Psalm 57:1 - June 17, 2009

Ps 57:1 For the director of music. [To the tune of] "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam. When he had fled from Saul into the cave. "Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed."
Jesus is a hiding place for your soul! When the pressures of life are rising all around us one of the most vulnerable areas of our lives for being overcome by these pressures is the realm of our souls. The circumstances of life may press us financially, relationally, in our health, and many other areas but the primary area of our lives to be disrupted by each of these is the spiritual composure of our soul. The soul, which is essentially the mind, will and emotions, is where anger, depression, fear, sorrow and many other emotions and feelings find their expression. As our lives are confronted by difficulties and trials our temptations that afflict us appeal to the soulish nature either to find comfort in unhealthy and sinful bodily habits or through yielding to a mental focus that is centered on the problem rather than confidently resting in the assurance of the stated promises that scripture provides as God’s response to our needs.
Many times when the fires of life begin to burn we go through a cycle of inner conflicts. The heat of these fires provokes us to anger, and blame-shifting. We search for someone or something to become the focus of our anger so that we can unload the built up emotional pressure upon them. Most of us look for somewhere to vent! One of the primary problems with that is that instead of truly providing relief we only intensify the negativity of our feelings and our circumstances as well as compounding the problem by wounding those we vent towards! David had every conceivable reason to be angry or depressed when we consider the context of his life circumstances at the time that he wrote this psalm. He has lost everything materially, his reputation has been smeared by the false accusations of a psychologically broken king and he is running for his life as that same king has assigned an army of men to kill him. (And you think you have problems!) All of this is swirling around David and yet he does not complain to man nor make excuses for sinful behavior towards those around him. Instead David fixes his eyes on the Lord and affirms his position in God: “in you my soul takes refuge.”
We too must learn the secret of living with a focused soul. It is vital that we embrace the reality of our human tendency and wrestle for dominion over our fleshly responses by living in the spirit instead of from this soulish part of our being. Today and each day as the pressures of life arise to touch you make a conscious choice to fix your eyes in worship upon the Lord and live from your spirit. Live in the knowledge that God is both with you and in you and lean upon his peace as you pour out your inner needs in his presence. Let his peace become the stabilizing force that helps you not to yield to the temptation to ungodly responses in your times of need.