Psalms 56 (Part I)

David is once again in battle, but this is ultimately only because Saul pursues him and doesn't allow him to settle into his homeland.  Later, when he is king, it is because of the blood of his hands that he isn't allowed by God to build the Temple, even though, perhaps no one honored God more than David describes in his writings.  There was definitely a special relationship between the Lord and David.  David's heart obviously ponders and dwells upon the Lord.  I wonder if David would have been able to write so thankfully, so humbly, so confidently, about God if he hadn't been through so many trials and so many battles.

¹ Be merciful to me, my God,
    for my enemies are in hot pursuit;
    all day long they press their attack.
² My adversaries pursue me all day long;
    in their pride many are attacking me.

The enemy is in pursuit.  They are at your heels.  You have fought and fought and fled but they stay behind and do not stop.  When will this stop?  You are tired, weary.  The battle is long and there is no end.  "Be merciful to me, my God."  My God, I am pursued.  I am fighting.  I keep Your precepts; I follow Your instruction; yet the enemy is chasing me down.  "Be merciful to me, my God."

I don't anyone who does not know how this feels.  Everyone can relate to this idea, this event of being stressed and beaten down by a pursuing enemy.  The enemy might be the rat race of success, parenting, leading, dullness of everyday duties, alcohol or other temptations, or just plain laziness. 

Why do these enemies attack us?  "In their pride".  Why did Satan leave the presence of God?  In his pride he believed that he was greater than God is.  And so, our enemies attack because they believe they can defeat you and they are greater than your faith is.  Unfortunately, they are sometimes correct.  They can defeat us unless we have faith that depends upon God and God alone to protect our hearts first, then our actions.  Our faith must know, not think, but know that God does and will always hear our call and answer it.  Our faith must know, not think or hope so, but be confident that God will protect our essence and everything that happens is at His direction.

³ When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.
⁴ In God, whose word I praise—
    in God I trust and am not afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?

David wasn't always afraid.  But here he admits honestly before the Lord that he is afraid.  Do you ever admit your fears to God?  Can you be honest to God?  We should all pray and talk to God plainly, hiding nothing, especially our fears since that is where our faith is lacking. 

David follows this admission of fear to say that when he puts his trust in God, he is no longer afraid.  That is an important admission of faith.  In the same conversation, David has moved from his own declared fears to a transference into faith.  The fears disappear as long as he trusts in God.  Further, when we trust in God, we no longer fear any man.  For what can a man do to me who is in the care of God?

Take a moment and allow your thoughts to carry you into this place.  What can men do to me while in the care of God?  When I trust God completely I have no fear.  What can men do to me while in the care of God? ... This is where we should always reside.  Our faith should have this as a cornerstone.