
He says, "I will transform that valley of trouble into a resting place for my people who seek me." There it is. There is still yet opportunity to turn this around for God to bring about a great thing, even though it's been withered on the vine. There are principles of faith. There are principles of character that we're going to see that will guide you to navigate through adversities, difficulties, calamities. We see it here. You see David's relationship to God through it, you see his faith in God Most High. It's an example for us because we all understand calamity and adversity.
We're living in a broken world. It is a messed up world. You will have adversity, there will be difficulty. You'll find that we need to understand how to navigate through it. Now, the backstory of Psalm 57 is this, David was facing trouble of epic proportions. Backstory, he was literally in danger of his life. After David defeated the Philistine giant, David became famous in Israel. The people loved David. King Saul attached him to his army, gave him command of 1,000 men. David prospered. The Hand of God was on David, but King Saul saw that and became very threatened by David.
Here's why. Because the prophet Samuel had already told Saul that God had rejected Saul as king because of his unfaithfulness, and that God had sought out a man after his own heart. Saul could quite see easily that David was favored by God, but Saul refused to accept that word that God had rejected him. He refused to acknowledge it. No. He soon found himself fighting against God. Kinking against God, you might say, resisting God in every turn. Now, no longer anointed by the Spirit, no, now he's raging, he's angry. He's trying to kill David. He's trying to thwart the will of God by killing David.
With a contrast, you see Saul's attitude, anger, jealousy, rage, and then you see David. In fact, Psalm 57 gives us the insight of David, the faith David has, the attitude, that bearing, what a key for us to understand how to navigate in trouble. David had escaped every attempt on his life. He finally fled to the wilderness, to the Cave of Adullam. Tells us then that everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, everyone who was discontented came to David and gathered to him. There he became captain over them.
Tells us first there were 400 men who joined up with David. Later 200 more. Now, David has a group of 600, you might call them a group of malcontents. Together they formed a band of warriors and brothers. David left there, then the Cave of Adullam, and he swung southeast to the wilderness of Ziph. There, another great trouble arose because the Ziphites betrayed David to Saul. They essentially said to Saul, "He's here. He's right here." Saul sent out his whole army to pursue David. He almost had him, it was that close. He had him.
What happened was David was on one side of the mountain, Saul and his men were on the other, and Saul made a pincer move. He'd sent half of his army around the mountain this way, the other half of the army around the mountain that way. They almost had David, but word came that the Philistines had raided the land, so Saul had to withdraw his men to deal with this attack by the Philistines. It was that close because he had him, but he had to withdraw. Again, you see the intervening Hand of God. David then left the wilderness of Ziph and continued eastward toward En Gedi which is right next to the Dead Sea.
Many believe that David wrote this Psalm after that narrow escape there in the wilderness of Ziph, went to En Gedi, and there are caves-- if you ever go to Israel with me by the way, we always love to go to En Gedi. One of my favorite places. It's right next to the Dead Sea. It's desert, but it's right there in the Judean Hills come down there, and water flows down the crags, and is very rough terrain. There's wild goats, a plenty. In fact it's called the place of the wild goats. Food is a lot of food.
Wild goat is amazing. If you've never had it, it is amazing. I'm kidding. I've never had it. It's a thing. They love it. There's lots of water there. It's rough terrain. It's easy to hide out, you might say, difficult for an army to pursue. There are caves. It's a great place for David to hide. David is there. He's escaped from the whole thing with the Ziphites. He's resting in this cave, not knowing what now is going to happen. Then now there David was in that stronghold of En Gedi, wrote out a beautiful song, giving us an insight into his attitude, the bearing of his faith here.
He didn't know what was going to come next. He didn't know what trouble, what calamity would come next, but what happened next was nothing short of amazing. This is what happened. When Saul returned after he had to deal with the Philistines, he was told David is in En Gedi. Now he knew that land. It was very rough, difficult, so instead of bringing his whole army, he brought 3,000 of his choicest soldiers, you might call them special forces, to pursue David.
