Psalm 54 - Submission
The superscript tells us that this time it is the Ziphites that rat out David. He is deep in the hill country of the Judean desert hiding and avoiding Saul, the King of Israel, who is desperate to capture David because he is jealous of David’s anointing as the true King of Israel. Once again, the compilers of the Psalms have inserted an intertextual link in the superscript to a David/Saul story, this time from I Samuel 23: 14-28. The situation is dire. Saul has encircled David and his men. The end is near. Suddenly, a messenger appears and delivers an urgent message to Saul: the Philistines have invaded the land! And while Saul’s bitter jealousy of David was great, the threat of a Philistine invasion was greater. Saul breaks off his pursuit of David and races to meet the Philistine challenge. For David, it is the Biblical equivalent of a successful Hail Mary pass. But from G-d’s point of view, David’s destiny as the King of Israel is yet to be fulfilled. His destiny in G-d’s master plan of salvation awaited him.
Part of that destiny included some spiritual training and anxious moments in the Judean desert. That training and those tough times led to David’s total submission to G-d. Hear the opening pleas of this psalm: “Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might. Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.” (vv. 1-2)
I remember the day in October of 2010 when I finally submitted to G-d. I was 48 years old. That may sound strange to hear from a guy who has believed in Jesus as the Messiah since high school. However, it is one thing to submit to G-d intellectually. It is a different thing to submit to Him in your heart and soul. I have come to the belief and realization that submission to Him requires desperation. And in that hour of desperation, when you realize that only G-d can save you, the peace of G-d which surpasses all understanding guards your heart and mind. (Philippians 4: 7)
The psalm ends like almost every lament (complaint) psalm ends: obedience in the form of an offering and praise (again, we note obedience is a by-product of salvation, not the cause of it).
I pray that your journey with Jesus includes a submission story. Know today that your destiny in Him requires it.
Godspeed,
DWach
Share this post