Be Exalted

DEVOTION

PSALMS

BE EXALTED

Ps 57

57:1 For the director of music. [To the tune of] "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam.  When he had fled from Saul into the cave.

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.

NIV

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. That is the song of David’s heart, and that is the song our heart sings as well. Our whole relationship with our Lord is not about us, but about him. It seems we get to us focused we cannot even consider anything but God being there for us. He is there for us to take refuge in him. We can hide under the shadow of his wings. There may well be disasters from which we need to hide under the shadow of his wing. This merely means we are not trying to solve the disaster, but we are safe in him. The shadow of his wings hide us, as a mother bird hides her chicks when a danger is near. The danger, perhaps a hawk, does not see the chicks and passes by. So it is as we hide under the shadow of his wing, the danger, the disaster passes by. The trouble is when we are not under the shadow of his wing, living out from under it, we run into disaster after disaster. When we are under the shadow of his wing, we cry out for his purpose to be fulfilled in us. We want what he wants for our life, we what him to direct us, to show us the way. As a mother duck glides through the water, her chicks following right behind her, we glide through life, following where he leads us. The chicks are not focused on where they are going, but on their mother. It is the same for us, we cannot focus on where we are going, but on the Lord our God. We simply have to keep our eyes on him and he will fulfill his purpose for us. There may be traps all along the path of life, but he is a light unto our path. No matter how many traps or dangers are lurking in our path, he guides us around them, keeping safe from all alarm. We will praise him among the nations.

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