Now, they're seeking him. They can't find him. At one point, Saul needs to relieve himself, and he goes into a cave. It just so happens to be the exact cave in which David and his men were hiding in the inner recesses. Saul has literally been placed into David's hand, and now the tables have turned for Saul has walked into the very place where David and his men are hiding and he has no army. He is by himself. This is extraordinary. This is amazing. Who could have known?
I. God Accomplishes All Things for You
David penned this Psalm. He had no idea what was going to come next. Who could have known that Saul was going to walk in without soldiers into the very cave? Who could have known this? This is extraordinary. Extraordinary things happened to extraordinary people with extraordinary faith. Let's read the Psalm and then see how it interweaves with the story. Psalm 57:1, "Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me." Treat me better than I deserve, that's what he means. "For my soul takes refuge in thee, and in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge until destruction passes by. I will cry to God Most High."
That's where we get the title of the message here. "I will cry to Elohim Elyon," beautiful in the Hebrew, God Most High, "to God who accomplishes all things for me." Again, we're getting an insight into the bearing of faith. Notice, "I know," verse 3, "that He will send from heaven and save me. That He even will reproach him who tramples upon me. God will send forth. I know it. He will send forth His loving kindness and His truth, or his faithfulness."
He says, "Look, my soul is among lions. I must lie among those who breathe forth fire. Even the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows, their tongue is like a sharp sword, but then he turns again to the Lord, "But be exalted, you be exalted, O Lord. Be exalted above the earth, that Your glory be above all the earth." Then verse 6 he turns again to his troubles. "They have prepared a dent or they've laid a trap in other words for me, O, my soul has bowed down. They've dug a pit for me, O Lord, let them fall into the midst of it, but my heart is steadfast."
A. Cry out to God Most High
Again, David's giving us a great insight. "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast." Then verse 8 is like the grand finale, "Awaken my soul to glory. Awake my glory, Awake O, harp and lyre." That's like a guitar. "I will awaken the dawn." In other words, I will sing when the sunrises, "I will give You glory. I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the people. I will sing praises to You among the nations for Your loving kindness is great."
Now, here's David in the midst of a calamity. He didn't know what was going to come, but he knew that God's loving kindness was great over him. "Up to the heavens and your truth to the clouds," again, the grand finale, "Be exalted above the heavens, O God, and let your glory be above all the earth." What a great Psalm. What a great insight into the attitude and bearing of faith in the midst of the troubles. Notice there's so much for us to take hold of. Notice, for example, in verse 2 where he says, "God accomplishes all things for me."
That's a great word. That's the bearing of faith. To believe that God accomplishes all things. He says, "I will cry to God Most High, Elohim Elyon, and I know that He will accomplish all things for me." Now, that word literally translated is, that God will bring it to completion. God will bring it to an end. In other words, God will finish it. David believed that God somehow, didn't know how, didn't know what was going to come, somehow that God would intervene. He had no idea that Saul, to relieve himself, would literally walk into the very cave in which David was hiding.
This is key. Faith is so key. The attitude of faith. The bearing of faith is so key. Because let's say you're navigating through adversity or distress or whatever, and your attitude is defeat or anger, frankly, a lot of people get angry when things get difficult, they're angry at God, they're angry at others, they're just angry. That's their bearing. Or other times people just throw up their hands and quit. If you do that, you're giving up on God. See, David is not going to give up on God. No. He says in verse 7, "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast. I will not relent. I will not quit. I believe that my God accomplishes all things for me," which is why he says, notice, "I will cry out to God Most High. In the shadow of the wings of God Most High, I take refuge." The bearing and the attitude of faith.
God must high is a beautiful name of God that declares God to be above all things. Above all of the troubles, and I take refuge under His wings. It means you're drawn near at a trust in God's hand to protect, that God would intervene. God's intervening hand is still very much a part of our lives today if we would believe. Amen. Notice, for example, Psalm 91, it says a very similar word, "He will cover you with His pinions," it's an expression of feathers or wings, "and under His wings, you may seek refuge. His faithfulness is a shield and a bulwark."
Notice then how God responds to that, "Because He has loved me, says the Lord, therefore, I will deliver him and I will set him--" this is a key, "I will set him securely on high. He is God Most High. I will set you high. Because he has known my name, he will call upon me, I will answer him. The one who calls upon me, I will be with him in trouble, I will rescue him and I will honor him." Notice David's faith again, verse 3, "I know God will send from heaven and He'll save me, and He will even reproach the one who tramples upon me."
