What time I am afraid I will trust in thee…
Read Psalms 56:
Only God can save His people, not only from their sins, but from their sufferings as well.
When surrounded by troubles, believers should call upon God for deliverance, trusting that He will rescue them out of their distress.
Psalm 56 is such a song of trust, one in which David prayed to God to save him when he was under attack by enemies.
The historical background is an incident in David’s life when he fled from Saul to Gath, the hometown of Goliath.
In Gath he took up temporary residence among the Philistines (1 Sam. 21:10-15), only to escape to the cave of Adullam when hunted by his foes (1 Sam. 22).
The enemies in this psalm were not the Philistines but Saul and his men who dogged his steps in an attempt to take David’s life.
Understanding this, David’s first reaction was to be fearful (vv. 3-4,11).
But through it all, David put his trust in the Lord, who prevailed on his behalf.
According to the psalm’s title, it was to be sung according to a tune commonly known as “A Dove on Distant Oaks.”
God is trustworthy. He is a rock, a hiding place, a fortress. We have safety and comfort in Him.
From Max Lucado:
(Encouraging Word Bible Notes)
David wrote Psalm 56 when the Philistines captured him in Gath (see 1Sa 21:10–15). He wrote Psalm 57 while hiding in a cave.
Can you relate to David’s story?
Has your Saul cut you off from the position you had and the people you love?
In an effort to land on your feet, have you stretched the truth?
Distorted the facts?
Are you seeking refuge in Gath?
Under normal circumstances you would never go there. But these aren’t normal circumstances, so you loiter in the breeding ground of giants.
The hometown of trouble. Her arms or that bar. You walk shady streets and frequent questionable places.
And, while there, you go crazy. So the crowd will accept you, so the stress won’t kill you, you go wild.
You wake up in a Dead Sea cave, in the grottoes of Adullam, at the lowest point of your life, feeling as dumb as a roomful of anvils.
You stare out at an arid, harsh, unpeopled future and ask, “What do I do now?”
I suggest you let David be your teacher.
Sure, he goes wacko for a few verses. But in the cave of Adullam, he gathers himself.
The faithful shepherd boy surfaces again. The giant killer rediscovers courage.
Yes, he has a price on his head. Yes, he has no place to lay his head, but somehow, he keeps his head.
He returns his focus to God and finds refuge.
Refuge surfaces as a favorite word of David’s.
Circle its appearances in the book of Psalms, and you’ll count as many as 40-plus appearances in some versions.
But never did David use the word more poignantly than in Psalm 57.
The introduction to the passage explains its background: “Of David. A miktam.
When he had fled from Saul into the cave.”
Envision Jesse’s son in the dimness: on his knees, perhaps on his face, lost in shadows and thought.
He has nowhere to turn.
Go home, he endangers his family; to the tabernacle, he imperils the priests.
Saul will kill him; Gath won’t take him. He lied in the sanctuary and went crazy with the Philistines, and here he sits. All alone.
But then he remembers: he’s not.
He’s not alone. And from the recesses of the cave a sweet voice floats:
“Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed” (Ps 57:1).
SELAH (let us pause and calmly think about these things)
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Wednesday, July 31
cFaith
The Cutting Edge
THE LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
We are living in difficult times. Unemployment is near an all time high, foreclosures are driving families out of their homes, and because of financial pressures, many marriages are at the breaking point.
Today I talked with two pastors who were ready to leave the ministry because of pressure. This should not be.
In times of trouble, faith people should be standing stronger than ever. Let me explain.
During the day, it might be impossible to tell if a lamp is turned on or not. But in the darkness a lamp, regardless of its brightness, is easily seen.
In these times of great darkness our light should actually seem brighter to the world than ever before, even if our light is of no greater intensity than it’s ever been.
In times of darkness, many are crying, “Lord, increase my faith.”
Faith, standing in a world of doubt, should be easily seen. Our light should look brighter than ever. As darkness tries to come over the world, we should remember that our faith has already overcome it (1 John 5:4).
However, the darkness should make our faith look brighter, even if we have no more faith than before.
I encourage you to stand in faith and I admonish you to not focus on the doubt and darkness around you.
Remember this. Light always overpowers darkness.
Darkness is governed by the light.
Darkness only prevails when the light is extinguished and your light cannot be extinguished unless you allow it.
You are the one who determines the intensity of your faith. You are the one who has access to the fuel (the Word of God) that feeds the faith in your life.
There may be reasons why some doubt, but we have no excuses for allowing that doubt to overtake us.
So, mighty men and women of God, I want to encourage you with these words.
Greater is He (the Light) that is in you, than he (the darkness) that is in the world.
No weapon (of darkness) formed against you can prosper. You can do all things through Christ (the Light) who strengthens you. With God (the Light), nothing is impossible.
And because you are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14), you are victorious and darkness cannot rule over you.
Larry Ollison Ministries
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