Praising Scripture - Dec 11

Annual Bible Reading Plan:

AMO.9
ACT.23

2024 31-Day Praising Day 11:

Day 11: Awaken Your Spirit to Praise God （Psalm 57:1–11）
(Memorization Scripture 7–11)

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.
1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!
4 My soul is in the midst of lions;
I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
6 They set a net for my steps;
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my way,
but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
8 Awake, my glory!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!

Reflection:
Psalm 57 is one of David's renowned “Cave Psalms,” written during his time of fleeing from Saul and hiding in a cave. David’s prayer begins with a plea for God’s mercy, asking to find refuge under His wings until the calamity has passed. Yet, as his prayer progresses, it shifts to a declaration of trust in "God Most High"—the One who fulfills His purpose for David. This trust strengthens David's faith and uplifts his spirit, turning his focus toward praising God's exalted glory among all nations.
The key to David's transformation from despair to spiritual fervor lies in his ultimate reliance not on the cave as his shelter, but on God Himself. Through faith, he entrusts his situation to God, recognizing that his greatest challenge is not external—his enemies or the environment—but internal: whether his heart remains steadfast and his spirit (translated as "glory" or "tongue") is awake to praise.
When David’s focus shifts from his circumstances to the greatness of God, whose “steadfast love is great to the heavens” and “faithfulness to the clouds,” he receives peace and confidence. From that place of assurance, he composes a song of victory and glory while still in the cave.
What a beautiful and inspiring testimony for us! In our daily prayers and praises, let us awaken our hearts and spirits in the same way: “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!” Such practices will surely transform our lives, moving us from passively waiting for dawn (or for “the storms of destruction to pass”) to actively ushering in the morning with our prayer and praise!



年度讀經計畫

摩9
徒23

2024感恩月 Day 11:

喚醒自己的靈來讚美 神 （詩篇57:1-11）
（背誦經文 7-11）
大衛逃避掃羅，藏在洞裡。那時，他作這金詩，交於伶長。調用休要毀壞。
1 神啊，求祢憐憫我，憐憫我，因為我的心投靠祢。我要投靠在祢翅膀的蔭下，等到災害過去。
2 我要求告至高的 神，就是為我成全諸事的 神。
3 那要吞我的人辱罵我的時候，神從天上必施恩救我，也必向我發出慈愛和誠實。
4 我的性命在獅子中間，我躺臥在性如烈火的世人當中，他們的牙齒是槍、箭，他們的舌頭是快刀。
5 神啊，願祢崇高過於諸天，願祢的榮耀高過全地！
6 他們為我的腳設下網羅，壓制我的心。他們在我面前挖了坑，自己反掉在其中。（細拉）
7 神啊，我心堅定，我心堅定！我要唱詩，我要歌頌！
8 我的靈啊，你當醒起！琴瑟啊，你們當醒起！我自己要極早醒起。
9 主啊，我要在萬民中稱謝祢，在列邦中歌頌祢。
10 因為祢的慈愛高及諸天，祢的誠實達到穹蒼。
11 神啊，願祢崇高過於諸天，願祢的榮耀高過全地！

【心得分享】詩篇57詩篇是大衛著名的「洞中詩篇」之一，描述了他在洞中逃避掃羅時的禱告。他的禱告從開始時的求 神憐憫自己、讓自己投靠在祂翅膀蔭下、等到災害過去，轉到仰望「至高的 神」，就是那位為他成全諸事的 神，並因此得著了剛強的信心和靈裡的力量，進而轉為立志要在萬民、列邦中稱讚 神的崇高和榮耀。這首詩篇中大衛靈裡從下沉轉為高昂的奧秘，就在於他不是把藏身其中的山洞作為自己的依靠和保障，而是一直在迫切「至高的 神」，用信心投靠祂。在這樣的禱告中，他看到自己真正的挑戰不在於外面的環境和仇敵，而在於自己裡面的心是否堅定，自己的「靈」（原文是「榮耀」或「舌」）是否能醒起、歌頌。當他的眼目終於不再看環境，而是單單仰望這位「慈愛高及諸天」、「誠實達到穹蒼」的 神的時候，他就得著了平安和穩妥的確據，進而專心在洞中唱出這高昂、榮耀的詩歌。這是何等榮美和激勵我們的見證！在我們每天的禱告和讚美中，也讓我們常常這樣喚醒自己的心與靈：「神啊，我心堅定，我心堅定！我要唱詩，我要歌頌！我的靈啊，你當醒起！琴瑟啊，你們當醒起！我自己要極早醒起。」相信這樣的實行一定會帶下我們生命的反轉：不再消極地等待清晨來到（「等到災害過去」），而是用我們的禱告和讚美來喚醒清晨！