B. Walk in High places
David didn't know what would happen next, yet he believed that somehow some way, that God would move, not only to rescue and save, but to reproach the one who's trampling upon me. Would you notice this? Because this is a very important part. He's crying out to God Most High and believes that God will send him security in high places, but that he must himself walk in a high place. See, in other words, you and I must learn to walk on high places. You're going to call out to God, Most High, that we need to learn to walk on high places in ways that are higher, the ways of God that are higher.
Habakkuk 3:19, it's a thing you see throughout the Scriptures. "The Lord God is my strength. He has made my feet like hinds' feet and makes me walk on high places." Hind is, again, a doe, a deer. When you go to Israel, you'll see the bounding deer upon the cliff and you think, "Wow, that's amazing. They're so sure-footed." Right. That's what God does. He sets me surely on high places that I might walk high. Psalm 18 says it similarly. "God girds me with strength and He makes my way blameless to walk high. He makes my feet like hinds' feet, sets me in high places.
C. Call others to walk higher
See, in other words, you and I must learn what it means. If we're going to call out to God Most High, then we need to live in such a way that we are walking on high places. The ways of God are high and God calls us up to live higher. Notice, Isaiah 55:8-9, where He says to that prophet. He says, look, "My thoughts are not your thoughts and your ways are not my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways. The ways of men are not high. I'm calling you higher. My thoughts are higher than your thoughts. I'm calling you higher."
See, and you see this in the story. When Saul came into the cave where David and his men were hiding, David's men saw this as an opportunity to get revenge. "It's like he has been pursuing you wrongly. What have you done to him? You've done nothing to deserve this. It's only right that you bring retribution. It's only right that you bring justice to bear. You have every legal right to do it. Do it, David. Do it. He's right there. He has no army. He's right there. Do it." In fact, they said, "Isn't this a God thing? Essentially, it's a God thing."
You have to admit, it's pretty amazing.
Who could have known that Saul, to relieve himself, would walk into the very cave-- you got to admit, that's pretty amazing. Now, when something amazing happens like that, a lot of people would assume, "Hey, that's a God thing." It is a God thing, but what do you do about it? In fact, they said, "Wasn't there a prophecy, David, that your enemy would fall into your hand, and that you should do what seems good to you?" Which is true. What should he do? By the way, if you've ever wondered, side note, how could this conversation be happening and Saul not hear it if they're in a cave?
Well, when you go to En Gedi with me sometimes, we love going there. You go to En Gedi, you walk up into the crags, and the water is running down the valleys. That's the answer. Water bounding off the rocks is echoing through the cave. Yes, they can have a conversation in there as rushing water sounds are echoing through it. They are saying to him, "Do it, David." David, in the bearing of faith, knows that there's something higher at work. This is a very important point for us. Don't just listen to someone else's advice. Don't just listen to someone else's advice. Discern it. Discern it yourself. Have spiritual discernment yourself.
Now, it's good to hear, it's good to receive, but discern it yourself. God's word must be correctly applied. David knew that there was a higher principle here. Yes, it's true. Retribution was deserved. True. Saul was an unrighteous king. True. Israel would have been better off without him. True, but David says, "But he's the Lord's anointed. He was placed there by God, and if he is going to be removed, God's going to have to do it. I won't do it." There is a principle at work here that is higher.
What David did is that he snuck over while Saul is doing his business, cut off a corner of the cloak, went back into hiding. In fact, interestingly, his conscience even bothered him that he did that. Now, culture tells us that the edge of the cloak represented authority. See, that's why it bothered David because he's cutting off that which represents authority. He did it. It was strategic. Then notice, David had made this decision and then insisted that they all obey the direction and decision that David had made. There is a high principle here. No one will touch him.
In other words, David recognized that he was called to live higher, but he's calling them too. See, you call others. If you are called to live high, then call others to walk higher too. How David responded is amazing. 600 to 1 you might say. "It's a God thing. David, do it." David is the leader. He's got the responsibility to walk higher himself but to convince them to walk higher as well. If he's crying out to God Most High, then we must walk in high places. A leader is not led by circumstances. A leader is led by the Holy Spirit in the bearing of his faith.
