Lessons from the Psalms: God My Strength and Fortress

“But I will sing of your strength; I will sign aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.” -Psalm 59:16-17 (ESV) [Read Psalm 59]

When taking the Psalms one by one as I have done since January 1, 2016 to write daily devotional thoughts, it will naturally occur that one comes to a Psalm which is difficult to explicate or to find key verses on which to base devotional thoughts. On the 59^th day of the year 20016, and this 59^th Psalm, one with the title “Deliver Me from My Enemies,” I found at first a mental block. Then, upon second reading, and with prayer, I found very strong key verses in Psalm 59:16-17, the concluding verses of this prayer for deliverance from enemies.

The occasion of this Psalm by David seems to be when Saul sent men to David’s house to watch for him and kill him. David was a “tracked” man, one whom King Saul, David’s father-in-law, wanted out of his way. After all, the people had sung in the streets: Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7). Jealousy like an angry monster had beset Saul and he wanted the younger man, favored by the people, chosen by God, and anointed to be the next King to be out of the way. The Psalm describes the enemy as “bloodthirsty men” (v. 2), “howling dogs” (v. 6), and filled with pride and cursing (v. 12). From such enemies David prays to be delivered and remembers that God has been faithful to him, his fortress, refuge, deliverer and his God who shows steadfast love.

We may never have had the physical enemies David experienced during that time in his life, but always there are those who are enemies to Christians. People will ridicule and make light of one’s sincere commitment to the Lord. Many view Christianity as a “when it is convenient” commitment and seek to find no reason for faithful church attendance, tithing and a firm commitment to lead in some capacity within the church. Or there are those who serve for a season and find that they need relief from their regular church commitments of teaching, ministering or attendance. They drop out a Sunday or two, and then the absenteeism from church and spiritual responsibilities become a way of life.

Notice David’s statement of faith in verses 9 and 17. His commitment to the Lord was not an “on” and “off” or “if it is convenient” type of resolution. He stated firmly: “O my Strength, I will watch for you, for you, O God, are my fortress.” (v. 9). He reaffirmed his statement of faith: “O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love” (v. 17). In my husband’s years of pastoral ministry, during the invitation time persons would come and “make a re-commitment” to the Lord. It was not that they had lost their salvation, for this, we believe, is a once-and-for all commitment. But they had grown cold in their Christian walk, wanted to repent, and wanted prayer that they could again join in Christian worship and service. They had found anew that “The joy of the Lord is my Strength” as David expressed when he had been rescued and restored and could proclaim again that the Lord was his fortress and his refuge. As the hymn by Ms. Fannie J. Crosby (1820-1915) so aptly expresses, we need to sing for reminder, renewal and strength: “Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to Thy precious bleeding side.” -Ethelene Dyer Jones 02.28.2016