It is thought this psalm was written in the context of King David’s son Absalom betraying him, gathering an army to depose him from his throne (2 Samuel 15–18). David has fled to the desert, and watches as the conspiracy unfolds. He is deeply saddened by this: ‘My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me’ (2 Samuel 16:11). 

On a gravestone recently, I read the inscription, ‘What matters most?’ It was a question the deceased person often asked his children when they were facing difficult decisions. David, in this psalm, is asking himself the same question in this awful moment. He concludes that his love for God matters more than life itself (v 3), but this doesn’t stop his sleepless nights (v 6) spent tossing and turning with tormented thoughts. Ultimately, he concludes that, no matter what happens, he is safe in God’s arms, as a vulnerable chick would be beneath the wings of the mother hen (v 7).

The terrible story in 2 Samuel ends with Absalom’s death and David’s immense grief. The mouths of liars were indeed silenced, at a great cost, but David rejoices in God (v 11).