Look deeper. In order to walk higher, you must look deeper for the higher principles that are at work. David is not led by emotions. He's not led by the pressure of his men. No, he's looking for the principles that are higher. I tell you, there are high principles of God throughout the Word of God. You look throughout God's Word you will find there are many, many principles laid, written out there for us. I'll give you just a few, for example, 1 Peter 2:17. He writes, "Honor all people." See, that's the principle of life in how you relate to other people that is high. Honor all people. Don't be dishonoring and disrespectful and spit mean things. No. Honor all people.
Love the brotherhood. Give an extra portion of love to the brothers. Fear God. That means you respect and revere Him. Honor the king. These are principles that are high even though you may not agree with whoever is the king or the president or whoever. You may not agree but you honor him. It's a principle that's high. Here's another one. Proverbs 24:29. Where he says do not say this. "Do not say, 'Oh, thus I shall do to him as he has done to me.'" Don't say that. That's not a high principle, that's a low principle.
You've heard this. No doubt. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." You heard this golden rule. It's in the Scriptures and Jesus quoted it as well. That is a high principle. You call it higher. You want to live under the shadow of Elohim Elyon, then live higher. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Do not say, "Well, thus they did to me so I will do it to them." No, don't say that. Notice Romans 12:19. "Never take your own revenge beloved. Leave room for the wrath of God for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine I will repay,' says the Lord."
In other words, God will finish it. God will settle it. That's what David is saying, isn't he? God will settle it. God will settle the account. No, don't take your own revenge because you will have to lower your character to do it. See, if you have to lower your character to do it, then don't do it. No, we're called to live under the shadow of El Elyon, under the God Most High, therefore, do that which brings your character to a higher place. "You don't understand, pastor, he was so mean to me, can't I do the same thing to him? He was mean to me, he deserves it." Well, maybe he does, but let God settle it. Don't lower your character to do it. Amen.
II. Keep the Soul Beautiful
The principle is keep your soul beautiful. Keep your soul beautiful. You see David's soul, this is beautiful. David's soul is beautiful. You see his faith, you see his honor, "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, your loving kindness is great above all the earth." This is beautiful. One of the most amazing principles of God's Word is that God wants to do that which is beautiful on your soul. That which God does is beautiful and will transform your soul into that which is beautiful. You can see it's one of the greatest themes, maybe it is the greatest themes in the Word of God that the heart of God is to do a transforming work upon your soul.
That which is beautiful comes from His presence, His glory. God's glory is beautiful on the soul. Amen. The presence of God, the fruit of the Spirit of the Living God is beautiful on the soul. Love. Galatians 5:22 tells us the fruit of the Spirit that is to say that the presence of the living God, the Holy Spirit in your life, will bear forth itself as fruit to be seen in your character in your soul. He describes there in Galatians 5:22 and following, that the fruit of the Spirit is love. Love is beautiful on the soul. God is love. When God's glory abides on your soul, it will be seen in that which is beautiful. Love, joy, it's beautiful. Peace that passes understanding, that's the transforming work of God to bring peace.
A. Your part is peace
You see it in the story. Peace is beautiful. Your part is peace. Notice what comes in the story. Saul, he picks up his cloak and he leaves the cave. Now, he would go down from the cave, down into the valley where the men were. After he left, David came out onto the mouth of the cave and calling out to him, "My lord the king." He's got the edge of his cloak. "My lord the king." He turns, "David." He knows that was the very-- I was just there in that cave. "David, is that you, my son?" "See the edge of your robe. I could have killed you, and some said that I should, but I won't do it. I won't do it. Please know and perceive there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you though you are lying in wait to take my life. I wouldn't do it."
See, you see here a beautiful soul and he's going to abide in that soul, he's going to keep his soul beautiful. "I'm not going to do it. You're lying in wait to take my life wrongfully. I'm not going to do it." He's going to keep his soul beautiful. Romans 12:18, it's a New Testament principle, if possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men, in your relationships. As far as your part, so your part is peace, because when you have that beautiful work of God in your soul, let it be then seen. Let that bearing be in your relationships, keep your soul beautiful. Your part is peace.
