Psalm 57:4-5


Psalm 57:4-5
I am in the midst of lions;
I am forced to dwell 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.

As David continues his transformation in the cave of Adullam, his outlook begins to change. As we read through Psalm 142 we saw David at rock bottom on his knees with nothing but prayers of petitions to God for mercy and refuge. But here in Psalm 57, we see how his heart’s condition is changing. He is still in the midst of lions and forced to dwell among ravenous beasts, but now David’s heart cries out a different call – a praise to God. “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, let your glory be over all the earth.” No longer is David down an out, but the Lord is beginning to lift him up! He has gathered around him family and 400 men who felt the same as he did; destitute and frustrated.

But to get to this point, David had to do something that few of us enjoy. Repent. He had to come clean with God, get real and reveal everything in his heart. David had to admit and let go of all the crutches in his life, admit that he was not fully relying on God alone. Through this moment of repentance, God in lifts him up, off his knees. For the first time in the cave, David is able to praise God.

While many of take great comfort in finding refuge in God, not many like what the process there because it forces us to bare our souls before Him. If we want to move from our knees to being able to stand once again, we must go through this process of repentance. When we lay it all before God, He can take it from us and crucify it at the cross. Then we can truly be free fo the burden that we carried. If we want to get toe restoration, we have to go through the hard process of repentance.