Affirm Your Heart!

[Psalm 57]

This past Monday, I was at home with my youngest daughter, Ye-Eun, and while we were at home, I briefly watched a children’s TV show called Caillou with her. In the episode, the main character, Caillou, and his dad plant a tree, but when the wind starts to blow, Caillou becomes worried. At that moment, Caillou’s dad comes over to help, and because the tree they planted is swaying in the wind, he uses a stick to tie the tree so it doesn't fall over. This scene came to mind during the early morning prayer service on Tuesday (May 8th), which was also Parent’s Day. As I thought about that scene, I realized that I needed to be like the stick tied to the tree we planted with my children at home. In other words, I prayed to God, asking Him to make me a firm pillar for my children, just like that stick supporting the tree.

After reading the book Who Is the Father? (by Kim Jong-Yun), I came across this reader review: “The importance of a father, which we often overlook even though we know it, is significant. Even though we may dislike them, we still find a place for them in our hearts as a strong support… This book helped me awaken to the value and gratitude for the father who, without us noticing, remains a great pillar of support.” Another review said: “The pillar of life, the father (Chon Gyeong-Jong): He may not have always been close, but he was the one who protected and stood firm as a great support in our lives.” After reading these reviews, I realized that in many father-child (or father-daughter) relationships, even though there may be times of dislike or distance, the father remains a valuable and strong pillar of support.

Therefore, just as our spiritual Father is a firm pillar of support for us, we must also be that strong support for our children. How can we do this? We must affirm our hearts. In today’s text, Psalm 57:7, we see David making this resolution: “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.” The word “steadfast” here implies something firm, unshakable, fixed, unchanging. In other words, it’s not just that he decided on something but that he firmly settled his heart. He decided that there is no other way, and this is the only hope.

“Those who have affirmed their hearts live a happy life. The difference between a wavering life and a decided life is as large as the difference between happiness and unhappiness. For those who have not affirmed their hearts, fear will come. But for those who have definitely affirmed their hearts, fear does not exist. There is no regret because a heart that is steadfast is free of regrets… Our hearts must be fixed and focused in one direction. If a believer’s heart is wavering, they cannot please God. The believer’s faith must be fixed on God. If our faith in Him wavers, we cannot live a life full of grace.” (Internet)

Today, based on this word, under the title "Affirm Your Heart!", I want to learn three lessons about what a believer with an affirmed heart does in times of crisis and adversity.

First, a believer with an affirmed heart will flee from danger and hardship.

Look at Psalm 57:1: "Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You, and in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge, until these calamities have passed." The psalmist, David, fled to the Lord due to the calamity that had come upon him. What was that calamity? It was the persecution by Saul. As stated in the title of the psalm, Psalm 57 was written by David while he was hiding in a cave, fleeing from Saul. David was running away because of Saul’s persecution.

An interesting point is that the word "Al-taschith" in the title means "Do not destroy." In verse 4 of the passage, David describes his situation in this way: "My soul is among lions; I lie among those who are bent on fire, the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword." The reason David refers to his enemies, Saul and his men, as "lions" is because they were so cruel and determined to harm him (Park Yoon-Sun). They set a trap for David in order to hinder his steps (verse 6). Therefore, David expressed his feelings to God saying, "My soul is in distress" (verse 6). Ultimately, when he was at a point where his life was at risk due to the calamity brought upon him by Saul, David fled to the Lord. He took refuge until the calamity had passed (verse 1).

So, where did David flee? He fled under the wings of the Lord. The phrase "under the wings of the Lord" is a metaphor that means God's protection over His people is like a hen protecting her chicks under her wings (Park Yoon-Sun). This metaphor appears in several parts of the Bible, and in Deuteronomy 32:11-12, God speaks to Moses saying: "As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings, so the Lord alone led him; and there was no foreign god with him." Just as an eagle stirs up its nest, flutters over its young, spreads its wings to receive its young, and carries it on its wings, God sometimes allows our "nest" to be disturbed when we are living too comfortably in our faith. Just as a mother eagle will push her chick out of the nest from a high cliff to teach it to fly, God allows us to face difficulties to help us grow in faith.

At such times, we, like the eagle’s chick, instinctively try to avoid falling, flapping our wings desperately to escape, but sometimes, despite our efforts, we begin to fall. In that critical moment, just before hitting the ground, the mother eagle swoops down like a speeding arrow, catches the chick on her wings, and soars back up to the nest. Similarly, in these dramatic moments, God will save and guide us, just as the mother eagle saves her chick.

