NOT FAR OFF

Psalm 56

1 To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me;

2 my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly.

3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

4I n God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

5 All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil.

6 They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life.

7 For their crime will they escape? In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

8 You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?

9 Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me.

10 In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise,

11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?

12 I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you.

13 For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

The opening line of Psalm 56 is Interesting, "according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths." Some scholars say David is picturing himself as the dove, in trouble, in the far off land of Gath. 

Thoughts on Psalm 56:

Could the dove be representative of the Holy Spirit who watches over David? From David's perspective the dove seems far away, but the dove serves as a visual reminder that David is not alone even in a far off land.

Matthew 3:16 ESV — And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him

Look at all of David's troubles:

- a prisoner, attacked, trampled, and oppressed.

- he is afraid for his life is in peril

- his sleep is fitfull and full of tears

The recurring question David poses:

- What can flesh do to me? Verse 4

- What can man do to me? Verse 11

The answer David will find is - Nothing!

In the new testament Paul was sure because the heroes of the faith (David being one) were sure. That's why he wrote in Romans 8:38-39 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers (let's pause here for dramatic effect. Hey Mr. Devil and the rest of your rebel alliance... those last few words... thats you! and your minions!), nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 N O T H I N G!

Verse 9

Romans 8:31 ESV — What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 

Enemies turn back when David calls on GOD.

James 4:7 ESV — Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Call on GOD and watch the enemy run, from prowling one minute (see 1 Peter 5:8) to running like a scaredy cat the next.

Verse 12

Even accounting for all his troubles David still is lazer focused on offering thanks to GOD. "I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you." Not if the situation changes or if I'm rescued, but 

"I must".

The answer to another often asked question, does GOD care about everything I'm going through? David thought so, in verse eight GOD counts David's tossing, he knows how many times. He also sees David's tears and counts them as precious, saving them in a bottle and recording them in a book. 

 For those of us on this side of the cross, we don't have to look any farther than the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Verse 13

Jesus has indeed delivered our souls from death (true death - separation from GOD)

David walked before the "light of life", see John 1:4 — In him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men and John 8:12 — Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” David learned as do we that even if we walk before the light, we follow the light too because he surrounds us like a father protecting his child. Psalm 139:5 — You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. The light of life is all around us.

My prayer - I, pray our hearts cry is "we must" render thanksgiving to our heavenly father, today,  tomorrow,  and forevermore.

Thank you LORD in Jesus name, amen.