Baptist Christian Church

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Psalm 61

When I think of the words to William O. Cushing’s famous hymn, “Oh, Safe to the Rock that is Higher Than I” he must have been inspired by Psalm 61:2:

O safe to the rock that is higher than I

My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly; So sinful, so weary, thine, thine would I be;

Thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in thee.

Hiding in thee, hiding in thee—

Thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in thee.

If you have lived for the Lord for any length of time at all, you know how wonderful the picture which this great hymn paints for us.

Life is filled with deep sorrow and pain.  There are times when we may feel as if there is no one for us to turn to when we are experiencing trials and turmoil in our life.

When we need to be comforted, helped or loved and it seems as if nobody cares, that is when we become the most despairing.  Some may be lonely, sad or surrounded by family or friends who do not share the same Christian convictions you do.

Perhaps there are unbelieving husbands or wives or resentment by coworkers.  You may be grieving as you grow older and see many friends and family, whom you loved dearly, pass away.

Thrust Statement:  May we turn to God our Rock Who is higher, wiser and stronger than we are!

Transitional Phrase:  Here are 3 simple points which help us to understand the truth of Psalm 61.

1. Trusting God our Rock When We are Far-away From Home in Verses 1 & 2
   1. A Metaphor — The great Dr. Marvin E. Tate said about this Psalm; “the dominant metaphor in the psalm is that of distance from God.… a sense of farawayness from the divine presence, an at-the-end-of the earth experience.”  
      1. The “ends of the earth” represent a metaphor for when someone feels far away from God’s presence.  For the Hebrew in the Old Testament, that place where God was to be found was in Jerusalem, at the Tabernacle and later at the Temple.
      2. One of the great purposes of Psalm 61 is to help us overcome faraway feelings.
      3. Dr. Tate goes on to say “Breaking down a perceived distance and the creation of a sense of nearness and presence is a major function of prayer.”
      4. Application:  Have you ever felt like you were a million miles away from God?  Like God was on the other side of the globe?  Then pray along the lines of this Psalm and bridge the gap between you and God.
      5. Application 2:  When you feel distant from the Lord what should you do?  Draw close to God in prayer!
2. Trusting a Rock Higher Than Ourselves in Verse 2b — “…Lead me to the rock that is higher than I”
   1. A Familiar Metaphor — The idea of God being a “rock” to David is found around 20 times in Psalms.  Remember the imagery of God as a “rock” is important to David because it illustrates the safety David found while he hid in the cliffs and caves in the mountainous terrain of Israel from the evil king Saul.
   2. 2 Unique Features of the “Rock” in Psalm 61
      1. The Rock is “higher” than David — We believe this Psalm was probably written later in David’s life because it references him being king.  It’s very easy to trust in the Rock when you are down and out.  But David trusts in the Rock when he is up and out too.
         1. Application:  Do you tend to trust in your own abilities when things are going well?
         2. Application 2:  Do you have people who look to you are their Rock?  If so, we must direct them to the Rock that is higher than ourselves!  
      2. We must be led to the Rock — David said that he not only needed God to be His Rock, but He also needed God to lead him there.  None of us can come to God of our own accord, we need the Holy Spirit to draw us to God.  Jesus knew this truth well and said; “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” — John 6:44
         1. Illustration — Many years ago in England when ships still sailed the sea, mariners would often run their boats upon the jagged rocks, sinking the ship and be cast into the ocean, many of them drowning.  But they knew if they could get up the slippery rocks above the roaring tides they could find safety above.  The problem was many of them could never make it up the bluffs and so they perished.  But, at one point, a man who lived atop the cliffs carved steps into the rock face leading up to the top so the ship wrecked sailors could climb up and live.  Salvation is of God, entirely of His good grace.  If we will but trust Him we can live and be spared ruin.
         2. Spurgeon says — ”How infinitely higher than we are is the salvation of God. We are low and groveling, but it towers like some tall cliff far above us. This is its glory, and it is our delight when we have once climbed [onto] the rock and claimed an interest in it; but while we are as yet trembling seekers, the glory and sublimity of salvation appall us, and we feel that we are too unworthy even to be partakers of it; hence we are led to cry for grace upon grace, and to see how dependent we are for everything, not only for the Savior, but for the power to believe on him”
         3. Application — Do we view ourselves so helpless and needy we desperately cry for God to not only be a Rock higher than ourselves, but to also lead us to Himself?
         4. A Prayer — “Oh Lord, please lead me to the Lord!”
3. How God Reveals Himself to His Trusting People in Verse 3-4
   1. Here are 4 more metaphors which help us to understand what God is to those who truly trust Him
      1. A “Refuge” in Verse 3a — “for you have been my refuge” “This image is closest to that of God being a rock and, in fact, is frequently linked to it: “my rock, in whom I take refuge” (Ps. 18:2), “my rock of refuge” (Pss. 31:2; 71:3), “my mighty rock, my refuge” (Ps. 62:7), and “the rock in whom I take refuge” (Ps. 94:22). It calls to mind a retreat such as David used when fleeing from King Saul” — Dr. Boice
      2. A “Strong Tower” in Verse 3b — “a strong tower against the enemy” This is no mere wilderness refuge.  David has the idea of a walled city and defending himself from attacks in his own home city when threatened by hostile invading forces.  This also suggests David envisioned himself with company who helped him defend the city.
      3. A “Tent” in Verse 4a — “Let me dwell in your tent forever!”  This is a reference to the Tabernacle where the ark of God was kept.  David visualizes with his mind’s eye of faith that he is moving from the Rock refuge in the wilderness, to the fortified city of Jerusalem with its towering walls to the Tabernacle, God’s dwelling place on earth! 
      4. A “Shelter” in Verse 4b — “Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!”  In the Holy of Holies, the Ark of the Covenant had the 2 Cherubim with their wings covering their eyes as they gaze upon the Mercy Seat of God.  Remember, we previously studied this illustration speaks of not only the wings of the Cherubs but also of God Himself.  David meditates he is resting safely under the shadow of God’s wings, in the breast of God, next to the heart of God.  It was said of the Apostle John in John 21:20 — “Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”
   2. Did you notice each of these images are arranged to become increasingly warm and intimate as they draw us closer to the Person of God, even unto God’s very heart? Conclusion:  When you feel like God is a world away and you have no one else to turn unto, may we, with the eye of faith, envisage ourselves moving from the Rock of Refuge in the wilderness, to the Strong Towers in the City of our God, to the Tabernacle of Meeting into the Holy of Holies to draw ever closer to the Heart of God seeking intimacy with Him under the Shadow of His Wings!