Now, He does say if possible because, frankly, we know there are people that are quite impossible, we know that, but your part is peace. Second Corinthians 6:3-4, "Give no cause for offense in anything because you are under the shadow of Elohim Elyon, God Most High, so live higher, give no cause for offense, don't offend. You don't lower your character to offend. Don't offend, give no offense so that the ministry might not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God Elohim Elyon. Commend yourself as a servant of Elohim Elyon, give no cause for offense." He says.
In much endurance, give no cause for offense. In afflictions, give no cause for offense. In hardships, give no cause for offense. In distresses, give no cause for offense. You're under the shadow of Elohim Elyon, the fire. Twice, David said a remarkable thing when he stood there on the mouth of the cave and called out, "You are lying in wait to take my life but my hand will not be against you. I won't do it. My hand will never be against you. You may pursue me and pursue me and pursue me. My hand will never be against you. I won't do it."
Notice verse 7. "My heart is steadfast." In other words, my hope is in the Lord. I won't do this thing. Now, this is important. We all live in times of distresses. Relationships can sometimes be difficult. If somebody is having a conflict with you. If their hand is against you, be sure that your hand is not against them. No, you're under the shadow of Elohim Elyon. Saul is convicted, "David--" he actually starts weeping, "you are more righteous than I." I tell you what, if David had lowered his character and taken Saul's life, that could have never been said, but that declaration was because David had dwelt in the shadow of Elohim Elyon and kept his soul beautiful, and therefore, he was convicted.
Saul says, "Now I know. I know it. You will be king." I know. I know that God will bless character like that. I know that God will bless faithfulness like that, and He will. Do you believe Him? He will. He surely will. I tell you, and this is important, everyone there that day heard this, between David and Saul, everyone could see the difference. All of Saul's 3,000 men, all of the men with David could see the difference. What a powerful lesson everyone learned that day. Which is why when we come later to the story of David's life, we know that David turned these men into great men of God.
B. Awaken the glory in your soul
These ragtag group of malcontents and distressed ones that joined David. He transformed them into some of the greatest men who accomplished feats by faith. David's influence. Everyone there could see the difference. What a powerful declaration. Then, lastly, as we go back to Psalm 57, the grand finale, keep your soul beautiful. You see the beautiful soul of David where he says, "Awaken the glory of my soul." Notice, awaken my glory. Do you have glory? God's glory abiding in you makes the soul glorious. "Awaken my glory. Awaken O harp and lyre," musical instruments.
"O, awaken the dawn. The culmination, the grand finale. I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. Your loving kindness is great up to the heavens. Your truth is great up to the clowns. Be exalted." What does the word exalted means? It means to be lifted up. "Be lifted up O Elohim Elyon. I lift up your glory. I lift up your name. I lift you up among the nations, and I will sing of your loving kindness. I will sing of your glory." What a grand finale. "Be exalted above the heavens, O God. Let your glory be above all the earth because your glory is beautiful."
Oh, may God do a beautiful work. It's His presence that makes the soul beautiful. Let this be a year of revival. Let this be a year where we abide under the shadow of Elohim Elyon. Amen. Lord, we love you. Thank you so much for showing us the beauty of Your glory, the beauty of Your presence with us. Deuteronomy would say to the Lord today, "I want to walk in higher places. I want to dwell under the shadow of Elohim Elyon. I want my soul made beautiful. I want to keep my soul beautiful by walking in higher places, living in a higher way because you are high, O Elohim, Elyon. Show me what it means to walk on higher places. Transform me."
Church, is that your heart? Your desire? Would you just declare it to the Lord by raising your hand to the Lord? Just by raising your hand, you declare it, "I want character like that. I want faith like that. I want a soul like that, O Elohim Elyon. I want to walk higher. I want to live higher. I want glory to reside. I want my soul made beautiful." Lord, thank you for everyone who's moved of the spirit and touched of the Lord. Do that in us we pray in Jesus' name, and everyone said. Can we give the Lord praise and glory? Amen.