for him already. David then goes on in the psalm to explain what the Lord had done for him already. “For in the time of my trouble He hid me in His tabernacle. He sheltered me in the secret recess of His pavilion; upon a rock He elevated me.” David is talking about his time being persecuted by Saul as his time of trouble. Saul sent men to arrest and kill David. David’s wife, who is Saul’s daughter, saved him by running to Samuel, who hid David in the tabernacle at God’s command (Makrakis, 162).In verse six David says, “And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: Therefore will I offer in His temple sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.” This is the high point of this psalm. David is bringing great sacrifices to the sanctuary in Shiloh. In other words David is climbing higher up the mountain, until he stands on the glorious summit looking to the future and to the present moment, when total and complete victory will be his, and he lifted up his soul in song (Phillips, 204).Then for a startling transition, David falls head first from the mountaintop down the slope, and lands in a dark valley of doubt. The next two verses, David spends time repenting. He says to God, Hear O Lord when I cry with my voice: have mercy upon me and answer me.” “Lord, I am sorry! I should not be down here in the dumps. Can you hear me Lord?” David felt like the Lord had forgotten about him. He was praying and nothing happened. He promised to seek out the Lord, now and in the future, and he asked God to meet this yearning of his heart. He wanted God to pick him back up. He felt rejected, and he desired to feel acceptance from God once again (Phillips, 205).David didn’t give up; he wanted desperately not to fear anymore. He continued his prayer and asked God to show Himself to David again. He says, “ Hide not T...
