Articles
David In the Lion's Den
I have put Moses on the ark and had Noah bringing the children out of Egypt. I am pretty sure I have even had Abel murder Cain. It happens to all of us who speak from the pulpit on a regular basis. The brain disengaging to eat a peanut butter sandwich and the mouth keeps running. They are innocent slips – sometimes they are humorous, sometimes we catch them, sometimes others point them out later. Regardless, the title above, however, is not one of those goofs.
Psalm 57 describes a time in David’s life when it could be said that he was in the lion’s den. There are several comparisons between David and Daniel as they relate to their “lion’s den” experiences. Both were in the lion’s den because of someone else’s jealousy. Both had spies watching their actions for the purpose of overtaking them. Neither had not harmed the king who sentenced him to die. Both were delivered due to their trust in God.
This Psalm is in a group of Psalms that begins back in Psalm 52. The occasion of these Psalms was one of desperation and danger. David had fled into the wilderness due to the pursuit of Saul. It appears that the first few Psalms in this set were uncertain, fearful, and even desperate. As the Psalms progressed and as David continued to flee, his faith was strengthened and his trust in God grew.
That is usually how it is in times of despair. The more I lean on God, the more I continue to trust Him. At the beginning of this Psalm David is in the dark, depressing recesses of a cave, and near the end, he has boldly made his way to the edge of the light due to the encouragement of his family and his trust in God. What a powerful image!
I would encourage you to take time today and read through this text. Then when you feel discouraged, resolve to lean upon God and draw strength from Him. When it feels like the darkness is closing in, look for the light. God is there for you just like he was there for David.