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Psalm 59

Psalm 59 is a Historical Psalm which is set during the lifetime of David.  Please notice the inscription in the heading of the 59^th Psalm.  It is written about the time “when Saul sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him”.  The full story is found in I Samuel 19:11-18.

Just as God protected and delivered David when the hostile forces of king Saul surrounded his home, so God will protect the whole nation of Israel from the many enemies surrounding them.

And just as God protected David and Israel from the multitudes of evil enemies in their day, so likewise God is able to protect and deliver His people in our day too!

1. David’s First Prayer to God in Verses 1-5
   1. Difficult to Relate? — Sometimes modern readers of the Psalms may find it difficult to relate to the perils which David faced.  We are surrounded by luxuries and amenities of modern American society.  There is often a disconnect between what we read in the Bible and our life experiences.
   2. Urgent Prayer in Verses 1-2 — There are 4 imperatives in these 2 verses: deliver me, protect me, deliver me, save me
   3. Articulate Prayer — In the midst of his urgency in prayer, the Sweet Psalmist of Israel presents thoughtful, well-reasoned petitions to God.  David says God should hear his case for 3 main reasons:
      1. The Danger David Faces in Verse 3 — While David knows God is omniscient, that knowledge doesn’t stop him from calling upon God and telling God of the danger he is facing.  Have you ever been in danger? Tell God all about it!
         1. Tell God about the danger of your medical condition
         2. Tell God about the danger of a marriage on the rocks
         3. Tell God about the danger of losing faith in Him
         4. Tell God about the danger of lacking wisdom
         5. Remember the words of the aged saint who told God when people were threatening him, “God, your property is in danger”.  This old saint knew God saw his problems, loved him, and was able to take care of him.
      2. David is Innocent in Verse 3-4 — “For no transgression or sin of mine, O LORD, for no fault of mine” Remember, David is not claiming to be sinless, but rather he is claiming his innocence before Saul.  Here is a powerful truth, if we are truly innocent of doing wrong to our fellow human being, we can pray boldly to God for our vindication.  If you are truly innocent, you can pray with David that there was “no fault of mine”
         1. David was so guiltless of wronging Saul that Ahimelech declared: “And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, and captain over your bodyguard, and honored in your house? — I Samuel 22:14
      3. The Character of God in Verse 5 — Did you notice the emphasis on the many names of God mentioned in this Psalm?  “You, LORD God of hosts, are God of Israel.”  
         1. Literally, “Yahweh Elohim Sabaoth” refers to both the visible fighting force of Israel and the invisible infinite armies of heaven which the Sovereign God has His disposal.  These were the same forces which God used on multiple occasions to save and deliver the children of Israel.
         2. Leupold says, “The writer recalls God’s unique power by employing the various most familiar names by which he was known in Israel.”
         3. He is right. When we can pray, “Lord God, Lord of hosts, God of Israel, my God,”
         4. David has presented a powerful argument as to why God should answer his prayer.
2. David’s Doggish Enemies in Verses 6-7 & 14-15
   1. Wild Dogs — When we think of dogs in our contemporary culture, we think of small domesticated animals; “lap dogs” or perhaps “hunting dogs”.  Dogs are “man’s best friend” in the mind of many people.  But, the dogs of the ancient near east were far different than what we know today.  Dogs in the time of David would roam the streets at night in search for food discarded by people during the day.
      1. Albert Smith — An English writer from the 1800’s described what it was like to visit Constantinople in his day: “The whole city rang with one vast riot.… The yelping, howling, barking, growling, and snarling were all merged into one uniform and continuous even sound, as the noise of frogs becomes when heard at a distance. For hours there was no lull. I went to sleep and woke again, and still, with my windows open, I heard the same tumult going on; nor was it until daybreak that anything like tranquility was restored.
