Christian Art | Prayer With Jesus | Psalms | Praise And Assurance Under Persecution | King David As A Boy | Audio KJV | Psalms King James Version
Psalm 57 | King James Audio Bible
YouTube: Psalm 57 KJV | King James Version | Audio Bible | Word Aloud
Psalm 57 is born of recognition of one’s own limitations and awareness of God. This psalm encapsulates universal experience of facing adversity and challenges.
A central theme of trust is throughout the psalm. The psalmist places unwavering trust in God, emphasizing th profound belief that even in the darkest times, God is a refuge. This sentiment reflects human need for a source of strength beyond ourselves when confronted with trials. The psalm speaks to the deep well of resilience that faith in God can provide in the face of adversity.
The psalmist’s plea for God’s mercy strikes a universal chord. When individuals find themselves surrounded by adversity and danger, we often seek divine intervention and compassion. The psalmist acknowledges human frailty and te inability to overcome challenges alone.
Amid the trials described in the psalm, imagery of taking refuge in the “shadow of God’s wings” is particularly moving. This evokes an image of a protective and nurturing embrace, a place of shelter and solace amidst life’s storms. This imagery transcends cultural boundaries, touching a core of human longing for safety and comfort.
The psalmist’s unwavering belief in God’s ability to deliver echoes human desire for a just and righteous resolution to the difficulties and injustices we face. This signifies deep longing for divine intervention and a belief in the ultimate triumph of good over evil.
The psalmist acknowledges presence of adversaries and treacherous circumstances. This is a reminder that challenges, both internal and external, are an intrinsic part of the human experience. The psalmist’s honesty about these challenges adds depth and relatability, as it reflects sometimes harsh realities of life.
Lastly, the repeated call for God’s exaltation above the heavens and the earth conveys awe and reverence for the divine. The psalm is a reminder that, despite trials and tribulations, there exists transcendent power and glory that can bring solace and resolution to life’s challenges.
Psalm 57 | King James Audio Bible KJV | Love Revealed By Jesus Christ
Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.
He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.
My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.
They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.
My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.
For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth
Key Themes Of The Psalm For Reflection | Love Revealed By Jesus Christ
- Trust in God: The psalmist’s profound trust in God’s protection and mercy is a central theme. It reflects the universal human need to rely on a higher power during challenging times.
- Divine Refuge: The imagery of taking refuge in the “shadow of God’s wings” underscores the human longing for safety and solace in the face of adversity. It symbolizes the belief in divine protection.
- Plea for Mercy: The psalmist’s earnest plea for God’s mercy highlights the recognition of human limitations and the need for divine intervention in difficult circumstances.
- Deliverance: The psalmist expresses a strong belief in God’s power to deliver, signifying the human desire for just resolutions and the triumph of good over evil.
- Adversity and Challenges: The acknowledgment of adversaries and trials speaks to the universal human experience of facing difficulties, both internal and external.
- Exaltation of God: Repeated calls for God’s exaltation above the heavens and the earth convey a deep sense of awe and reverence for the divine, emphasizing the overarching power of the divine even in the midst of life’s challenges.
Christian Art | George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | The Sinner George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | The Sinner Lord, how I am all ague, when I seek What I have treasur’d in my memorie! Since, if my soul make even with the week, Each seventh note by right is due to thee. I finde there quarries of pil’d vanities, But shreds of holinesse, that dare not venture To shew their face, since crosse to thy decrees. There the circumference earth is, heav’n the centre. In so much dregs the quintessence is small: The spirit and good extract of my heart Comes to about the many hundredth part. Yet Lord restore thine image, heare my call: And though my hard heart scarce to thee can grone, Remember that thou once didst write in stone. George Herbert | The Temple | The Church | The Sinner The poet reflects on his spiritual state, describing a struggle with weakness, sin, and the desire for divine alignment. The poem opens with the poet addressing God, expressing discomfort, likened to an ‘ague’ (fever or chill), when he searches his memory for spiritual treasures. This ‘ague’ suggests both a physical and spiritual unease, revealing the tension the poet feels in self-examination. The second line conveys a sense of regret as the poet searches for ‘treasur’d’ holiness in his memory. He recognizes that, although he might strive to keep his soul ‘even with the week’, dedicating every seventh day to God, he falls short. This phrase reflects the expectation to honour the Sabbath, but the poet’s efforts are met with disappointment in their perceived spiritual emptiness. The poet goes on to examine his inner self, describing ‘quarries of pil’d vanities’ that dominate his mind. Here, ‘quarries’ implies an overwhelming quantity of earthly or superficial concerns, while ‘vanities’ suggests that these concerns are meaningless in the context of divine expectation. In contrast, he finds only ‘shreds of holinesse’, fragmented attempts at righteousness, which he hesitates to bring forward as these elements are ‘crosse to thy decrees’, or in opposition to God’s laws. This imagery underscores the poet’s internal conflict and recognition of shortcomings. Further, the poet contrasts earth and heaven, saying that ‘the circumference earth is, heav’n the centre.’ This phrase symbolizes the poet’s focus on worldly concerns (the circumference) that orbit around a neglected spiritual core (the heavenly center). The poet reflects that his life is filled with ‘dregs’, the lesser, unrefined aspects of his being, while ‘quintessence’, or the purest part of himself, is scarce. This ‘quintessence’ is described as the ‘spirit and good extract’ of the poet’s heart, amounting to a ‘many hundredth part’ — a small fraction of life’s essence. The poet realizes that, despite attempts to cultivate holiness, his internal state largely lacks spiritual substance. The final lines shift to a plea for restoration. The poet calls on God to ‘restore thine image’, asking for renewal and transformation. This restoration request implies a yearning to reflect God’s nature more fully, as humanity is believed to be made in God’s image. The poet acknowledges that his heart ‘scarce… can grone’ to God, reflecting the difficulty he feels in truly connecting with or petitioning the divine. The poem ends with reference to the biblical account of the Ten Commandments, when God ‘didst write in stone’. This allusion serves as both a reminder of God’s past willingness to communicate directly and a plea for a similar intervention to etch divine law into the poet’s heart. The poem examines themes of introspection, human fallibility, and a longing for divine transformation. The poet’s self-examination reveals struggle to balance earthly concerns with spiritual commitments, culminating in a plea for God’s direct action to restore spiritual integrity.
Jesus speaks of his crucifixion as he speaks of his being sent by his Father and of his being consubstantial with his Father. Jesus has made himself man, and this was necessary for our sakes. However, his being is most truly in heaven. He is divine. The entirety of Jesus’ being, as God the Son, is beyond our human comprehension. In order to be with Jesus, we must surrender our fears and our doubts and have faith in what has been promised to us. Jesus is from above – and he asks us to join him [ … ]
Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead. This is the seventh sign, or miracle, of John’s Gospel. We know more through this sign of our own resurrection. Jesus has power over death. Jesus is life and he gives us life [ … ]
