I am grateful when I think about the time we have always passed. It seems natural to consider this November as a month of gratitude. The one who wrote the Psalms today is David, and David is the person who, whenever he looked back on past times, praised every moment as grateful. The title of Psalm 57 is "A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave." The term "Miktam" can be translated as a golden or engraved psalm, a song crafted with care. When people hear words, they often say, "Words like gold are golden sayings." It is a song imbued with the bitter experiences of life.

  1. Prayer in the Cave, "O Lord, show me grace" (1-6)

David was in a cave where he hid to escape from King Saul. The first place he hid was the Adullam Cave, and later, he hid in the En Gedi Cave. It's not clear which cave is the background of today's passage, but both the Adullam and En Gedi Caves are symbolic places of refuge. The Adullam Cave, situated in the western mountainous region and near the border with the Philistines, provided a good refuge to escape King Saul's pursuit. The En Gedi Cave, located in the En Gedi Valley on the left side of the Dead Sea, was an area with caves, water, and complex terrain, suitable for guerrilla warfare. David did not choose these caves because they were favorable; he had no choice but to find a place to live.

  How wonderful it would be if our lives were always peaceful and comfortable! Sometimes, it feels like entering a cave of challenges or facing storms in life. If we express the "cave life" in the Pauline sense, it would be saying, "in prison." When Jesus' disciples see such a life, they might say, "in the midst of storms." It can be likened to facing crises when the storm is raging. If we express the "cave life" in the Jobian sense, it would be saying, "in the midst of trials." It is a difficult season that people may face for various reasons, such as personal situations, health, or unavoidable circumstances.

  As we read Psalm 57 today, we learn that during such challenging times, believers should pray and seek with faith:(1) David prays, "O Lord, show me grace; my soul takes refuge under your wings." Why? "Though I am weak, the Lord Jesus is strong." It is a prayer based on that faith. "God, show me grace..."(2) Praying with faith and persistence. The one who will save me is God. Even if I live among lions and lie among dangerous places, the One who will save me is God (verses 3-4).

Yes, when a believer enters a cave-like situation, it is a time to trust God even more. There is a proverb that says, "Even if bitten by a tiger, if you regain your senses, you can survive." In the believers' language, it means that no matter what problem we face, if we are spiritually awake, we can survive.

  In verses 7-11, David proceeds with unwavering faith amid challenges. If we look at verses 7-8, we understand why this Psalm 57 is called a golden saying. In these verses, two expressions can be seen:(1) "My heart is steadfast, O God." My heart is firm; there is no shaking. When a person faces an unwanted situation, undergoes a test, or experiences challenges, the first difficulty is to guard the heart. It is challenging to keep peace when facing problems. Initially, denial, anger, and regret may arise. It is challenging to keep peace because various emotions such as hatred, resentment, regret, discouragement, and frustration continually arise. That is why the training of daily prayer and praise for believers is crucial. In such times, the spiritual maturity of believers can be revealed.David's faith was like that. The confession of a man of God in the cave is this: "O God, my heart is steadfast, and my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music" (verse 7). Job also spoke of such firmness: Job 23:10, "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold." Even in the midst of challenges, believers can wait for God's promises. Psalm 50:15, "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." From such unwavering faith, believers can demonstrate a more active faith. How?(2) In verses 8-11, "I will awaken the dawn." "Awake, my glory! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn..." May your glory be over all the earth. Beyond the spiritual maturity experienced in the cave, believers now express the will to change the situation. "Awaken the dawn!" Let us rise up. Let us awaken the dawn, O Lord, and manifest your glory to the whole world!

  As we pass through November, the season of gratitude, I hope that the hearts of our believers will reach such stages. We are Jesus' people. This means that our lives are lives accompanied with Jesus. We are people who our daily lives should be counseled by the Lord. As a pastor, I also pray to the Lord and work by His grace. We are people who live by the grace of the Lord. Even in the cave-like experiences, what we seek is the grace of the Lord. Furthermore, the confession of Jesus' people's hearts should always include these two things: "My heart is always steadfast," and "I will awaken the dawn."