FORTRESS

To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam, when Saul ordered his house to be watched in order to kill him.

¹ Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
protect me from those who rise up against me.
² Deliver me from those who work evil;
from the bloodthirsty, save me.

³ Even now they lie in wait for my life;
the mighty stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
⁴ for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.

Rouse yourself, come to my help and see!
⁵ You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Awake to punish all the nations;
spare none of those who treacherously plot evil.

⁶ Each evening they come back
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
⁷ There they are, bellowing with their mouths,
with sharp words on their lips,
for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”

 ⁸ But you laugh at them, O Lord;
you hold all the nations in derision.
⁹ O my strength, I will watch for you,
for you, O God, are my fortress.
¹⁰ My God in his steadfast love will meet me;
my God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

 ¹¹ Do not kill them, or my people may forget;
make them totter by your power and bring them down,
O Lord, our shield.
¹² For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter,
¹³ consume them in wrath;
consume them until they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
that God rules over Jacob. 

 ¹⁴ Each evening they come back
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
¹⁵ They roam about for food
and growl if they do not get their fill.

 ¹⁶ But I will sing of your might;
I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been a fortress for me
and a refuge in the day of my distress.
¹⁷ O my strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, are my fortress,
the God who shows me steadfast love.

The fort at St. Augustine is one of my favorite spots to visit. It is a real-life reminder from Florida history of a place that could withstand an assault and an onslaught.

David must have visited a fortress or two in his life. And here, as he was singing a song of lament about those who were seeking to do him harm, he called God his fortress. He recalled God’s might, God’s strength, and God’s steadfast love, and that gave him solace.

When the battles are raging around us, and when it seems that the howling dogs are circling, it’s good to know that we have a fortress.

Prayer

Regardless of the people and the pressures that encircle me in daily life, let me remember, my God and my strength, that Your steadfast love is my fortress. Amen.