Slices
Prepare
Ponder for a moment what makes you afraid. It could be a specific individual threat, or a global one. It could be one person or many. It could be a real threat or imagined. What makes you afraid?
Bible passage
For the director of music. To the tune of ‘A Dove on Distant Oaks’. Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.
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.
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?
5 All day long they twist my words;
all their schemes are for my ruin.
6 They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps,
hoping to take my life.
7 Because of their wickedness do not let them escape;
in your anger, God, bring the nations down.
8 Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll –
are they not in your record?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will 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 and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 I am under vows to you, my God;
I will present my thank-offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.
Explore
David was in a dangerous situation (see 1 Samuel 21:10–15). He had fled from threats in his homeland and had to pretend to be mad to survive in enemy territory. The threats were real, and the danger was significant. David was afraid. All he could do was cry out to God and pray for deliverance. In the first seven verses, David prays for God to destroy his enemies. After all, if the battle is between God and his enemies, his enemies had no hope of winning.
From verse 8 to the end, David reiterates the basic idea of the psalm. When he is afraid, he will trust in God. So, he calls on God to keep track of his tears and answer his prayer for deliverance (vs 8–11). He looks forward to praising God for the life he anticipates in answer to his prayer (vs 12,13).
When we put all the threats of evil humans on one side of the scale and God’s care for us on the other, reality becomes clear. Humans are not more potent than our good God.
Respond
It seems obvious, but it is the right way to respond. What makes you afraid? Pray to God. When we are afraid, let’s continue to put our trust in God.
Deeper Bible study
‘Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.’1
Today’s psalm is about trusting God amid intense fear. It begins with an urgent appeal to God for mercy and protection (vs 1,2) and ends with a word of confident assurance in God’s deliverance (vs 12,13). It is divided into two halves, each composed of 2 lines plus 2 lines plus 3 lines, with a repeated central refrain in the middle of both halves. The danger David is facing is real, and he openly admits his fear (v 3).
The central refrains are the emotional and theological heart of this psalm (vs 4,10,11). In his fear, David begins with praise. This reminds us that praise is not only reserved for good times. In fact, it’s absolutely essential to practise praise during hard times, keeping our focus on God rather than our circumstances. He goes on to say that he is choosing faith over fear. This does not mean he will never feel the emotion of fear but that, as he chooses to trust God, real peace will result. This same God lists our tears on his scroll (or puts our tears in his bottle) – this powerful image reminds us of God’s nearness to us in pain and fear.
My family has had the opportunity to practise this psalm many times over the past 18 months. We all got COVID-19 in the first wave in the UK, and my wife was severely ill, because of a lack of oxygen and various heart complications. At times I was terrified that she might die. Both she and my son have acute long Covid and are still not recovered as I write. Multiple times I have found myself repeating the words of this psalm, choosing to praise God and trust him. Life is scary at times; danger and fear are very real.
David encourages us to be honest with God and focus on him in trials. He stores our tears, counts the hairs on our head2 and cares deeply for us.
1 Heb 4:16 2 Matt 10:30
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Job 27,28; Luke 22
Pray for Scripture Union
Scripture Union Portugal is developing a devotional app for young people. Pray that the Word of God will reach many young people as a result of this project and will help them to meet God and grow in their faith.