Psalm 56

David was a man whose life was fraught with troubles and danger, and in this psalm, he catalogues the ways his enemies plotted his downfall as follows:

I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me...They are always twisting what I say; they spend their days plotting to harm me. They come together to spy on me—watching my every step, eager to kill me (vv 2, 5-6 NLT)

But this song doesn't end with his fears, as we see in verse 3:

What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

David was right to be afraid of his enemies, for they were capable of taking his life. So he turned to God - his Unseen Champion. You see, David knew God was greater than all his enemies put together, and that their might held no power over him when he was under God's covering. The writer of Psalm 91 put it this way:

This I declare about the Lord: he alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him....The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. (Ps 91: 2,14-15)

Although David's enemies were mostly human, we all have one ultimate Enemy, who comes in guises human and otherwise. The thing to remember is that your Creator is greater than any enemy you may face. Encourage yourself in this: greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

Run to that place of safety in Him today, and let His love and peace cast out your fears. Paraphrasing David's words in verse three: Whenever you are afraid, trust in God.

The key to doing this?

I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? (v 4 NLT)

As you praise God for His promises, you will become convinced that you are not without hope in this world. The Bible is stacked with His promises to protect, keep and guide you; to provide for, heal and deliver you. When you are able to focus on these facts and begin to praise Him for them, your heart will immediately be lifted up. And even when your situation appears insurmountable, keep one thing in mind: God never fails. He is faithful beyond what you can imagine. Faithfulness is His nature and He cannot deny Himself (see 2 Timothy 3:13).

Pore through and devour the scriptures for the promise concerning your situation. Meditate on both His faithfulness and that promise until it becomes a living, breathing word within you. Then look your enemy (in whatever guise) squarely in the face. You do not need to be afraid. Shout out your victory, like David did when he faced the terrifying hulk, Goliath. You have the Lord of Heaven's armies backing you up. Almighty God, the Possessor of all the earth, the great King above all gods is your father. He is the Lord that heals all your diseases, and forgives all your sins.

Any way you look at, you are covered, so why be afraid of what man (or anything else) can do to you?

Psalm 56 Full Reading