Day 334: Psalm 56- Trust In God

Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; 2 my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. 3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
5 All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life. 7 For their crime will they escape? In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! 8 You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? 9 Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, 11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? 12 I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you. 13 For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.
 
Meditation
The depth of your trust in God is directly proportional to the elevation of His word in your life.
 
David could not trust his circumstances. After being anointed king, David was on the run for his life, writing from the hometown of Goliath in Philistia. David was “afraid”, “trampled” by men and feeling pressure “all day long” (1). Evil was plotted against him (5) and enemies were waiting to trip him up (6-7).
 
David trusted in God more than his circumstances because of the elevation of God’s word in his priorities. David chose trust over fear (3, 4, 11) because David elevated, or praised, God’s word (4, 10). God had been faithful to His word and rescued David in the past (13), God knows him intimately (8), and God is more powerful than any person (4, 11). If God is with David then who can stand against him?
 
Paul quotes this Psalm to empower the Church to trust the finished work of Jesus securing us in God’s sovereign love  (Romans 8:31-32). The Author of Hebrews uses this Psalm to encourage the church in the face of persecution. After reminding the Church of God’s word of promise, “I will never leave you or forsake you,” he declares, “I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6)
 
Will you exalt God’s word over your circumstances? God promises to be with you. God knows you and loves you. God is working all things for our good and His glory. Will you trust Him?
 
Richly Dwelling
-In whom or what do you trust? If a close friend looked at your life would they say the same thing?
 
-How can you elevate God’s word more than your circumstances? What promises do you need to believe?
 
-If God is for you then who can be against you? Seriously, answer that… If no one then why are you afraid?
 
Key Verse
10 In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, 11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?