Psalms 57:11 · Bible study
Psalms 57:11 Commentary: Repeating the Cry for God's Glory
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does David repeat his prayer from verse 5? This study explores the link between confident faith and the longing for God's universal glory.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist repeats his prayer for God's exaltation and glory as the ultimate desire, showing that personal deliverance serves a larger goal: God’s universal reign.
- Key words: “Exalted” (lifted high in honor), “heavens” (the highest sphere of creation), “glory” (weighty presence and reputation of God), “all the earth” (the whole human domain).
- Main debate: Whether this prayer is primarily for David’s vindication or an eschatological hope for Christ’s global reign, both find support in the text.
- Theological theme: The glory of God as the ultimate purpose of prayer and praise; the connection between personal faith and cosmic longing.
- Best use: As a climactic refrain in teaching on prayer, praise, or the mission of God; also as a model for turning personal lament into global intercession.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; may Your glory cover all the earth.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Be exalted, God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth.
KJV King James Version 1769
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let thy glory be above all the earth.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Be thou exalted above the heavens, O God. Above all the earth Thine honour!
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Be exalted above the heavens, OGod; let thy glory be above all the earth!
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The just shall rejoice when he shall see the revenge: he shall wash his hands in the blood of the sinner.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Ensálzate sobre los cielos, oh Dios; sobre toda la tierra tu gloria.
Exalta-te sobre os céus, ó Deus; esteja tua glória sobre toda a terra.
Car ta bonté atteint jusqu’aux cieux,
Erhebe dich, Gott, über den Himmel, und deine Ehre über alle Welt.
Want Uw goedertierenheid is groot tot aan de hemelen, en Uw waarheid tot aan de bovenste wolken. Verhef U boven de hemelen, o God! Uw eer zij over de ganse aarde.
Innalzati, o Dio, al di sopra de’ cieli, risplenda su tutta la terra la tua gloria!
Albowiem wielkie jest aż do niebios miłosierdzie twoje, i aż pod obłoki prawda twoja. Wywyżże się nad niebiosa, o Boże! a nade wszystką ziemię wywyż chwałę twoję.
Возрадуется праведник, когда увидит отмщение; омоет стопы свои в крови нечестивого.
神啊，願你崇高 過於 諸天！願你的榮耀 高過 全 地！
Be lifted up, O God, higher than the heavens, let your glory be over all the earth.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the repetition of verse 5 at the close of the psalm is deliberate and climactic. Barnes notes that the sentiment was “that which the crowning aim and desire of his life.” The Cambridge Bible observes that the prayer “now looks beyond his own immediate needs to that perfect and universal sovereignty of God, which is the final goal of hope.” Clarke describes David as “in a state of triumph,” with “confidence in God unbounded” despite severe danger. Matthew Henry points to David’s fixed heart: “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed,” indicating a settled trust that enables praise. Gill sees this as fulfilled in Christ, “who is God over all, blessed forever.” The consensus is that the repeated cry for God to be exalted above the heavens and for His glory to cover the earth expresses the psalmist’s ultimate desire: not merely personal deliverance, but the worldwide revelation of God’s majesty that vindicates His character and draws the nations to worship.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The psalmist earnestly desires that God's glory be made known and exalted above all creation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the repetition | The repetition of verse 5 at the end of the psalm is intentional and highlights what the psalmist most desires. | Some (e.g., Matthew Henry) see it as an expression of intense personal devotion; others (e.g., Cambridge Bible) read it as a forward-looking hope for God's universal sovereignty, beyond David's own circumstances. |
| Referent: David vs. Messiah | The prayer calls for God's glory to be revealed over the earth. | Gill reads it as directly referring to Christ's exaltation at the Father's right hand; others (e.g., Calvin, Clarke) emphasize David's immediate context of deliverance from Saul, though they may still see typological fulfillment. |
| Scope: personal vindication vs. cosmic lordship | God's exaltation is the central request. | Barnes highlights it as David's 'crowning aim,' which could be understood as personal vindication; the Cambridge Bible explicitly says it looks beyond personal needs to the final goal of hope, giving it a cosmic, eschatological scope. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The psalm title places David “when he fled from the face of Saul in the cave,” likely the caves of Adullam (1 Samuel 22) or En Gedi (1 Samuel 24). In that life-threatening context, David composed a Michtam, a term of uncertain meaning, perhaps “golden” or “engraved.” The additional note “Al-tascheth” (“destroy not”) appears in four psalms. Calvin reports various interpretations: it could be an expression of David’s cry not to be destroyed, a reference to his sparing Saul (1 Samuel 26:9), or the tune of a known song. The historical setting is crucial: a fugitive king, hunted by a jealous predecessor, yet writing a psalm that moves from desperate prayer to exultant praise.
Structurally, verse 11 repeats verse 5, forming an inclusio around the second half of the psalm (verses 6, 11). After describing how his enemies have fallen into their own pit (v. 6), David’s heart becomes fixed (v. 7), and he vows to praise God among the peoples and nations (v. 9). Lange’s Commentary calls this the expression of “certainty of victory.” The repetition shows that the starting petition remains the end goal: God’s glory above the heavens and over all the earth. The ancient Near Eastern worldview held that a deity’s honor was tied to the well-being of his faithful servants; David prays that God vindicate that honor globally.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources and standard critical editions note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text (as reflected in the KJV, ASV, BSB, and others) is stable. The Douay-Rheims offers a different verse numbering and text, but that reflects the Latin tradition, not a variant of the Hebrew.
