Psalm 57:4 — My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

Have you ever had one of those days? You know … One if those days when nothing seems to be working out? When people you thought were friends have turned on you and seem to be to be working together to make you look bad? David would know how you felt. Psalm 57 is about a time when Saul and his followers were accusing him of all kinds of wickedness. Saul! Saul, who above all people should have been full of gratitude to him.
It is natural, when we are attacked, to strike back. It is natural to return insult for insult, slander for slander. David, though, responded differently. Like his Lord after him “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth:”. David chose a different path, he appealed to a higher court.
The next verse in the Psalm says, “Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.” It is a direct request to God to show, by His justice, how great He is. From here David will go on to restate his complaint and then calm himself, come before God in praise and finally repeat his appeal that God be exalted in justice.
I’m not sure why this is in my mind today. There have been times when people talked behind my back, but that’s not now. But I know that when it did go on, I didn’t show David’s grace under pressure. It really was remarkable. Look how verse 4 starts. It doesn’t say “when things are sorted out, I will lie down.” It says “I lie even among them that are set on fire”. David, knowing he us under vicious attack, lies down in the midst if his attackers, a lamb amongst lions. Charles Spurgeon comments:
Perhaps Saul and his band kindled a fire in the cavern while they halted in it, and David was thus reminded of the fiercer fire of their hate which burned within their hearts. Like the bush in Horeb, the believer is often in the midst of flames, but never consumed. It is a mighty triumph of faith when we can lie down even among firebrands and find rest, because God is our defense.
As I said, I don’t know why this was in my mind today. Perhaps you’re reading this, and feeling you’re under attack. If it’s you, can you take David’s place, and lie down and let The Lord take it? If you can, the rewards are great.