Let Your Glory Be Over My Life
BRD REFLECTIONS
Lamentations 2 and Psalm 57 (NIV)
(Alvena Khoo, Pastoral Team Member, Discipleship & Nurture)
READ:
Psalm 57 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
Psalm 57 is a prayer for help written by David while he was in the cave. At that time, David was running away from Saul. Some versions noted it was a Miktam (a musical or liturgical term) of David.
In considering the state and background when David was writing this Psalm, we may expect the Psalm to be one filled with desperate cries to the sovereign Lord for deliverance from Saul. Or perhaps, a Psalm of helplessness and requesting one’s vindication from the God most high.
Instead, I observe the tone of David in this Psalm to be one of calm assurance that God will send help to deliver him (v3). He chose to take refuge and hide under the wings of the merciful God (v1). David was aware of the great danger he was in (v4) but in this Psalm, he was exalting God and His glory over all the earth (v5) and his own life. The tone for the rest of the Psalm is that of gratitude and praises, making melody and awaking his whole being to praise the steadfast God. (v7-9). Twice in the entire Psalm – David wrote this: “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!” David had great faith in God even in his distress and this Psalm speaks of his full surrender to God who is high above all else, all situations and whose glory is over all the heavens and earth.
APPLY:
Even in danger (while in the cave hiding away from Saul) David trusted God. He respected God’s authority over heaven and earth. He gave reverent recognition to God’s glory over the earth. His faith never wavered and he trusted in God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. Not once did David have to cry out for God to save him. Through the Psalm, David sang and praised the Lord and His glory with his whole being.
In present days, we will likely be unable to identify with David’s encounter, running away from someone who is after our lives. However, life occasionally brings bitter or challenging encounters. I recently tested positive for Covid and it was quite an unpleasant experience when one by one, my family also tested positive. I finally knew how a “super spreader” felt. I was guilty, regretful, at the same time, sick, overwhelmed and exhausted. There were never ending caregiving tasks while I hurried to recover. Some days, my prayers were: “God, when will this end?” Having read Psalm 57, I am ashamed of my own petty lamentation compared to David’s song of praise in his life-threatening situation.
May my faith be like David’s, in full surrender, singing and declaring God’s goodness with my entire being and in every situation. Let God’s glory be over all the earth, over all my life.
DO:
I want to praise God and declare His glory in every situation of my life.
I want to be like David, singing and making melody while I fully surrender every circumstance of my life.
PRAY:
Echoing Psalm 57:
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, I will sing praises to you. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth. Let your glory be over every part of my life. Give me the faith, O Lord, grant me Your grace. Amen.
