This is a psalm of David in which he cries out to God, trusting that God would deliver him. The historical background appears to be the time when David fled to Achish, who was the Philistine king of the city of Gath. It was there that he pretended to be mad so that they wouldn’t kill him, 1 Samuel 21:10-15.
Although the headings aren’t inspired by God, they are important because they give us some understanding of the Psalm, and they help us to see why it was written. The headings usually tell us four things.
1. Who wrote them, probably wrote them, or possibly wrote them.
2. Information about the historical background to the Psalm. Why was it written?
3. They tell us of the tune the Psalm was written to.
4. How it was used.
The heading tells us that this psalm of David is for the director of music. Some commentators believe that the ‘director of music’ is God Himself, and others believe that it is a song leader who led choirs or musicians, 1 Chronicles 6:33 / 1 Chronicles 16:17 / 1 Chronicles 25:6.
The psalm was to be directed to the ‘tune of a dove in distant oaks’; no one knows what this tune was, but some suggest it represents a dove that was in trouble.
No one really knows what the word ‘maskil’ means; some believe it’s a musical term or a literary term. The word is used thirteen times throughout the Psalms: Psalm 32 / Psalm 42 / Psalm 44 / Psalm 45 / Psalm 52 / Psalm 53 / Psalm 54 / Psalm 55 / Psalm 74 / Psalm 78 / Psalm 88 / Psalm 89 / Psalm 142. The word is also used in Amos 5:13.
The time when the Philistines seized David was a time when David was lonely, desperate, and scared. This was the time when David pretended to be mad, 1 Samuel 21:10-15.
David begins by asking God to show him mercy, Psalm 51:1, because his many enemies which would have included Saul and the Philistines were in hot pursuit, Psalm 56:1.
Saul had been relentless in pursuing David, even to the point that David fled to Israel’s enemy, the Philistines, but he fully trusts in God to rescue him from their hands and as a result of trusting in God, he isn’t afraid, Psalm 56:2-3.
David begins to think about God and His Word, which also leads him to trust God and not be afraid, Psalm 56:4. The words here are possibly the words which were spoken to him by Samuel when he told him he would be king over Israel, 1 Samuel 16:1-13. The more David trusted God and His Word, the more his faith grew, and his fear was lessened.
He asks the question, ‘What can mere mortals do to me?’ Psalm 56:4. I guess on the physical side, they could do a lot of damage, but when God is for him, then who cares what mere mortals can do to him. His soul and relationship with God are more important, Matthew 10:28 / Romans 8:31-34 / Hebrews 13:6.
David didn’t only face physical abuse, but also verbal abuse, Psalm 56:5. His enemies twisted their words in order to get others to go against David; they plotted and schemed in order to ruin David’s life, Psalm 56:5.
His enemies, conspire, lurk, and watch David’s every step looking for a way to catch him and kill him, Psalm 56:6. When David fled to Achish, king of Gath, he was driven away by him, it was then he was watched by Saul and his men, and it was then they chased him into the wilderness, 1 Samuel 21:1-15 / 1 Samuel 21:22.
David demonstrates his faith in God by asking Him to bring down the nations who were plotting and scheming against him, Psalm 56:7, that is, the Philistines, Saul, and his men.
David asks God if He has his misery recorded and the list of his tears in His scroll, Psalm 56:8 / Revelation 5:8. The answer to this question is yes, He does. God has records of all David’s misery and tears.
He knows what happened when David went to Gath, 1 Samuel 21:10. He knows what happened when David went to the cave of Adullam, 1 Samuel 22:1. He knows what happened when David went to Mizpeh, 1 Samuel 22:3.
He knows what happened when David went to the forest of Hereth, 1 Samuel 22:5. He knows what happened to David when he went to Keilah, 1 Samuel 23:5. He knows what happened to David when he went to the wilderness of Ziph, 1 Samuel 23:14, and He knows what happened to David when he went to the wilderness of Maon, 1 Samuel 23:25, and to En-Gedi, 1 Samuel 24:1-2.
The very fact that God knows where David has been and how he was feeling gives David the confidence to know that God is with him, Psalm 56:9, and that God will answer his prayers.
David once again for the third time praises God for His Word, Psalm 56:10. He has good reason to trust in God because of His Word, Psalm 56:10-11 / Psalm 138:2.
Notice again, he asks the question, ‘What can man do to me?’ Psalm 56:11. The answer again is nothing, and so he puts his trust in God Himself, and he isn’t afraid, Psalm 56:11 / Romans 8:28-39 / 1 Corinthians 10:13.
It appears that David had sworn vows, Psalm 56:12, and by doing so, he placed himself under laws of faithfulness that he had made to God for himself, Genesis 28:20 / Numbers 6:2 / Numbers 30:2-3 / Deuteronomy 23:21 / 1 Samuel 1:11. His vows became laws to himself, so that he would remain faithful to the Lord.
At the time of writing, David was far away from God’s altar, and so he offers these sacrifices in his heart; he offers his thanksgiving, giving offerings in his heart, Psalm 56:12 / Leviticus 7:12 / Psalm 26:7.
David knew that his life was in constant danger from the Philistines, Saul, and his men, but he thanked God for delivering him and stopping his feet from stumbling, Psalm 56:13.
He would walk before God in life, Psalm 56:13 / Job 33:30, being delivered from death, that is, he wants to continue to live so that he can enjoy living in God’s grace.
David asked the same question using different words in his psalm, What can mere mortals do to me?’ ‘What can man do to me?’ Jesus tells us Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell,’ Matthew 10:28.
There would be something wrong with us if we weren’t afraid of anyone who has the power to kill us, but Jesus here tells us not to be afraid because He and He alone has the authority to destroy both soul and body in hell. While the physical body goes back to the ground at death, Genesis 3:19, it is the soul that will be with God forever or eternally separated from Him in hell.
The ‘soul’ is man’s unique self. It is the part of his being that, because it is rational and moral, determines the actions performed by his body, and which, therefore, renders him personally accountable for what he does.
And so, it is man’s ‘soul’ which will ultimately be either saved or lost, depending on his response to the offer of salvation which was made first possible by the coming of Christ into the world.
If we fear and obey God, we don’t need to fear men who want to kill our bodies because God will preserve our souls and raise us from the dead when Christ returns, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 / 1 Corinthians 15:51-53.