In God I Put My Trust

Faith in Action

A Living Faith in God

A Sincere Faith

Psalm 56 The Message

A David Psalm, When He Was Captured by the Philistines in Gath

56 1-4 Take my side, God—I’m getting kicked around,
    stomped on every day.
Not a day goes by
    but somebody beats me up;
They make it their duty
    to beat me up.
When I get really afraid
    I come to you in trust.
I’m proud to praise God;
    fearless now, I trust in God.
    What can mere mortals do?
5-6 They don’t let up—
    they smear my reputation
    and huddle to plot my collapse.
They gang up,
    sneak together through the alleys
To take me by surprise,
    wait their chance to get me.
7 Pay them back in evil!
    Get angry, God!
    Down with these people!
8 You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn
    through the sleepless nights,
Each tear entered in your ledger,
    each ache written in your book.
9 If my enemies run away,
    turn tail when I yell at them,
Then I’ll know
    that God is on my side.
10-11 I’m proud to praise God,
    proud to praise God.
Fearless now, I trust in God;
    what can mere mortals do to me?
12-13 God, you did everything you promised,
    and I’m thanking you with all my heart.
You pulled me from the brink of death,
    my feet from the cliff-edge of doom.
Now I stroll at leisure with God
    in the sunlit fields of life.

For Reflection

David was caught in a bind.  In the words of a song written by Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan and originally performed by their band Stealers Wheel, "Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right, here I am, Stuck in the middle with you."

That song was written sarcastically about Bob Dylan, but this song of David contains not a hint of sarcasm. David's situation is dire. He has been captured by the Philistines and he is, indeed, between a "rock and a hard place."  

David's call is an act of volitional faith. There is an acknowledged tension between human free will and God's will. David confesses his trust in God and is thankful that God's presence. A Judean in the midst of non-covenant people, David calls for deliverance from his perilous circumstance.

In the middle of an unthinkable future, David rests confidently in God's presence. God did not slay David's enemies.  However, with fearless courage, David feigned insanity and was able to escape.

Pray

Pray for the confidence of Daniel.  Pray so that you can rest, confidently trusting God to help you find your way. Pray so that you can hear God's unexpected whispered answers.

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