Psalm 59 – Be My Fortress
My home is my castle, the saying goes. Or in other words, my fortress. A place of safety where I am protected. What does it mean to ask God to be your fortress? Let’s look at Psalm 59 – be my fortress, to find out.
Psalm 59
Psalm 59 is yet another “Do not destroy” psalm, as we see in the superscript:
“For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam. When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.” Again we are in the book of 1 Samuel, in particular verses 11-12: “Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped.”
In Psalm 59 – be my fortress, David asks God to be his fortress:
“Deliver me from my enemies, O God; be my fortress against those who are attacking me.
Deliver me from evildoers and save me from those who are after my blood.”
Fortress is mentioned four times: 1,9,16,17
“You are my strength, I watch for you; God, you are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.” (9-10a)
“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress; my refuge in times of trouble.” (16)
“You are my strength, I sing praise to you; God, you are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.” (17)
Other translations are defense, stronghold, refuge, and high tower. God raises David up on a high tower where no one can assail him.
It’s a familiar story. David is once again running for his life. Saul has sent men to David’s house to kill him, forcing David to flee. David, homeless and on the run, could definitely use a fortress.
David’s Situation
David cries out to God:
“See how they lie in wait for me! Fierce men conspire against me for no offense or sin of mine, Lord.
I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Arise to help me; look on my plight!” (3-4)
David is the innocent victim here. There are so many innocent victims of war. Civilians in Ukraine whose only offense is being Ukrainians and living in the wrong place at the wrong time. Boy soldiers in Africa who are taken from their families and forced to fight in wars they know nothing about. Innocent girls kidnapped from their schools. And just think of the thousands of civilians on both sides of the Israeli Palestinian wars that are being massacred through no fault of their own. Like David, they could definitely use a fortress.
His attackers are like hungry dogs. They don’t give up easily but prowl around the city looking for their prey. Their words are as sharp as swords.
“They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city.
See what they spew from their mouths—the words from their lips are sharp as swords, and they think, “Who can hear us?” (6-7)
“They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city.
They wander about for food and howl if not satisfied.” (14-15)
God’s Response
God’s response is to laugh at David’s attackers. God will protect David and go before him.
“But you laugh at them, Lord; you scoff at all those nations. You are my strength, I watch for you; God, you are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me.” (8-10)
David asks God to defeat his enemies and thus glorify God.
“But do not kill them, Lord our shield, or my people will forget.
In your might uproot them and bring them down.
For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter, consume them in your wrath, consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob.” (11-13)
The psalm ends with David singing praises to God, his fortress and refuge.
Fortress
A fortress is “a large, strong building or group of buildings that can be defended from attack” FORTRESS | English meaning – Cambridge Dictionary
Fortresses keep other people out and provide a safe haven for those inside. We need safe places where we can sleep secure, not afraid for our life. Our homes are meant to be refuges, places where we come after a hard day’s work and spend time with people we care about and trust.
There is also a negative side to fortresses. They can keep you isolated, away from other people with other viewpoints. They can create a fortress mentality defined as: “A situation in which a group of people feel they are under attack and therefore refuse to listen to any criticism or views that do not fit with their own position and aims.” Or: “a collective state of mind in which a group of people believe themselves constantly attacked, oppressed, or isolated in the face of the negative intentions of the rest of the world.”
Social media often fosters such a mind set by offering suggestions of posts that reinforce what the reader already believes rather than challenging them with the truth. Hence, people hear what they want to hear, not necessarily what they need to hear.
This is not the fortress of Psalm 59 – be my fortress. We don’t go to God to be told what we want to hear, but what God has to say to us. God’s fortress is wide and embraces people of different backgrounds.
Psalm 59 – Be My Fortress
In Psalm 59 – be my fortress, God is David’s protector, a safe place where David can sleep assured of God’s care. David who was on the run, homeless, sleeping in caves, found a home, a resting place in God. If David can find safety in God, so can we.
What has been your experience of God as protector? Were there times in your life that you felt defenseless?
(For another take on Psalm 59, see Psalm 59: God’s Laughter – Patricia M Robertson)
This post is part of a series of blog posts on the Psalms. Sign up to follow this blog and 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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