      2. This gives us an idea of how David viewed the soldiers of Saul who sought to take his…they were like scavenging, ravaging dogs!
      3. Should we be afraid of roving bands of bloodthirsty dogs?  Not even a little bit because they pose no threat at all to God, David says in Verse 8 —” But you, O LORD, laugh at them”.  Psalm 37:13 “The Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming”
3. David’s Second Prayer to God in Verses 10-13
   1. An Imprecation — In David’s first prayer in verses 1-5, he describes what his enemies were trying to do to him.  In David’s second prayer in verses 10-13, David asks God to do something to his enemies.
   2. A Gradual Destruction — Notice the following phrases:
      1. “By your power, bring them down” in verse 11
      2. “let them be trapped in their pride” in verse 12
      3. “consume them in wrath; consume them till they are no more” in verse 13
         1. What is so unique about this 2^nd prayer is David asks God to destroy his enemies…but not all at once…so other people will see and learn from their bad example that the True God is a God of Justice!
         2. Notice Verse 11: “But do not kill them, O Lord our shield, or my people will forget”
   3. A Question Answered — The Question — If there is a God, then why does He permit bad things to happen?  The Answer — God may allow evil to flourish for a little time so we might learn from it.  We learn at least 5 things from the Sovereign God allowing evil to continue temporarily:
      1. So we can see that sin and evil are always short lived
      2. So we can see sin carries the seeds of destruction within itself
      3. …judgement will always come upon the wicked in the end
      4. If God did not permit evil, we would never learn anything from it and would not grow away from it
      5. In Summary — Verse 13b says, “that they may know that God rules over Jacob to the ends of the earth”.  When evil emerges, God tolerates it for a time until it stagnates and falls to the ground because of its inner corruption, and finally it is decisively judged by God!  David must have understood this for a long time because these words mirror, almost exactly what David told Goliath the Philistine champion: “This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head.… and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel” — 1 Samuel 17:46
4. Two Refreshing Refrains in Verses 9 & 17 — These 2 refrains are almost identical to one another save “I will watch for you” in verse 9 becomes “I will sing praise to you” in verse 17.  
   1. The First Refrain: The prophet Habakkuk also said “I will watch” in Habakkuk 2:1 — “I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint”
      1. Just as David did not understand what the Lord was doing when God allowed him to be hunted by Saul’s doggish soldiers, Habakkuk did not understand why God would allow Israel to be destroyed by the Babylonians.
      2. But, both David and Habakkuk committed their ways to God and waited faithfully and expectantly on the Lord to be delivered by Him.
      3. We also will face many situations where we can do no more.  We cannot change or alter our situation, but we CAN wait upon God for a solution from Him. 
   2. The Second Refrain:  Is a great testimony because the situation in verses 1-2 has not changed.  This situation was so tumultuous it caused David to cry out to God.  The words, watch in verse 9and sing in verse 17 are nearly identical and have only 1 letter different in the Hebrew language, which is a way of saying, if we keep our eyes upon God we are only 1 letter away from singing His praises and rejoicing in Him.
      1. Do you lack joy, is it hard to sing God’s praises? — In Psalm 59, in order for us to sing to God we must have first watched and waited for Him.  Remember Habakkuk, who waited upon the Lord, to receive a Word from the Lord.  Habakkuk did indeed receive a Word from God and his short book ends with singing:

