My soul is among lions. I lie among those who are set on fire, even the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be above all the earth!
I have, thankfully, never had the discomfort of sitting in a den of lions like some of my faith-ancestors. But each day I feel as if I become more aware of the metaphorical “lion’s den” our world has become. Psalms like Psalm 57, with its brutal portrayal of the wicked ones “set on fire…sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword” really resonate with me in these times; while I may not be surrounded by actual wildcats, I can sure relate to the psalmist’s situation. Everything seems so dire…I’m sure on occasion you’ve related to that feeling of being surrounded by danger and evil on all sides, too!
And yet, the psalmist paints not just a picture of his present circumstances, but also gives an example of how to relate to such things. We see the pivot to exaltation of God where one might be inclined to instead wax on about the might and ferocity of their foes. What a wonderful example that is for handling hard times! And we see it throughout the psalms almost constantly; among its many stellar attributes, the book portrays a heart-posture for keeping God’s might before the height of the giants we face. What a testimony!
But do we do the same?
This always begs the question of where our focus is. When days are dark and times are tough, do we focus more on the latest dire report, keeping a running tally of wickedness, ill-will, and suffering? Or do we make it a point to maintain focus on the Exalted One?
I can only speak for myself that I have often tended toward the former. In mid-2021, it felt like every single day brought another report that left me sick to my stomach with dread and worry. But that was because I wasn’t taking time to mind my focus; I was absorbing all the bad without praising the One who is Good. I let myself be consumed with the lions rather than the God who shuts lions’ mouths.
Where is YOUR focus? If you find yourself frequently hopeless, depressed, anxious, furious and riled up, there’s a chance you may be focusing on the giant rather than on the God in Whose name you fight. So, I encourage you to retrain your focus, to see past the sharp mouths and burning of the world around you and zero-in on God instead. He has delivered souls from fiery furnaces, from battles and the mouths of lions before. He can and DOES deliver ALL who call on His name, one way or another!
Don’t let the trials of this life steal your focus from Him; never stop exalting His name and praising Him, no matter what troubles you face. With your focus on Him, you can conquer any storm and slay any giant!
