{"id":41398,"date":"2018-05-02T07:00:52","date_gmt":"2018-05-02T14:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.olivetree.com\/?p=41398"},"modified":"2022-10-03T16:03:45","modified_gmt":"2022-10-03T23:03:45","slug":"a-call-for-gods-protection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/a-call-for-gods-protection\/","title":{"rendered":"A Call For God’s Protection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Psalm 56, written by David, is a call for God’s protection. Read this Psalm and learn more about the meaning behind the Hebrew words from the CSB Study Bible<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be gracious to me, God, for a man is trampling me;
he fights and oppresses me all day long.
My adversaries trample me all day,
for many arrogantly fight against me.<\/p>Psalm 56:1-2<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Trampling (Hb sh\u2019p) <\/strong>appears twice in these verses. There are two meanings for this Hebrew word: (1) \u201cpant\u201d or \u201clong for\u201d (Is 42:14<\/a>; Jr 2:24<\/a>) and (2) \u201ccrush\u201d or \u201ctrample\u201d (Ps 57:3<\/a>; Am 8:4<\/a>). Since the first of these is more common, some translations take that as the meaning here. However, the parallel terms fights and oppresses argue for the second meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?<\/p>Psalm 56:3-4<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Mere mortals <\/strong>is literally \u201cflesh\u201d (Hb basar), which represents man\u2019s weakness and mortality (Is 2:22<\/a>; 31:3<\/a>; 40:6<\/a>). This word is often used to contrast man\u2019s weakness with God\u2019s power (2Ch 32:8<\/a>). Similar words are repeated in Ps 56:10-11<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They twist my words all day long;
all their thoughts against me are evil.<\/p>Psalm 56:5<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Twist (Hb \u2018atsav) <\/strong>expresses the idea of \u201cshape\u201d or \u201cfashion\u201d (Jb 10:8<\/a>). It portrays these enemies as shaping the psalmist\u2019s words into whatever they wanted for their own evil purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They stir up strife, they lurk;
they watch my steps
while they wait to take my life.<\/p>Psalm 56:6<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Lurk <\/strong>describes the psalmist\u2019s enemies as predatory animals waiting to attack their prey (10:9<\/a>; 17:12<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will they escape in spite of such sin?
God, bring down the nations in wrath.<\/p>Psalm 56:7<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The answer to the question is understood to be no, they will not escape. Bring down the nations<\/strong> probably means more than simply defeat them, but rather bring them under divine judgment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You yourself have recorded my wanderings.
Put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your book?
Then my enemies will retreat on the day when I call.
This I know: God is for me.<\/p>Psalm 56:8-9<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Tears <\/strong>probably refers to prayers or, more specifically, laments that involve crying. The bottle<\/strong> refers to God\u2019s storing of these prayers so he can act on them later. This is similar to the image of incense in Revelation to represent the prayers of the saints (Rv 5:8<\/a>; 8:3-4<\/a>). The records are similar to the \u201cbooks of remembrance\u201d referred to in Dn 7:10<\/a> and Mal 3:16<\/a>. The knowledge that God is for me<\/strong> should bring remarkable peace (see Rm 8:31<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mere humans do to me?<\/p>Psalm 56:10-11<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What can mere humans do to me? <\/strong>again reminds us of Rm 8:31<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am obligated by vows to you, God;
I will make my thank offerings to you.<\/p>Psalm 56:12<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Vows <\/strong>were commonly made during petitions and fulfilled through thank offerings (see note at 22:25-26<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For you rescued me from death,
even my feet from stumbling,
to walk before God in the light of life.<\/p>Psalm 56:13<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Light <\/strong>is used as a synonym for life (Jb 3:20<\/a>) but also may represent joy (Is 9:2<\/a>) and salvation (Is 58:8<\/a>). See notes at Ps 27:1<\/a>; 36:9<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WORD STUDY: BATACH<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n