Psalm 56 – Hot Pursuit
In Psalm 56 – hot pursuit, David is being pursued by his enemies after making a poor decision. God doesn’t rescue us from our poor choices, but God is with us. What can we learn from Psalm 56 – Hot Pursuit.
Psalm 56
The superscription to Psalm 56 points us to 1 Samuel 21:10-15. David is once again on the run from Saul. He chooses to go to Gath. Poor choice. Did he forget about the animosity in Gath over his killing of Goliath? Who knows what David was thinking. In order to escape he feigned madness. King Ashish responds by sending him away rather than killing him.
“For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.”
David appeals to God for help.
“Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack.
My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me.” (1-2)
He utters words of trust in God:
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?” (3-4)
Then he describes further all that his enemies are doing.
“All day long they twist my words; all their schemes are for my ruin.
They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life.” (5-6)
Keeping a Record
David asks God to keep a record of all his suffering.
“Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll—are they not in your record?
Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me.” (8-9)
We don’t know exactly what God did for David. Perhaps it was David’s inspired play acting which saved him. Perhaps David was giving thanks for the people who gathered around while he was in hiding after the incident. We just know that something happened.
David ends the psalm with words of praise and thanksgiving.
“I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you.
For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” (12-13)
Psalm 56 – Hot Pursuit
The first verse of Psalm 56 states – “Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit.” (NIV) Other translations are:
“Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me.” English Standard version
“Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up.” King James
“Be gracious to me, God, for a man has trampled upon me.” New American Standard
“O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long.” New Living
Regardless of which translation you use, clearly David is in big trouble. Much as I like the King James version of being swallowed (this evokes images of people with wicked tongues spreading lies and swallowing David with those lies), I chose hot pursuit because it speaks to being on the run, something David is no stranger to, and to which many can relate.
Poor Choices
All of us are prone to making poor choices at one time or another. When my children were young, I used to teach Parenting with Love and Logic classes. The focus was on allowing children to learn responsibility and good decision making through letting them experience the natural consequences of poor choices.
Poor decisions on your part do not constitute an emergency on my part, as one teaching session claimed. When our children make poor choices, we don’t need to rush in with a solution. Rather we can take our time and give our children time to figure out their own solution. As another Love and Logic saying goes, the best solution to any problem lies within the person with the problem.
David is no stranger to poor choices. As one commentator states, “David, in this psalm, by his faith throws himself into the hands of God, even when he had by his fear and folly thrown himself into the hands of the Philistines; it was when they took him in Gath, whither he fled for fear of Saul.” Commentary on Psalms 56 by Matthew Henry
It seems to me that God is a love and logic parent. God doesn’t rush in to save us every time we make a mistake. God allows us to experience the consequences of our poor choices. But God doesn’t abandon us. Like a loving parent, God is close by, holding our hand when we fall and allowing us to get back up.
Hot Pursuit
Are you in hot pursuit of something or someone? What is that you are chasing after? Is it that illusive big win, the office on the top floor, the perfect life partner, a New York Times best seller? Or are you being chased? Is fear chasing you and causing you to make poor decisions? Or guilt from past wrong doings? Are you on the run from enemies?
Whatever you are chasing, chances are, you are being chased in turn. Perhaps God is chasing after you, like the hound of heaven. Are you willing to be caught? Are you willing to face your fears and your past, trusting in God’s love?
Like the writer of Psalm 56 – hot pursuit, we can trust that God will keep our feet from stumbling so that we too can walk in the light of life.
(For another take on Psalm 56, see Psalm 56: God, the Tear Catcher – Patricia M Robertson)
This post is part of a series of blog posts on the Psalms. Sign up to follow this blog and receive a free copy of Still Dancing, the second book in my Dancing through Life Series. click here to sign up
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