Psalm 56

When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust—I will not be afraid.
What can a mortal man do to me?  



      

 ¹     Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me—
      all day long they press their attack.

 ²     My slanderers pursue me all day long, many are attacking me in their pride.

 ³     When I am afraid, I will trust in you.

 ⁴     In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust—I will not be afraid.  What can a mortal man do to me?  

 ⁵     All day long they twist my words; they are always plotting to harm me.

 ⁶     They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, eager to take my life.

 ⁷     On no account let them escape—in your anger, O God, bring them down.

 ⁸     Record my lament, list my tears on your scroll. Are they not in your record?  

 ⁹     Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that You are for me.

¹⁰     In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise—

¹¹     In God I trust, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

¹²     I am under vows to you, O God; I will present my thank offerings to you.

¹³     For you have delivered me from death and kept my feet from stumbling,

  that I may walk before God in the light of life.

In God, whose word I praise,
In God I trust I will not be afraid    ~Psalm 56:3-4

David had plenty to fear.  But he trusted God at every moment to protect him from his enemies.  The Bible shows us life as it really is.  We are no different than David--except that our life situations are individual for us.  

David did not make false claims about himself, he does not say "I will never be afraid."  But when those times came he knew what to do. 
    I will trust in God and I will praise His word--His sure, unfailing word. Trusting and
    praising will OVERCOME my fear. 
There are two areas of conflict within our being: our spirit and our emotions.  Our emotions go through all the reactions of fear [or panic].  We struggle against it, but there is another area of our being—the spirit—that will not yield to panic.  It does not accept what our emotions dictate. 

Again, it is a bold choice we must make: "I will not accept the verdict of my emotions in this situation, I will turn to God."  I will remember what His word says.  I will find the promise of God that meets my need.  What my emotions may feel, in my innermost being I trust.  That trust imparts to us a security and a confidence that are much deeper.

      Lord, I thank You for the peace deep inside of me,
      that is not affected by the winds on life's surface.   Amen.