By: Shara Garcia
“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” Psalm 34:7, NIV
Have you ever felt trapped in a cave, where praise seems like the last thing on your mind?
Scripture
There are 150 psalms, each with a backstory connected to real life. But Psalm 34’s backstory doesn’t seem to fit. Based on David’s life in 1 Samuel 21, you’d expect a psalm of lament. David, not yet king, is a fugitive on the run, hunted by Saul, and barely escaped the king of Gath by acting insane. Now, he’s holed up in a dark, echoing cave with a group of distressed, indebted, and discontented men. If not a lament, surely this situation calls for an imprecatory psalm—a fancy way of asking God to punish your enemies.
Have you ever been there? Maybe you’re in a cave of your own right now. Not a literal one, but perhaps a hospital room, an empty nursery, or stuck in a loop of bad news. Maybe all you want to do is cry out in lament or beg God to take down the sickness or circumstances that have disrupted your life.
Even still, Psalm 34 isn’t a lament. It’s a psalm of praise—praise from within the cave. How do we praise like David when our own “cave” echoes with worry, fear, anger, grief or maybe all of it at once?
We cling to the promise of Psalm 34:7: “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” It’s the assurance of God’s protection. Like David, we might not see the angelic presence, feel the protection, or understand God’s plan at work, but that doesn’t change the beautiful truth of His countless promises to protect His children—often through angels working on His behalf.
My Cave
We had only recently found out we were expecting our third child. Life was busy as always, and I quickly stopped by my parents’ life group pool party to pick up my oldest—just a five-minute stop in a hectic day.
After I left, a life group member approached my mom. “Wow, Gail, congratulations on being a grandma again!” My mom stared, confused—only she and my dad knew. Then he said, “It was amazing—I saw fire and angels surrounding Shara’s belly, protecting that baby boy.”
She froze. “No one knows she’s pregnant yet,” she said, stunned. And we didn’t know the gender. He smiled knowingly. “I know.”
I held onto that moment throughout my entire pregnancy, even before our baby’s diagnosis of a complex CHD requiring open heart surgery. Regardless of your belief about God speaking to His followers in this way, I clung to the truth that God does indeed surround our baby with His angels—and surrounds us, too. Throughout our son’s story, we have been surrounded by the prayers of so many, the generosity of God’s church both near and far, and the skill and compassion of incredible medical staff.
Holding onto the promise of God’s protection, gave my husband and me the strength to sing worship songs—often through tears and always with questions—leading up to our son’s birth, surgery, and even now. Choosing to praise God for His protection, even when the outcome was unknown, brought peace to our home, hospital rooms, and hearts.
Reflection
Sometimes praise doesn’t come easily. I’ve walked through my own cave, clinging to God’s promises even in the unknown. What about you? What’s echoing in your cave, making it hard to praise?
I don’t know the backstory to the Psalm you’re singing–or the one you’re reluctant to sing.
I don’t know what’s echoing in your cave or if it feels like something is hunting you down.
But I do know that God’s angels are encamped around your circumstance. While we may not be 100% certain if the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament refers to pre-incarnate Jesus, God in physical form, or angelic beings, we know that in whatever way He chooses, God “pitches a tent” of protection around His people and defends them from danger. He guards you from the danger of feeling abandoned—maybe through a package from a praying ministry. He guards you from the danger of losing hope—perhaps through medical staff who pray for you. He guards you from the danger of resentment—maybe through a friend sitting with you in your cave. Ultimately, God has pulled us out of the darkest of caves by sending His one and only Son to die for our sins and rise again. And that’s a reason to praise.
Invitation
Pause and Ponder:
Pick a verse about God’s promise of protection to reflect on this week. Keep it in a place where it will remind you of His presence and care. You can choose your own or select from the ones below:
Colossians 1:13-14 “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Psalm 91:11 “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;”
Hebrews 1:14: “What are angels, then? They are spirits who serve God and are sent by him to help those who are to receive salvation.”
Psalm 46:1 - “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 121 “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
Pause and Praise: Take a moment to respond to God’s promise of protection through song—whether silently reflecting on the lyrics or singing out loud. Choose a song that resonates with you, or join me in the one I sang from my cave:
Palm of your Hand by Brandon Lake
Pause and Pray: Open your heart to God in prayer, asking for His protection and thanking Him for it. If you’re unsure of what to pray, consider praying all of Psalm 34.
Shara is a SoCal mother to three littles, pastor’s wife, youth pastor, and heart warrior mama. She understands the importance of biblical encouragement; especially when her third child was born with a complex CHD requiring open heart surgery. She volunteers in obedience to God's call to comfort others "with the comfort we ourselves received from God."
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