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Psalm 57 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
Psalms 57:7 KJV
The ESV and NASB translate the heart’s disposition as steadfast in this verse. Other translations use the word confident. I love the KJV’s rendering of ‘fixed.’ What does it mean to have a fixed heart?
Consider the situation at hand. As in every Psalm (it seems), the author is in trouble. His enemies are closing in. He is suffering from grief and anxiety. But his confidence is in the Lord. In fact, he proclaims that he has fixed his heart with confidence and joy. He breaks into song praising the Lord for what He hasn’t even done yet. Though the scene is dark, he fixes his heart upon the light.
A fixed heart translates into unwavering determination. It resolves itself to see without eyes. In ancient times, the Hebrew word translated “heart” meant much more than what it means today. When the psalmist decides to fix his heart, he is describing both his affections as well as his thoughts and intentions. It was not just what he loved, but the plans and purposes of his mind.
In this sense, we get a picture of OT abiding that Jesus speaks of in His NT vine and branches analogy. A fixed heart is a consciousness of steadfast and confident love as well as the unity of thought between himself and God. He declares to sing and make melody. It is the claim of the present as well as the hope of the future.
The key to such a mindset is consistency. If we claim to have a fixed heart on God but do not commune with Him in the good times and bad, we have deceived ourselves. Of course, this doesn’t mean we are perfect. It only means we have genuine faith that persists in all circumstances. Even in the worst trials of life, when our faith is so small that it’s barely noticeable, God assures us that He is working!
Where do you need to fix your heart and commune with Him? Where do you need to set your thoughts, intentions, and desires before His throne and believe that His love is big enough to overcome all things?