The Psalms in general are poetic writings, or hymns. So we must first present what type of literature Psalm 62 is. When we read a history book, we do not approach it as if we were reading a poem.
We read a newspaper differently than we do a novel.
It is important for us to understand the type of literature that the verses we are studying come from.
So today we are going to be looking at Psalm 62, more specifically verses 5-6, to see what we can learn that will help us in our daily struggles. You need somewhere that you can retreat and call your stronghold to help you face your problems head on. You are being overwhelmed and you do not know if you can take it anymore. This is not really too big of a deal for those of us who live in a city where there is a public transportation system, but it could spell real trouble for someone in a rural area. Now you cannot pay your bills because you do not have a job, and you cannot fix your car to go look for a job. Your boss is tired of this problem and he lets you go, he fires you. You ask your friend for a ride every morning to work but he is unreliable and sometimes you are late, or you just do not have a way into work. Imagine that your car has broken down and you have no money to fix it it is your only transportation. Imagine your wife tells you that the doctor said that you two will never be able to have a baby and start a family of your own. We all know that the economy is taking its toll on our finances. It’s your wife she tells you that the bank has sent notice that they are going to foreclose on your home because you have missed a few payments. Now imagine you are going about your day in your normal life and your phone rings. Fortresses served as places of protection and hope. David hid in the caves of the mountain ranges in the En-gedi, such as Wady Charitun, which at one time sheltered thirty thousand warriors from their enemy. Saul was seeking to kill David, so David would hide by day and travel at night to stay out of sight. Some of these fortresses were carved into a mountain or sometimes they were a cave where the king would hide, such as in the case of David when he was hiding from King Saul. All through the land fortresses could be seen from great distances because of their immense size. It gave them a sense of security to know that they could always retreat within the walls of the fortress. These strongholds served to give people hope that they would be able to withstand an attack on their kingdom.
It was a place where the king and his army would make their last stand if the outside walls of the stronghold had been breached. Some strongholds had a fortress within a fortress. When the word spread of this oncoming attack, the people would then pack all of their valuables and hightail it to the fortress in the hopes of making it on time, before being overtaken by the aggressing army, to take refuge within its walls. When a king received news that an opposing army was marching to attack and plunder his kingdom, he would send out word for all of his subjects to retreat to within the walls of the fortress. What can you do except stand and fight and be surely killed?ĭuring biblical times there were fortresses, castles, or strongholds where the king and his army would, if necessary, retreat and be able to defend from within the walls of their refuge. You are all alone-you look around and see that you stand in the path of this terrible force-you have no chance of survival. You see the army of your enemy coming down on you right where you are with such anger, hate, and violence. Imagine you are traveling during biblical times, or you are a warrior in David’s army, you notice an overwhelming force coming at you.