Commentary - Psalm 57:6-11

Bird's-eye view

This latter half of Psalm 57 marks a dramatic shift in tone. David, still hiding from Saul in a cave, moves from petition in the face of peril to resolute praise. The first part of the psalm describes the threat; this part describes the triumph of faith over that threat. The central theme is the fixed heart. David’s circumstances have not changed one whit; the danger is still palpable. But his heart, his will, has become steadfast, fixed on God. This internal resolution immediately erupts into external praise. He determines not just to feel praise, but to do praise, to sing it, to play it on instruments, to shout it from the rooftops. This praise is not a private affair; it is evangelistic, intended to be heard "among the peoples" and "among the nations." The reason for this explosive joy is the character of God Himself. His lovingkindness and truth are not small or containable; they are as vast as the heavens. The psalm concludes, as it began in verse 5, with the ultimate end of all things: the exaltation of God's glory over all creation. It is a powerful lesson that true worship is not contingent on circumstances but is a deliberate act of a heart fixed on the unchangeable greatness of God.

In short, David preaches the gospel to himself. He acknowledges the reality of the enemy's snares, but then he looks past them to the reality of God's character. The result is a settled confidence that cannot help but sing. This is not wishful thinking; it is a declaration of war against despair, fought with the weapons of music and testimony, all for the ultimate purpose of seeing God's name glorified everywhere.

Outline

Context In Psalms

Psalm 57 is one of the "Miktam" psalms, a term whose precise meaning is uncertain but often associated with psalms of distress and deliverance. The superscription places it specifically during the time "when he fled from Saul in the cave." This likely refers to the incident in 1 Samuel 24 at En Gedi. This context is crucial; the praise in this psalm is not coming from a palace but from a dark, dangerous hideout. It is a psalm that demonstrates how a believer is to conduct himself in the midst of severe trial. It is paired thematically with Psalm 56, which also details trust in God while surrounded by enemies. The second half of this psalm (vv. 7-11) is nearly identical to the first half of Psalm 108 (vv. 1-5), indicating that this powerful expression of faith was repurposed and reused in Israel's worship. It stands as a testimony that the proper response to earthly threats is a heart fixed on heavenly realities.

Key Issues

From the Cave to the Choir

There is a profound theological shift that happens between verses 5 and 6. David has just finished praying, "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory be above all the earth." Having oriented his soul toward God's ultimate purpose, his perspective on his own troubles radically changes. He sees them now not as ultimate threats, but as a stage upon which God's glory will be displayed. The enemy's trap becomes the very instrument of their own downfall. This is the logic of the cross in miniature. The enemy digs a pit for the righteous, and in God's perfect irony, they are the ones who fall into it. Haman builds a gallows for Mordecai and is hanged on it himself. Judas betrays Jesus to the cross, accomplishing his own damnation and our salvation. This is the consistent pattern of God's righteous judgment.

This realization, that God is working all things, even the malicious plots of men, for His own glory, is what allows David's heart to become "fixed." A fixed heart is not an emotionless heart. It is a determined heart. It is a heart that has made a decision. It has decided, in advance of any change in circumstance, to trust and to praise God. This decision then commands the whole man, soul and body, glory and instruments, to get in line and join the song. This is how a man in a cave can lead a global choir.

Verse by Verse Commentary

6 They have set a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They dug a pit before me; They themselves have fallen into the midst of it. Selah.

David begins this section by recounting the enemy's strategy. It is threefold: a net for his steps, a weight that bows down his soul, and a pit dug in his path. This is a comprehensive assault, attacking his movement, his spirit, and his future. The language is that of a hunter trapping an animal. But then comes the great reversal. In the past tense, as a settled fact, David declares that they have fallen into their own trap. God's poetic justice is perfect. The very means they designed for David's destruction becomes the instrument of their own. The word Selah invites us to pause and consider this profound truth. Meditate on this: God turns the tables. He catches the wise in their own craftiness. This is not just a lucky break for David; it is the revelation of how God governs the world.