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the LORD,

I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

he enables me to go on the heights — Habakkuk 3:17–19

These are words of someone who learned to wait upon God.  

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Psalm 57

David experienced betrayal at the hand of the self-serving foreigner; the evil Doeg in Psalm 52. Then, after freeing the people of Ziph from a Philistine invasion in Psalm 54 David is betrayed by his own countrymen; this added insult to injury because the people of Ziph should have protected David. 

In Psalm 56, David finds himself in Gath, the hometown of Goliath the Philistine. David behaves like a madman and is thrust out of the presence of king Achish, afterwards he hides in the cave at Adullam.

This is where Psalm 57 picks up. The inscription in the heading says “when he fled from Saul, in the cave.”  The cave was rather large; and for the beginning of his stay there, he was all alone.

But, this stay at Adullum marks the beginning of David’s ill fortunes being reversed. 1 Samuel 22 tells us while David was at the cave, his brethren, fathers’ household and many people who were upset and discontent with Saul’s terrible testimony and leadership began to gather around David. A total of around 400 men came to his aid, David would become their faithful leader.

Now then, Psalm 57 does not record the arrival of these faithful followers at the cave of Adullam. But, we do have a noticeable change in David’s demeanor.  As he writes this Psalm the overall tone of the poem beams with the light of praise, while the previous Psalms seemed darker fearful, uncertain, and at times desperate.

Why such an abrupt change? — Well, in the previous compositions David is hiding from his enemies but in Psalm 57 David is hiding in God.  David was on the run, hiding from his enemies in Nob, in Gath, and finally in the cave.  The cave in Psalm 57 stands as an object lesson to symbolize David hiding in God.  

Perhaps no greater Christian hymn summarizes the message of Psalm 57 better than this:

O safe to the rock that is higher than I,

My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;

So sinful, so weary, thine, thine would I be;

Thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in thee.

Hiding in Thee is the hymn and message of Psalm 57!

