THE SHADOW OF THY WINGS

The heading of this psalm places it in David’s outlaw days, “When he fled from Saul in the cave”; it is connected with the event recorded in 1 Samuel 24. 1-8. The urgent repetition in verse 1 of the phrase, “Be merciful unto me”, discloses the stress and tension under which David was living. His high destiny as the future king of Israel was being hindered and even threatened by the implacable hatred of Saul. To his enduring credit, David refused every opportunity to slay the king. The temptation must have been strong at times, and could have been justified by arguing that “if it is decreed that Saul must forfeit the throne and that I must succeed him, surely he deserves to die in the interests of the people”. But David awaited God’s time, and refused to touch the Lord’s anointed; as John Gillespie once beautifully remarked, “it was a greater thing to let Saul live than to slay Goliath”.

In the meantime, how would David endure the recurring dangers of his fugitive days? Verse 1 contains the secret, “my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast”. The expression “the shadow of thy wings” takes us back to Psalm 36. 7. It suggests a place of warmth, security and protection, in marked contrast to the physical conditions of David’s days in exile. He and his men lived roughly, always ready to make a swift retreat, with food and supplies sometimes low, and always unpredictable. Faith was constantly challenged, doubtless by God’s deliberate policy. For those men were being trained for warfare after David ascended the throne.

These are abiding principles. Present experiences are meant to equip us for future trials. God would not have us settle down and stagnate behind the front line. Our homes and our assemblies should be God’s outposts, garrisons from which spiritual warfare is waged against Satan and his followers.

Mark the closing words of verse 1, “until these calamities be overpast”. For David and his men, their calamities would be relieved, but would give way to later and more demanding ones. And so for us; hence let us get used to it!

“The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed”, Rom. 8. 18.