“ When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
Psalm 56:3 (NIV)
When I experience fear I sing this verse - I learned it as a child at church where we sang the KJV version “When I am afraid I will trust in you”- and this Scripture has been powerful in my life as I struggle with fear. This psalm of David is powerful in many Christian’s lives – how could someone who mourns not be blessed by the truth that God records our misery and collects our tears?
My fears are mainly a matter of imagination, occasional encounters with demons, or matters of physical safety. The fear that has welled up within David is a matter of reality and it stems from the clear and present danger of being executed by the Philistines in Gath. As we read the account of his situation in 1 Samuel 21, we feel like we are in one of those violent action movies, set in the days of roving bands of thugs, perhaps even the Mad Max series minus the technology. It would be hard for most of us to truly identify with David’s situation, but we can all identify with fear.
I heard a wise teacher tell a bunch of pastors once, that there is only one message in the bible and that message is “trust God”.
How do we “trust God”? How do we take that action in our lives?
Well, Psalm 56 seems to give us an outline, for the first 2 verse are a statement of my situation and a plea for God to intervene based on His character not my worthiness.
The next 2 verses are a statement of my intention to trust God and to not be afraid of men.
Verses 5,6, and 7 may give us some trouble for they appear to be opposed to our Lord’s command to turn the other cheek, and pray for your enemies, and yet they are another statement of trust – specifically in God’s ability to punish the wicked.
Verses 8 and 9 are an acknowledgement of God’s attention and companionship in my misery which brings an assurance of victory to my soul.
In verse 10 and 11 you see David’s spirit turning to praise as he repeats his intention to trust God and to not be afraid of men.
And in a stunning display of faith awakened, the last 2 verses see David move into his anticipation of life after his deliverance.
Trust in God versus fear of man. Which will win in my life today?
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