When I first started reading my Bible through each year back in the 80’s, I used an outline that had me reading the Psalms and Gospels twice, the rest of the books of the Bible once. I also read five Psalms and one chapter of Proverbs each day. I fell in love with the songs of Scripture. I am still in love with the songs of Scripture.
I woke to Psalm 59 this morning. It is a song of David and it was written when Saul sent agents to watch the house and kill him.
The main them of the song is a cry for deliverance. It begins, “Deliver me from my enemies, my God; protect me from those who rise up against me.” [HCSB]
David’s description of his enemies throughout the song is vivid, but it is the ending that gets me every time. It begins in verse 16, and it begins with that word “but.”
“But” is a disclaimer of everything preceding it because of what follows it.
“But I will sing of Your strength and will joyfully proclaim Your faithful love in the morning. For You have been a stronghold for me, a refuge in the day of trouble. To You, my strength, I sing praises, because God is my stronghold—my faithful God.” [vs 16-17 HCSB]
The enemies may have been prowling around outside waiting to do him harm, but David was safe inside the stronghold of His Faithful God.
And so are we! Amen
