Man Would Swallow Me Up!

Psalm 56:1
Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.

My wife and I are dealing daily with elderly parents that are struggling with a long list of problems. Sometimes it is frustrating for us, because it seems like they collectively swallow up our time, when we least expect it. This season of our life seems surreal as we see how our parents fight daily to survive one more day. They fight an inner fight to be what they used to be when they were younger. They fight with each other and with those who try to help, they fight against the orders of the medical doctors. The harder they fight the deeper they fall in an oppressed state. All the while they drag us into this fight too! The Psalmist gives us another prayer to pray when the reality of life overwhelms us!

Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up,
Mercy is the sweet frosting applied on us by God, when we deserve everything we get because we have sinned against the perfect Love of God. We seek mercy when things go bad, we get scuffed up, beaten down, rolled over, and spit out! Life is rough! God is merciful! We would do well to live within all the mercy God gives, because it will make it harder for the enemy to swallow us up.

Teach me to feel another's woe,
To hide the fault I see:
That mercy I to others I show,
That mercy show to me.
-Alexander Pope.


He fighting daily oppresseth me.
Man is constantly fighting, fighting God, fighting others, fighting himself. All this fighting leads us into oppression. Oppression leads to a further divide in our relationship with God and with loved ones, and everyone around us.

It stands to reason the Psalmist goes on later in this chapter to say; "In God I will praise His word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me."

Be Merciful Unto Me, O God!