Aug-18-0492-Living in the midst of constant danger
492_Living in the midst of constant danger Psalm 59 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise up against me; 2 deliver me from those who work evil, and save me from bloodthirsty men. 3 For behold, they lie in wait for my life; fierce men stir up strife against me. For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord, 4 for no fault of mine, they run and make ready. Awake, come to meet me, and see! 5 You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel. Rouse yourself to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah 6 Each evening they come back, howling like dogs and prowling about the city. 7 There they are, bellowing with their mouths with swords in their lips— for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?” 8 But you, O Lord, laugh at them; you hold all the nations in derision. 9 O my Strength, I will watch for you, for you, O God, are my fortress. 10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me; God will let me look in triumph on my enemies. In 2018, a Thai soccer team of twelve boys and their coach found themselves trapped in a flooded cave system for over two weeks. With rising waters, pitch darkness, dwindling oxygen, and the ever-present risk of drowning, the world watched breathlessly as expert divers navigated treacherous tunnels to bring them out one by one. For days, the boys sat in a small chamber, not knowing if help would come, uncertain whether they would live or die. They had to remain calm, conserving energy and hope, even when everything around them screamed fear. One of the rescuers later said, “The most important thing we told them was: Don’t panic. Stay still. Help is on the way.” This real-life story mirrors the tension of Psalm 59. David, like those boys in the cave, was trapped, with death pressing in. His enemies were not floodwaters or dark tunnels, but men with weapons and a king's command to kill. The backdrop is found in 1 Samuel 19. David had already proven himself as a brave warrior and loyal servant to King Saul. He had killed Goliath, soothed Saul with music, and fought valiantly for Israel. But Saul, jealous and paranoid, became obsessed with eliminating David. Though he once swore to his son Jonathan that he would not harm David, that promise broke under the weight of his envy and insecurity. While David was playing the lyre to comfort him, Saul picked up a spear and tried to pin him to the wall. David narrowly escaped with his life. That night, Saul sent men to watch David’s house and murder him in the morning. His wife, Michal—Saul’s daughter—discovered the plot and helped David escape through a window. Alone and on the run, David wrote this psalm—a cry for help, and a declaration of trust in the face of mortal danger. “Deliver me from my enemies, O my God,” he pleads. “Protect me from those who rise up against me.” “Deliver