Ps. 57 - A psalm of the steadfast love of the Lord in the midst of fleeing from one's enemy (Pt. 3)

The historical setting of this psalm is when David fled from Saul and was hiding in a cave. In verse 1, David is described as praying and seeking refuge by remaining in the shadow of (God's) wings until the danger has passed.

The scripture gives two accounts of David hiding in a cave from Saul, who was pursuing him to kill him (cf. 1 Sam.22:1; 24:3-13; 2 Sam. 23:13). However, in light of David’s spiritual development, “the cave” probably points to the one at En-Gedi (1 Sam. 24:3-8) rather than the cave of Adullum (1 Sam. 22:1-2).

VIII. Offering of thanksgiving (vv. 9-10)

Trust gives way to thanksgiving, and David will give thanks and sing praises among the people. David's thanksgiving is not just a private matter; he also chooses to give thanks to the Lord among the peoples'; He will sing praises to the Lord among the nations. He will testify of the 'steadfast love' of the Lord that he has experienced (vv.9-11).

We learn two things about praise and worship as believers from this psalm. Firstly, God's praises deserve to be known among all the nations, for they are so great; secondly, wherever an opportunity presents itself, we are to attribute our deliverance and salvation to the faithful God of Israel. As believers, let us "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for (us) in Christ Jesus" (1 Thess. 5:18).

Verse 10. God's hesed and faithfulness are often paired in the psalter (cf. Ps. 25:10; 40:10; 61:7; 85:10; 89:14; 115:1; 138:2) and usually serve a restorative or protective function. The many psalms that David has written and that we read throughout the Christian world today are evidence that God was true to his promise.

Verses 7-11 are the same as the last five verses in Ps. 108:1-5 (with some variations), and v. 10 is almost identical to Ps. 36:5. This demonstrates that there were common phrases or stanzas which the psalmist would use in his prayers in a variety of settings. It's okay as believers if we use a variety of the same phrases to come before the Lord in our times of need and request as long as they come out of a heart of faith.
IX. Repeat of the petition for God to act (v. 11)

Verse 11. The psalm ends with a repeat of the petition of v. 5. It serves as a final affirmation of God’s reign and how God sets the world right.

X. Conclusion

Daily, we are bombarded by fear, and the news tells of murder, rape, child abuse and slaughter until it seems an unsafe proposition ever to set foot outside our door. The advertisements are constantly offering us a cream or pill to ward off death, a home security system to protect what belongs to us, or a car that will protect us from all ills, but all of these are fallacies. Our trust belongs in God and only God. Refuge will not be found in the security humans create but in our trust in God to care for us when we are threatened. Trusting in God and praising him for his confident refuge is the only antidote to our fear-driven culture.

God bless you

Pastor Winston Bygrave, 20/10/2020

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
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Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building for our Sunday Service starting at 10am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits after the church service. It is a great way to meet people. All refreshments are free.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. Then follows a time of sung worship, led by our band. We typically have 2 or 3 songs lasting approximately 20 minutes. Sometimes a person might pray out loud or read a small passage from the bible. Sometimes people share things that they believe God is saying to the whole church family. This might seem strange the first time you hear it but it’s all part of our connecting with God. We then share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. One of our leaders will then give a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. Sometimes there is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

images: Services

What about my kids?

Sunday school runs on the 2nd & 4th Sundays from 10:40 am to 11:50 am. On the 5th Sunday, we host a special event for all the children.
All children, aged 3-11 will be in classes that are run in a Kidz Klub style.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At some point before the sermon someone will announce that it’s time for the Sunday School classes.

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play.
Children

Getting Connected

Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries:

Men's Ministries
Women's Ministries
Youth Ministries
Coffee and Care
Sisterhood Fellowship

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

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Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.