Second, a steadfast believer prays in the midst of crisis and adversity.

Look at Psalm 57:2 in the Bible: “I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all things for me.” David, in the midst of his calamity, took refuge in God and cried out to Him after seeking His protection. As we reflect on David’s prayer of dependence, we must consider the God to whom David prayed:

(1) The God David relied on in prayer is “God Most High” (Psalm 57:2).

In a sense, we can say that when David found himself in the lowest of places, he looked to the “Most High” God and cried out to Him. It’s like a baby eagle falling from its nest, descending toward the earth, and before hitting the ground, it cries out to its mother for help. When we fall deeper into the pit of disaster, the more we realize that there is no hope within us, and only the Lord remains as our hope. We cry out to the Most High. An example of this is the prophet Jonah. In the Book of Jonah, we see Jonah descending to Tarshish, going down into the ship, and even further down into the depths of the sea in the belly of a great fish. Yet, he prayed a prayer with the resolution to “look again toward the temple of the Lord” (Jonah 2:4).

(2) The God David relied on in prayer is “the God who accomplishes all things for me” (Psalm 57:2).

The Most High God is the one who fulfills His will for us. David prayed to this God. Let us look at Isaiah 14:24, 27: “The Lord of Hosts has sworn, saying: ‘Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand… For the Lord of Hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?’” What is the Lord’s will toward us? What are His thoughts? What is He accomplishing? It is our salvation.

(3) The God David relied on in prayer is a God full of mercy and truth.

Now, look at Psalm 57:3: “He will send from heaven and save me from the reproach of him who would swallow me up (Selah). God will send forth His mercy and His truth.” David, praying to the Most High God, the one who accomplishes His will for him, prayed with the assurance of salvation. How was David so confident that God would save him? He was certain that “His mercy and truth” would come from heaven to save him from the reproach of those who wanted to destroy him. What does this mean? This is a poetic expression that personifies God’s merciful and truthful acts of salvation (Park Yoon-Sun). Our Lord, being merciful and truthful, accomplishes His will—our salvation—faithfully through His love. Our merit is nothing. It is only through His mercy and truth that we are saved.

Finally, thirdly, a believer with a fixed heart gives glory to God in the midst of crisis and adversity.

Look at Psalm 57:5 and 11:
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth” (verse 5),
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth” (verse 11).

How did David give glory to God? David gave glory to God by praising Him. Look at the second half of verse 7 and verse 9:
“… I will sing and praise. Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations.”

How was David able to give glory to God by praising Him in such a life-and-death situation? The reason is that David’s heart was firm (verse 7). What does a firm heart mean? Dr. Park Yoon-Sun explained this in three ways:

1. He is prepared to face death. David prepared his heart for the possibility of death.

2. He is prepared to do all that is good. The characteristic of a foolish person is that they are not prepared. They are always unsettled, without a clear goal. But a believer moves with a prepared heart.

3. He trusts in the Lord and is at peace. We must always look to the Lord, wait for Him, pray, and receive Him. What does it mean to receive the Lord? It means that, as promised in Scripture, God will walk with His believers.

A believer with a firm heart, in any situation, has the assurance of God's salvation and desires fervently that God's glory will be exalted over the whole world. Even though we may become small or find ourselves in times of suffering and adversity, we pray that the glorious glory of the Lord, like waters covering the sea, will cover the whole earth. Though David was in the midst of calamity, he gave thanks and praised God (verse 8). Why? Because he had experienced the great mercy and truth sent by God (verse 3). Therefore, like David, I hope we can also confess, “For Your mercy is great above the heavens, and Your truth reaches to the clouds” (verse 10).

This past Sunday afternoon, I visited Grandma Jang at the nursing home. I told her, "Grandma, you are beautiful." I said this because I saw Jesus in her. As she praised the Lord with gratitude (singing hymns like #40 and #355), reciting Psalm 23, and often praying the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles' Creed, I saw her deep faith. I truly saw the image of Jesus. In her life, when she is at a crossroads between life and death, Grandma Jang has set her hope on the Savior, Jesus. Her heart is firm in Him, seeking refuge in Him, crying out to Him, and giving Him glory through her praise. I truly believe she is a beautiful person in the eyes of God. By following her example, I too wish to have a firm heart, giving thanks and praising the Lord when my time comes.

May I be established as a worshiper, with my heart firm in the Lord, becoming a strong pillar for my children and fellow believers.

Pastor James Kim
(After praising God during the Wednesday prayer meeting with "Among the Nations" and "As the Waters Cover the Sea")