O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me. But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. 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? 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. Don’t let them get away with their wickedness; in your anger, O God, bring them down. You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side! I praise God for what he has promised; yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help. For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.
Psalms 56:1-13 NLT
David went through some serious struggles. This psalm was about the time the Philistines—the mortal enemies of Israel—had captured him. David cried out to the Lord. Though he was afraid, he trusted the Lord (v.3). He knew his enemies could kill him, but he boldly proclaimed, “What can mortals do to me?” (v.4) Enemies can hurt us, but we hurt ourselves much more when we stop trusting God, give in to fear, and turn away from God’s love. The Lord knows every struggle we have ever gone through; He even collects our tears (v.8). In his struggle, David looked to the Lord and found comfort. Though he was in a bad spot and surrounded by enemies, David promised to fulfill the vows he made to his Redeemer (v.12).
When the hard times come, people react in one of two ways. They either turn away from God, questioning how—if He is so loving—He could allow the pain. Others run to the Redeemer, knowing His love is the anchor in the storm. How do you respond when the struggles come?