Reception History
This verse has been used in Christian worship as an acclamation of God’s majesty, often sung in hymns that focus on the universal reign of God. The repetition has been understood liturgically as a refrain calling the congregation to join in longing for God’s glory. Some traditions have read it as a messianic prayer, seeing Christ as the one who is exalted above the heavens and whose glory will fill the earth (Philippians 2:9, 11). In the Middle Ages, the verse appeared in psalters and breviaries as part of the morning office, tying David’s resolve to “wake the dawn” (v. 8) with the daily renewal of praise. The Reformation commentators consistently emphasized that the prayer moves the believer from self-concern to a passion for God’s name.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Setting: From Fear to Faith, David’s context of flight and danger (title, vv. 1, 6). The cave becomes a crucible for trust.
- The Shift: A Fixed Heart Produces Praise, The repetition of “My heart is fixed” (v. 7) and the call to wake the dawn show a settled confidence that erupts into song.
- The Goal: God’s Glory Above All, The repeated prayer (vv. 5, 11) for exaltation above the heavens and glory over all the earth exposes the psalmist’s deepest longing: not comfort, but divine vindication before the world.
Five-point outline
- Desperate Circumstances (title, vv. 1, 4)
- First Cry for Glory (v. 5)
- Deliverance Declared (vv. 6, 8)
- Vow of International Praise (vv. 9, 10)
- Final Cry for Glory (v. 11)
Illustration hooks
- A musician in deep personal turmoil who writes a majestic anthem that points beyond his own pain to something eternal. His art becomes the vehicle for a wider hope.
- A parent in a hospital waiting room who, facing uncertainty, still prays for God’s name to be honored in their family. The request for God’s glory is not a denial of the crisis, but a framing of it.
- A sports team that, after a crushing loss, still cheers for the championship trophy because they believe it represents excellence beyond themselves. The prayer for God’s glory is that ultimate trophy.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I praise God when my situation hasn’t improved?
- Does God’s glory really matter more than my personal problems?
- What does it mean for God to be “exalted above the heavens”, isn’t He already there?
Leading a Discussion
This verse repeats the prayer of verse 5, but now it comes after David has described a settled heart and a vow to praise among the nations. The repetition is not empty; it shows that personal deliverance is not the final goal. The longing for God’s glory to cover the earth pushes beyond the immediate crisis. As you discuss this passage, let the structure guide your reflection: from desperation, through fixed faith, to a global vision of God’s reign.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 57:11 and verse 5 side by side. What is identical? What has changed in the surrounding verses?
- Barnes says this sentiment was the “crowning aim” of David’s life. What does that tell you about what mattered most to him?
- Why does David vow to praise God “among the peoples” (v. 9) before he repeats the cry for glory? How are the two connected?
- The Cambridge Bible calls this “the final goal of hope.” What does it mean to make God’s universal glory your personal hope?
- David’s heart is “fixed” or steadfast. How does a fixed heart lead to the kind of prayer we see in verse 11?
- What would change in your own prayer life if you began to pray more for God’s glory over the earth than for your own relief?
- Psalm 57 is quoted or echoed in Revelation 15:3, 4, where the nations worship. How does this future vision shape your reading of David’s present prayer?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 8:1 | For the Chief Musician; on an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by David. Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens! |
| Psalms 8:9 | Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! |
| Psalms 57:5 | Be exalted, God, above the heavens! Let your glory be above all the earth! |
| Revelation of John 15:3 | They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty! Righteous and true are your ways, you King of the nations. |
| Revelation of John 15:4 | Who wouldn’t fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you only are holy. For all the nations will come and worship before you. For your righteous acts have been revealed.” |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights David's triumphant state of mind, not merely his deliverance. Despite ferocious enemies, David's confidence in God was unbounded, bringing him to a blessed state of victory. Clarke insists the same faith will bring every true Christian the same blessings in similar circumstances.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the psalmist deliberately repeats an earlier prayer, and this repetition shows what mattered most to him. The desire for God to be exalted was not a passing thought but the fixed, crowning aim of his life.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin examines the title Al-tascheth, meaning "destroy not," and rejects the common explanation that it refers to David sparing Saul's life, since the psalm's prayers were offered before that event. He instead favors that the phrase either names a familiar tune or preserves David's brief cry for mercy in extreme danger.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge note highlights that the psalmist’s closing prayer reaches beyond his own deliverance. Convinced God will act, he sees his enemies’ schemes backfire and responds with thankful praise, then repeats a petition that yearns for God’s complete and universal rule as the final hope of all.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Exalt thy selfe, O God, aboue the heauens, and let thy glory be vpon all the earth.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes the repetition of this prayer from an earlier verse, showing how intensely the psalmist longed for God's exaltation. He applies the verse directly to Christ, now seated at the Father's right hand, whose glory surpasses both heavens and earth.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch highlights David's shift from hope to absolute certainty of victory, expressed in the perfect tense of confidence. David actively awakens the dawn with his music,
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that the urgent repetition of David's cry for mercy reveals an intensity of need that drives him to seek refuge under God's wings. The perfect tense shows this is a completed act of trust, not just a wish, anchoring the soul to remain steadfast even among deadly enemies.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry highlights the sudden, faith-driven shift from desperate prayer to joyful praise, treating it as a model for how devotion can transform. The key for him is a fixed heart that is prepared for any circumstance and fully engaged in worship, so that praise becomes as fervent as the earlier pleading.