7 My heart is set, O God, my heart is set; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!

In response to this revelation of God's justice, David's heart makes a resolution. The Hebrew word for "set" or "fixed" or "steadfast" means to be established, prepared, and firm. His heart is no longer wavering between fear and faith. He repeats the phrase for emphasis: "My heart is set, O God, my heart is set." This is a conscious act of his will. And what is the immediate fruit of a fixed heart? Song. Praise is not something he waits to feel; it is something he resolves to do. "I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!" This is the engine of worship kicking into gear. It is a decision that precedes the feeling. The will leads, and the emotions follow.

8 Awake, my glory! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.

Having resolved to sing, David now summons all his faculties to the task. He calls on his "glory," which most likely refers to his soul or spirit, the very essence of the man made in God's image, to wake up. He is shaking himself out of the lethargy of fear and despair. He then calls on his instruments, the "harp and lyre," to join him. Worship is not a disembodied activity; it involves our bodies, our skills, our tools. And his intention is audacious: "I will awaken the dawn." He is not going to wait for a better day to begin his praise. He is going to start praising in the dark, and his praise will be so robust that it will, as it were, summon the morning. This is aggressive, proactive faith. He is setting the agenda for the new day, and that agenda is praise.

9 I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations.

David's praise is not meant to stay in the cave. A heart fixed on God cannot be contained. He declares his intention to make his private deliverance a public testimony. He will take this song "among the peoples" and "among the nations." This is missionary language. The God of Israel is not a tribal deity. He is the Lord of all the earth, and His saving acts on behalf of His people are meant to be broadcast to the ends of the earth. David understands that his personal story of salvation is part of God's global plan of redemption. Every time God delivers one of His own, it is another piece of evidence to be presented to the watching world, another reason for the nations to bow down and worship.

10 For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens And Your truth to the skies.

What is the content of this international sermon? What is the foundation for this explosive praise? It is the character of God. David points to two magnificent attributes. First, God's lovingkindness, His loyal, covenant love, His steadfast mercy (Hebrew: hesed). This is not a small or limited love; it is "great to the heavens." It is immeasurable, vast, and transcendent. Second, he points to God's truth, His faithfulness, His reliability. God keeps His promises. And this truth is not confined to a small space; it reaches "to the skies." When you are in a cave, you need a God who is bigger than your cave. David lifts his eyes and sees that the very character of his God fills the entire cosmos. A God this great is worthy of global praise.

11 Be exalted above the heavens, O God; Let Your glory be above all the earth.

The psalm ends by returning to the refrain from verse 5. This is the grand conclusion and the central point of everything. David's personal deliverance, his fixed heart, his evangelistic song, the greatness of God's character, it all serves one ultimate purpose: the exaltation of God. "Be exalted above the heavens, O God." This is a prayer that God would be recognized for who He truly is, high above all created things. "Let Your glory be above all the earth." This is a prayer for the manifestation of God's supreme worth and beauty over every square inch of the planet. David's final concern is not his own safety, but God's reputation. He wants the whole universe to be filled with the praise of God. This is the end for which we were made, and it is the only goal big enough to anchor a heart in the midst of trouble.

Application

The pattern in this psalm is the pattern for every Christian life. We all find ourselves in caves of trouble, hemmed in by enemies who dig pits for us. These might be external circumstances like financial hardship, relational conflict, or persecution. Or they might be internal enemies like besetting sin, fear, or despair. The temptation in the cave is to let our hearts be bowed down, to let our circumstances dictate our theology.

David shows us the way out. The way out is to look up. It is to remember the logic of the gospel, where the enemy's greatest weapon, the cross, became the very instrument of his defeat. It is to see that God's lovingkindness and truth are infinitely higher and wider than our troubles. Seeing this, we must then do what David did. We must fix our hearts. We must make a hard-deck decision, an act of the will, to praise God regardless of our feelings or our situation. This is not hypocrisy; it is spiritual warfare.

This means we command our souls to wake up. We pick up our instruments, whether that is a literal guitar or simply the instrument of our voice. We open our mouths and sing. We do it in the dark, determined to awaken the dawn. And we do not keep it to ourselves. We tell others what God has done. We give thanks among the peoples, starting with our own families, our church, our neighbors. Our personal testimony is part of God's global mission. And through it all, our ultimate prayer must be, "Let God be glorified." When our chief desire is for God's name to be exalted, our own problems are put into their proper, manageable perspective. A fixed heart is a heart that has found its true north in the glory of God.