The Meaning of Psalms 57:1 Explained

Psalms 57:1

KJV: {To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.} Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

YLT: To the Overseer. -- 'Destroy not.' -- A secret treasure of David, in his fleeing from the face of Saul into a cave. Favour me, O God, favour me, For in Thee is my soul trusting, And in the shadow of Thy wings I trust, Until the calamities pass over.

Darby: {To the chief Musician. 'Destroy not.' Of David. Michtam; when he fled from Saul in the cave.} Be gracious unto me, O God, be gracious unto me; for my soul taketh refuge in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings do I take refuge, until the calamities be overpast.

ASV: Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; For my soul taketh refuge in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I take refuge, Until these calamities be overpast.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{To the chief Musician,  Altaschith,  Michtam  of David,  when he fled  from  Saul  in the cave.  }} Be merciful  unto me, O God,  be merciful  unto me: for my soul  trusteth  in thee: yea, in the shadow  of thy wings  will I make my refuge,  until [these] calamities  be overpast. 

What does Psalms 57:1 Mean?

Study Notes

trusteth
.
trust
Trust is the characteristic O.T. word for the N.T. "faith," "believe." It occurs 152 times in the O.T., and is the rendering of Heb. words signifying to take refuge (e.g. Ruth 2:12 "to lean on" (e.g.) Psalms 56:3 "to roll on" (e.g.) Psalms 22:8 "to stay upon" (e.g.) Job 35:14 .

Verse Meaning

David began by comparing himself to a little bird that takes refuge from a passing enemy by hiding under the wing of its parent (cf. Psalm 17:8; Psalm 36:7; Psalm 61:4; Psalm 63:7; Psalm 91:4). The overarching side of the cave in which David hid may have reminded him of a bird"s wing.

Context Summary

Psalms 57:1-11 - "in The Shadow Of Thy Wings"
This is one of the choicest psalms. It dates from Adullam or Engedi. It consists of two sections, each of which ends with the same refrain, Psalms 57:5; Psalms 57:11.
First strophe, Psalms 57:1-5
The fugitive among rocky fastnesses hears the roar of the wild beast, but lies quietly in his hiding-place. God's angels will shut lions' mouths. "As the wings of a mother-bird intercept the danger that menaces her nestlings, so the loving care of God protects His people. Is there not here a trace of words uttered earlier by David's ancestor? Ruth 2:12; Deuteronomy 32:11.
Second strophe, Psalms 57:6-11
Before we can awake and sing, we must be conscious that we are touching bedrock. If we are without assurance of salvation, we shall be songless and joyless. In this short psalm the singer has sung himself clear into the blue heaven. He awakes the dawn with His notes. God's mercy and truth-or faithfulness-like guardian angels in the meanwhile keep watch. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 57

1  David in prayer fleeing unto God, complains of his dangerous case
7  He encourages himself to praise God

What do the individual words in Psalms 57:1 mean?

To the Chief Musician Set to do Not Destroy of David a Michtam when he fled from Saul into the cave Be merciful to me God for in You trusts my soul and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge Until have passed by [these] calamities
לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ אַל־ תַּ֭שְׁחֵת לְדָוִ֣ד מִכְתָּ֑ם בְּבָרְח֥וֹ מִפְּנֵי־ שָׁ֝א֗וּל בַּמְּעָרָֽה חָנֵּ֤נִי אֱלֹהִ֨ים ׀ כִּ֥י בְךָ֮ חָסָ֪יָה נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י וּבְצֵֽל־ כְּנָפֶ֥יךָ אֶחְסֶ֑ה עַ֝֗ד יַעֲבֹ֥ר הַוּֽוֹת

לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ  To  the  Chief  Musician 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָצַח  
Sense: to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring.
אַל־  Set  to  do  Not 
Parse: Adverb
תַּ֭שְׁחֵת  Destroy 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Jussive, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: (Hiphil) a command to the chief musician, or perhaps the title of a melody used for several Psalms.
לְדָוִ֣ד  of  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
מִכְתָּ֑ם  a  Michtam 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִכְתָּם  
Sense: michtam.
בְּבָרְח֥וֹ  when  he  fled 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַח 
Sense: to go through, flee, run away, chase, drive away, put to flight, reach, shoot (extend), hurry away.
שָׁ֝א֗וּל  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
בַּמְּעָרָֽה  into  the  cave 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְעָרָה  
Sense: cave, den, hole.
חָנֵּ֤נִי  Be  merciful  to  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: חָנַן 
Sense: to be gracious, show favour, pity.
אֱלֹהִ֨ים ׀  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְךָ֮  in  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
חָסָ֪יָה  trusts 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חָסָה  
Sense: (Qal) to seek refuge, flee for protection.
נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י  my  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
וּבְצֵֽל־  and  in  the  shadow 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: צֵל  
Sense: shadow, shade.
כְּנָפֶ֥יךָ  of  Your  wings 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּנָף  
Sense: wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt.
אֶחְסֶ֑ה  I  will  make  my  refuge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: חָסָה  
Sense: (Qal) to seek refuge, flee for protection.
עַ֝֗ד  Until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
יַעֲבֹ֥ר  have  passed  by 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
הַוּֽוֹת  [these]  calamities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: הַוָּה 
Sense: desire.