Fortress

DEVOTION

PSALMS

FORTRESS

Ps 59

59:1 For the director of music. [To the tune of] "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam.  When Saul had sent men to watch David's house in order to kill him.

Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from evildoers and save me from bloodthirsty men.

3 See how they lie in wait for me! Fierce men conspire against me for no offense or sin of mine, O LORD. 4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Arise to help me; look on my plight! 5 O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to wicked traitors. Selah 

6 They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city. 7 See what they spew from their mouths — they spew out swords from their lips, and they say, "Who can hear us?" 8 But you, O LORD, laugh at them; you scoff at all those nations.

9 O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, 10 my loving God.

God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me. 11 But do not kill them, O Lord our shield, or my people will forget. In your might make them wander about, 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 wrath, consume them till they are no more. Then it will be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob. Selah 

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 O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.

NIV

Once again we are told by the scholars the time and reason this song was composed. Every word David penned reveals a man under siege in his own house. When we think about a house it is not like ours, but more like a castle, a fortress, a walled citadel. This is why the men Saul sent could not just break a window, like in our houses, break in and kill him. He was inside a citadel, protected by his men. David just could not leave, he was under siege. Saul’s men must also have been spreading all sorts of lies and rumors about how horrible David is around the town that surrounded his castle. They slandered his name, his reputation among the people. David considered them as traitors and prayed God would deal them justly, by punishing them for their lies and hatred toward him. How do we relate to this kind of situation? We do not have a band of men roaming about our yard, hoping to kill us. But we do live in a world, a culture which is trying desperately to kill the idea of God, and our having faith in him. Christianity is under siege by those who God would call traitors. They have forsaken him for the glorification of themselves. They have built their tower of Babel in a sense. They say they have control or that man has control over the earth. They say man can destroy this earth, making themselves more powerful than God. They have built shrines to themselves, praising each other, but cursing God with their lips and their life. In the name of freedom they suppress those who disagree with them. They attempt to suppress our free speech so we cannot speak of God in public places. They teach their humanistic ideas to the children in the name of education, but it is more like indoctrination. How long will God allow them to spew lies about him? How long will he endure their hatred toward him? Although there are believers in parts of the world whose life is actually in danger, we live in a country where it is still illegal to kill each other. Yet we have had some filled with such hatred for God, for the people of God, they have entered churches armed and shoot as many as they can. We still live in relative safety from physical death, although our faith is still under siege. Although it appears we live in freedom, we are hated or spawned because we speak about the sin of mankind, because Christianity, God, opposes gay, lesbian, transgender, adultery, abortion, and a host other behaviors and lifestyles the world glorifies. We are opposed for our beliefs and would be shunned if we voiced our faith too loud. So we pray, O Lord be our defense, our fortress, our citadel, let not the world beat us down, keep us silent. I will sing your praises, not just in the safety of our church, but in the streets of the city. I will walk boldly among the people declaring your praises and your power. I will sing of your greatness among the nations. No one will dare stamp out my voice because you go before me. You are my shield, my fortress.