1. Under the Shadow of God’s Wings in Verses 1-5
   1. Where is David’s Refuge in Verse 1? — When we consider David’s situation it is natural for us to think he is speaking of the cave as being his refuge.  But, that is not the case.  The cave at Adullam was David’s refuge in the physical sense.  God is David’s refuge in every sense.  As David is hidden physically in the deep shadows of the cave at Adullam, he confesses it is only under the shadow of God’s wings where his true safety is found.
   2. God-Centered Praise — The names, titles and pronouns which refer to God are mentioned at least 29 times in these 11 short verses which make up the 57^th Psalm.
   3. To what does “shadow of your wings” refer in Verse 1? — I believe David has a dual imagery in his mind here:
      1. The Wings of the Cherubim — In the Tabernacle and later the Temple, the Ark of the Covenant had 2 golden Cherubim on its lid.  These celestial creatures had wings which covered their eyes like blinders for a horse and they gazed upon the Mercy Seat of God.
         1. David envisions himself in the Tabernacle in the Sacred Presence of God.
         2. The messaging here is striking, instead of seeing himself in a cold, dark cave all alone he meditates as if he is in the Presence of God Himself.
      2. The Wings of God Himself — Someone may say, “Well, hold on a minute, God doesn’t have ‘wings’ so we shouldn’t be irreverent like that”. Please note the following passages:  
         1. The Prelude to the 10 Commandments in Exodus 19:4 — “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.”
         2. In the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32:11 — “an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions”
         3. The Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 23:37 — “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing”  
         4. The phrase “shadow of your wings” occurs in Psalms 17:8, 36:7, 61:4, 63:7 and 57:1.   
         5. In Psalm 91:1&4 — “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty…He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”
   4. Why does David cry out to “God Most High” in Verses 2-3? — This name first appears in the story when Abraham met Melchizedek in Genesis 14 — “And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” — Verses 19-20. Here are 2 reasons why David calls upon “God Most High”
      1. David and Abraham were both homeless.  Both men had left everything to follow after God and the calling which God placed on them.
      2. David and Abraham both knew what the phrase “God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand” meant.  God delivered David first, then God delivered David’s great enemy Saul into David’s hand more than once.  See I Samuel 24 and 26.
   5. Surrounded by Lion’s in Verse 4 — David says “My soul is in the midst of lions…” When we hear of someone surrounded by lions in the Bible, it’s hard not to think of Daniel.  But, we could be thinking of David just as well.  While in the cave of Adullam, David is “in the shadow” of God’s wings and as safe as Daniel ever was in the lion’s den.  David is like Daniel who said “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I done any wrong before you, O king” – Daniel 6:22 
   6. Application:  In these desperate and dismal days when David hid in a dark cave, with his many enemies in hot pursuit all the time, on every side, everywhere he went, he envisions himself in the Divine Presence of God Most High, surrounded by the Holy Angels, taking refuge in the shadow of God’s wings.  How about you?    
2. A Climax of Chorus in Verses 6-11 — Did you notice the same themes appear in this section as in the first?  In Verse 1, David appeals to God for mercy.  In Verses 2-3, David gives testimony to God’s steadfastness.  In Verses 4, David describes his enemies.
   1. The Order is Reversed — In Verse 6, David mentions his enemies.  In Verses 7-8, deal with steadfastness, the only difference is it’s David’s steadfastness.  In Verses 9-10, David cries out to God again.  
   2. The Notes Sound More Intense — The second time around each element mentioned in verses 1-5 are intensified in verses 6-11.  The notes are sung in a higher key because David has become gloriously strong and confident on account of his focus on God—David is hiding in God Alone—Not in his problems!
      1. In verse 6, David previously felt in danger, his enemies have dug a pit for him, now it’s actually the enemies themselves who will be entrapped in their own schemes against him!  The enemies fall into the pit they have dug for David!
      2. In verses 7-8, David’s relationship to God is taken to an even higher note than before as he expresses how much God means to him!
      3. In verses 9-10, petitions for mercy are now tuned to notes of praise!
   3. What does David mean when he says “my heart is steadfast” in verse 7?  In verse 3, we have the phrase “…God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!”  But now, he says twice “My Heart is Steadfast” in verse 7.  This doubling of the phrase signifies strong emphasis.  Because God is faithful, David is faithful.  
   4. Application — Can we say this about ourselves?  Do we, like the great Alexander MacLaren preached, have “A Fixed Heart”? “For a fixed heart I must have a fixed determination and not a mere fluctuating and soon broken intention. I must have a steadfast affection, and not merely a fluttering love that, like some butterfly, lights now on this, now on that sweet flower, but which has a flight straight as a carrier pigeon to its cot, which shall bear me direct to God. And I must have a continuous realization of my dependence upon God and of God’s sweet sufficiency going with me all through the dusty day.… Ah, brethren! How unlike the broken, interrupted, divergent lines that we draw? … Is our average Christianity fairly represented by such words as these of my text? Do they not rather make us burn with shame when we think that a man who lived in the twilight of God’s revelation, and was weighed upon by distresses such as wrung this psalm out of him, should have poured out this resolve, which we who live in the sunlight and are flooded with blessings find it hard to echo with sincerity and truth?  Fixed hearts are rare amongst the Christians of this day.”
3. The Glory of God in Conclusion — The high note ending in verse 11 is not surprising at this point.  The whole focal point of human history is that the Lord God and His Son Christ will be known and glorified for who they are and all they have done.  And that nothing can frustrate God’s purposes in Christ.
   1. A Prayer:  What David is praying is not so much that God has or will be exalted, God most certainly has and will be.  David is praying for God to be exalted.  
   2. How So?  David wants God to be exalted in his own personal circumstances, by the way David trusts and praises God in difficulties!

