Psalm 59; 1 Samuel 19:8-17

Take a moment to think back to Psalm 1-2.  These Psalms were not identified as “Psalms of David” or any other human author.  That is interesting given that we have seen in our studies that they are very foundational.  Psalm 1 emphasizes the importance of the word of God in the life of the saint.  It makes clear the distinction between the righteous and the wicked.  Psalm 2 gives God’s decree to exalt His Son, making Him heir of all things and promising His victory and reign from Zion over the nations.  That Song undergirds the frequent cry of David for God’s deliverance from his enemies. 

The promises of Psalm 2 are certainly evident in this Psalm as 59:8 clearly rests on Psalm 2:4.  Psalm 2 first says God laughs at the wicked rulers who rebel against Him; and 2:5 says “THEN” God will deal with them.  “Then” is a word of time.  It doesn’t say exactly when, but it does say that God will deal with them after He derides their arrogance.  Thus, in Psalm 59, David first quotes 2:4 (in v8); then he says “I will wait for You.”  He is confident of the deliverance he pled for in v1-5.  He simply has to wait for it to happen.  This is the confidence we are to have, trusting God to keep His word, IN HIS TIME!

Furthermore, it is interesting that David had this knowledge of God’s promise to the “Davidic king” (the One who will rule from Zion, Ps. 2:6) early in his life.  According to the title of Psalm 59 this is a Hymn David wrote when Saul sent men to watch over his house so as to kill him (1 Sam. 19:8-17).  This occurred long before David assumed the throne (2 Sam. 2:1-7; 5:1-5), but also AFTER he had been anointed as king by Samuel (1 Sam. 16:1-13). 

So consider this.  David’s understanding of God’s plan and promises we would say was sketchy or minimal in the sense that he did not have the benefit of the writings of the prophets to come nor the coming of Christ recorded in the Gospels, nor the teaching of the Epistles, nor the fulfillment of things recorded in the Revelation.  Yet he had more than enough to trust God.  He trusted God for deliverance from Saul and his men (v1-4), as well as, from all the nations (v5).  As Luther said in the great hymn (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God), “one little word shall fell him.”  Let us take God at His word, His every word.  Not one word will be broken (John 10:35).

Here is my outline of this symmetrical Psalm.

Plea for deliverance, v1-5	Plea to teach Israel, Nations, v11-13
The wicked (growl like dogs), v6-7	The wicked (growl like dogs), v14-15
God will laugh, v8-10	David will praise, v16-17

May our lives of faith be living praise to and of God our Strength, our defense, our God of mercy!  May the constant closeness of the enemy keep us from forgetting God, our God!