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 me from those who work evil, and save me from bloodthirsty men.”

There’s no sense of control here. No illusion of safety. David is fully aware that unless God steps in, he is finished. The palace has become a place of betrayal. He is no longer the hero of Israel; he is a fugitive. He is pursued by fierce, remorseless and bloodthirsty men. Those who fought alongside him have now dedicated themselves to carrying out the king’s pleasure by killing him – though he has done nothing worthy of death. Like dogs, they are bold and greedy, shameless in desiring nothing better than to taste his blood, prowling restlessly about the city until they are satisfied.

He needs deliverance and protection. And he asks for them. He challenges God, the God of heaven’s armies, to awake, to see his trouble, to meet the injustice meted out to him.
“Awake, come to meet me, and see!” (v.4) For he feels outnumbered, exposed, and vulnerable. “God, don’t turn Your face away. Look at what they’re doing. Come quickly.” He numbers these enemies of his as heathen, since they do not care about the revealed will of God. They are trying to eliminate God’s anointed king, an act that removes their names from the blessed genealogies of God’s people. And so they have laid themselves open to destruction at the hand of God’s generous wrath.

And yet, he is confident. He begins to look at God more than at his enemies.

Verse 8:
“But you, O Lord, laugh at them;
you hold all the nations in derision.”

David reminds himself of who God is. He is not intimidated by Saul or his soldiers. He’s not shaken by power or numbers. In fact, David pictures God laughing—because these men, with all their deadly plans, are as powerless as gnats before the Almighty.

His security and hope lie in God, no matter what his enemies plan or do.
“O my Strength, I will watch for you,
for you, O God, are my fortress.” (v.9)

Not just “a strong God,” but he speaks of God as his Strength. David isn’t leaning on his sword or his strategy. He is leaning on God, who called him and anointed him. God was his fortress—his safe place, his high tower.

In verses 14–15, he paints a vivid image of his enemies:
“Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs and prowling about the city.
They wander about for food
and growl if they do not get their fill.”

Like starving dogs, his enemies are noisy, fierce, and persistent. They sniff and snarl in the dark, waiting for a chance to devour. They slander and malign him, thus justifying to themselves their murderous rage against him. The danger is real, but David’s attention is fixed on something greater. Vigilant and patient, he watches God, for God’s eyes are on him to help him. He waits in watchful trust, laying hold of all that he knows of God – his faithfulness and readiness to help those who call on him in truth.

And as he waits, this becomes his song.
“But I will sing of your strength;
I will sing 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.” (vv.16–17)

This is not blind optimism. David knows his enemies are still out there. The night is still dangerous. But his heart is anchored. The howling of the dogs may continue, but David chooses to sing.

Because even though there is still an evil conspiracy to kill him—even though the king of Israel is hunting him—David is confident that God will preserve his life. God had promised he would be king. God had chosen him. And God does not lie. Therefore, David can watch in expectancy, with a song in his heart. Fear has turned to faith, and waiting to thankfulness and triumph.

We may never be hunted like David. But we live in a world that threatens us with emotional, relational, and spiritual danger. Anxiety stalks us. We face threats to our safety, health, future, and even our faith. It can feel like the darkness is closing in, and we don’t know what morning will bring.

But the truth is good news: In Christ, our lives are not in the hands of our enemies. Our wellbeing is not decided by the economy. Our fears do not control our fate. We are altogether safe in the hands of a faithful God. He is our fortress and our strength.

Therefore we can say, “I will sing of your strength… I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.” As Psalm 118:6 declares,
“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
That doesn’t mean we won’t face danger. But it does tell us that danger does not have the final word.

So instead of panic, let us choose praise. Instead of fear, let us trust the safety of our fortress. Instead of running in fear, striving for safety, in the face of endless uncertainty, stand firm and secure in the light of God’s promise. For he has promised, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Let us be people marked by calm courage in the face of chaos. Let our confidence be rooted, not in circumstances, but in the character of our God. The truth is that though the dogs still howl, the Lord reigns and he will bring the morning to banish all darkness.