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If one were to group Psalms 51-55 into a group and give them a basic thrust or message it would be that these Psalms are “Psalms of Betrayal”

David betrayed Urijah, Bathsheba, the child and the people of Israel because He first betrayed God through neglecting the precious reality to which the sacrifices and offerings of the Old Covenant pointed; deep fellowship with God Himself.

Then in Psalm 52 we have David betrayed by Doeg the Edomite…a foreigner.  In Psalm 53, we find another reason as to why human beings betray one another and it is due to our indwelling sin nature and rejection of God’s providence over human affairs.  

Psalm 54 records the betrayal which David faced from his own countrymen “the people of Ziph”

Psalm 55 recounts a betrayal David experienced from someone closest to him:

“But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend.”—Verse 13

Let us come to learn how to weather the storm of betrayal as we consider the way in which king David reacted to this hurtful situation.

1. David’s Personal Anguish — While Psalms 52 and 54 record the betrayal David faced while he was in the wilderness fleeing Saul, this Psalm reveals a betrayal he faced while in the city of Jerusalem.  What this tells us is David was king.
   1. Unmet Expectations — Sometimes we expect the situation to get much better once we enter into our calling and find some fruit doing what God has called us to do.  David was probably the same way.  David was just as troubled when he was the king as he was when he was a fugitive on the run.  Notice the strong language:
      1. “restless” (v. 2)
      2. “anguish” (v. 4)
      3. The “terrors of death” assail him (v. 4) 
      4. “Fear and trembling” beset him. “Horror” overwhelms him (v. 5)
      5. Application—When your closest companion and familiar friends betray you, you may find yourself dealing with ever intensifying feelings of pain and anguish.
   2. Troubles Inescapable — This is perhaps the very first time we have seen David grappling with a desire to run from his problems.  Notice verses 6-8 please.  David was in the latter career of his life and ministry.  When he was young and vibrant, David was able to fight and win great battles.  But it is in the late stages of his life and ministry where he finds himself weary and worn out.  Maybe you have achieved certain milestones and victories in your youth, but now age has caught up to you as life goes on.  Maybe victories you thought you already won are now being faced with the same troubles as before:
      1. Inescapable troubles at home
      2. …with the children
      3. …with our society
      4. …with ourselves
      5. The difference between now and then is you no longer have the vigor of youthfulness to sustain you in the fight and you are left feeling drained…and you desire to flee from it all.
      6. Maybe David has wanderlust?
      7. Psalm 55 is about perseverance in later age!
2. Life in the Big City — David describes with great clarity what it’s like living in a metropolitan area in verses 9-11.  
   1. The Enemy Within
   2. Hope for the City
   3. A Prayer for Confusion—Did you notice the language of verse 9 is deliberately reminiscent of the Tower of Babel? “We would be many times worse off if evil people could actually get their acts together and work in harmony against the righteous instead of fighting among themselves, as they habitually do”
      1. Application:  When was the last time we prayed for God to confuse the wicked plans of His enemies just like He did at Babel?
3. A Turning Point — Verse 16 marks a definite turning point in this great Psalm.  Earlier, David cried to God in anguish in verses 1-2 but now David proclaims the Grace of God in 3 moving phrases:
   1. “the LORD saves me” (v. 16)  
   2. “he hears my voice” (v. 17)
   3. “he ransoms me unharmed” (v. 18)
   4. It was the personal experience of God’s grace in the past that moved David to trust God in the present.
   5. This is a prayer in which the psalmist unburdens himself of his anguish, describes the terrors he is facing, reflects on the evil of his foes, asks God for help, and then persists in laying the same things before God again and again, stanza after stanza. This psalm is a lesson in perseverance. It is also an illustration of how such persevering prayer first changes us, strengthening our faith, before God intervenes in response to change our desperate situation.
4. A Conclusion—May we, like David, learn to persevere in faith with the Lord as we grapple with being betrayed by our closest friends!