Living among lions…now what?

When David was hiding inside a cave from King Saul, he penned these plaintive words: “I am in the midst of lions; I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts…” (Psalm 57:4)

Can you relate to David? Have you ever wanted to hide inside a cave? Have you ever felt pursued by King Saul, or surrounded by an opposition that threatened to ruin you? Sometimes the lions are inside us, warring against our internal character and morality, and at other times, they are external circumstances or even demonic forces that want to waylay our journey with God.

But whether the opposition is internal or external, the bottom line is the same: what are we going to do about it?

I am living among lions. Now what? Do I fold or fight? Do I rise up or run? Do I despair, or do I live out the essential Gospel truth that in Jesus life swallows up death, ministry is born out of pain, and joy really does come in the morning?

David chose to fight.

He steadied his heart. He wrote, “My heart, O God, is steadfast…” (verse 7)

He ordered his soul to worship. He said, “Awake, my soul! Awake harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the nations…” (verses 8-9)

And he clung to the unsinkable truths of God’s faithfulness and love: “For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.” (verse 10)

When David took this posture—when he steadied his soul and elevated his situation through worship—he realized that God, not the lions, ultimately wins the day.

He concluded his song by saying, “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” (verse 11)

If you are living among lions, you are in good company, and there is precedent for your survival: David survived his lions and Daniel did too (Daniel 6:22). Hebrews 11:33 memorialized them with the words, “they shut the mouths of lions.” If you can steady your soul through worship, while remembering God’s love and faithfulness, your fight will be memorialized too.