PSALM FIFTY SEVEN CALLING UP THE DAWN. In the eighth verse of this psalm David addresses the best loved things in his life - his psaltery and harp. He cries, "Awake psaltery and harp. I myself will awake early." Literally he sings, "I'll call up the dawn." In this psalm he commemorates the time when he was really going through the mill. The title of the psalm throws light on the subject - "To the chief musician - Al-tas'-chith." Altaschith simply means "Destroy not!" That sort of phrase makes one wonder what he was commemorating. There are some enlightening verses in the first Book of Samuel (Chapters 22 & 23). There we are told the story of David at Engedi. Originally, when he fled from Saul's court he went to the Cave of Adullam and to Engedi. When he went to Adullam all the "bits and pieces" of humanity gathered to him - those who hadn't paid their taxes - those who were in trouble with the authorities - those whose mortgages had been foreclosed; they all turned up at the cave. He had all the flotsam and jetsam of Israel turning up to join him. I reckon that when he said his prayers he uttered something like this: "Lord, you told me I would be on the throne; you told me what an army I would have - what is this crowd you've sent me?" So he spent his days going from cave to cave getting more and more disillusioned. But, suddenly, there came an opportunity he never imagined in his wildest dreams. One night, as he and his men were scouting out for a new cave to move to next day, as they entered a new cave they fond it was already occupied. It wasn't a bear in there - it wasn't a mountain lion - THERE was his chief enemy, king Saul and some of his men, fast asleep. What an opportunity! All were asleep, even the watchman who should have given warning of their approach. David and those with him realised that here was a golden opportunity. One stroke of the sword would solve all their problems. Off with the king's head and problems were gone. David refused to touch "The Lord's Anointed." He withdrew and from a far off hill chastised the watchman for being asleep and chastised the king for hunting his servant David. He then moved to live in the caves of Engedi. BUT, the title of his song is "DESTROY NOT!" As far as David was concerned, God had promised him the throne, but at this time Saul was God's anointed. We must never PRECIPITATE God's promises - we must allow them to be fulfilled in God's good time. David held as a principle of his life, "Touch not the Lord's anointed! - Destroy not!" If therefore he was hounded by a man he could never by his own hand destroy, what could he do? He could TRUST IN THE LORD. Saul was destroyed in the end - but it was in God's time and in God's place. Thus this psalm is a sacred ode composed on a memorable occasion when David was restrained from afflicting injury upon his enemy. Destroy not! What does he put in the place of 'revenge'? There he firmly places 'rejoicing' with a burst from his soul - "Awake my Glory!" "Awake my Glory!" What a lovely phrase that is. There is a telling verse in psalm three. It is verse five, "I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me!" After his experience with Saul (and it happened twice), how often David must have realised that it could have happened the other way round. Would Saul stay his hand if ever he discovered David in a cave at night fast asleep? It is doubtful. Did that thought give David sleepless nights? No! "I laid me down and slept" - that is his testimonial in song. Sleepless nights are useless. David, a fugitive in his own country, committed himself to the care of the Almighty. "I awaked, for the Lord sustained me." His attitude was, "It is all in the hands of God, and I know what He has promised me. Every time I wake. I wake because the Lord has sustained me." None of us need worry. If we are in the will of God, then God will keep us day and night, He neither slumbers nor sleeps. So David sings to himself - "My heart is fixed - My heart is fixed. I will sing and give praise." What does he mean? His dwelling place wasn't fixed - he was running about everywhere. He had no place to call his own. But, his heart was FIXED - it was fixed IN GOD. Wherever David found himself, he took his bearings on God. So he cries, "Wake up! My Glory, Wake up my psaltery and harp. I MYSELF WILL WAKE UP EARLY. Now, isn't that a strange phrase? "Wake up my Glory!" Look at the context, "I myself will wake up early. I will call up the dawn!" How many times in our lives have we been glad to see daybreak? Night-time is always a bad time for sick people. As a young man I stayed up nights with my grandma when she was near the end of her life. I found that the lowest ebb for me was about 3.00 a.m. I understand that that is so for many people. Many a time I stood by the bedroom window, stretching myself, and looking for the dawn. One grey line across the mountain tops was enough - "DAWN IS COMING." Time after time I have stood there, day after day, Calling Up the Dawn! Everything looks so different in the daylight. So, David says, "I will arise early and greet the dawn, I will greet it with MY GLORY - my harp; my psaltery; my song; together we shall Praise the Lord!" By his articulate speech man is distinguished from all other inhabitants of the earth. They bark, they crow, they greet the light in their own way. WE will burst into a song of love to Him Above. "I will praise Thee O Lord among the people," sings David, "I will sing unto Thee among the nations." What do YOU do with your tongue at dawn? Each morning the nation is divided into two. There are those whose tongues will not work early morning. They are indeed very reticent to speak. The other half seem to start off at a gallop; they can't stop chattering, and everybody has noticed how the 'dumb-tongues' become the 'sharp-tongues' when disturbed. Is there no way of avoiding national strife at dawn? YES! David found it. Music and Song - "I will call up the Dawn with my psaltery and harp." Start the day with that in which you glory. David gloried in Praising the Lord His God. What a world this would be if we were all struck dumb. Strike the psaltery - it makes music. Strike the harp - melody comes forth. Strike your Glory - rejoice in what makes you rejoice. Begin the Day Praising God. Call up the Dawn with a heartfelt acknowledgement of the Glory of God. Now this may sound like just a nice theory, but David was not a theorist. He was very practical. He knew that God is our only refuge. He commences this song with the moving phrase, "In the shadow of Thy wings I will make my refuge. Be merciful. Be merciful." The repetition shows the stress he was under. The figure of "Wings" was borrowed from the Cherubim over the Mercy Seat. "In Thee my soul hopeth for safety." Our only security is in God. David found no safety in singing ditties. He was very practical, as we can see from verses of this song:- Vs.2."I will cry unto God most high." His only resources were the Promises of God and prayer. Prayer unto "God that performeth all things for me." His prayer was directed to a God who finishes all He begins, and fulfils all He has promised. Vs.3. "He shall send from heaven and save me." The word David uses for SEND is "Chalder" which literally means - "send His angels." Mercy and Truth are personified and sent from heaven as messengers to the one in distress. Vs.4. "My soul is among the lions." So David chooses the fiercest of beasts, lion; and the most devouring of elements,fire; and the sharpest of the military weapons of his time, spears, arrows and swords; to represent the power and fury of his enemies. Vs.6. "They have prepared nets for my steps, and digged a pit for me." Nets were for catching fishes, birds, wild animals. Now David refers to these as the snares prepared for him by wicked and crafty men. BUT, David's song is raised to God who is above all. GOD RULES. Principalities and Powers give way to the rule of God. As surely as the Dawn arrives each day, God is the ruler in heaven. David bursts out in song, "Let Thy Glory be above all the earth. God is over all." Verse seven of this psalm is the basis of Calling up the Dawn. "My heart is fixed, O God my heart is fixed." Though David is in great distress his mind is settled as to his principles. There is no compromising with his enemies. "My heart is fixed." "I will sing and give praise." Note again the repetition: "My heart is fixed. My heart is fixed." Fix your bearing on God NOW, and make your course to heaven. AWAKE! Call up the Dawn of a new life! Copyright (c) 1996, Hedley Palmer. 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