Psalm 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Oh Friends, what a poignant, heartfelt statement! It’s simple, yet powerful, brooking no doubt of the Psalmist’s intense faith. It’s a statement that all believers should feel in their hearts and souls, and utter with as much faith and authority as Bruh David did. Before we go further, let me say that this is one of the Lord’s mysterious movements. I didn’t plan on using a Psalm today, but for some reason, when checking my log, I found that I’d written yesterday’s Bit as Psalm 56 instead of 76. So being curious, I checked out Psalm 56. And the rest, as they say, is history. (smile) I don’t know why the Lord guided me to it, but whom am I to question His direction eh? But Psalm 56 sure is powerful! It’s a Michtam of Bruh David’s; a soulful contemplation, when the Philistines took him in Gath. It’s a prayer for help, a confident one nonetheless. Some might wonder why I admire Bruh David so much, since in some circles he’s simply considered an adulterer and a murderer, but that’s only one small instance in his rather unique life. Remember what Jesus said to the hypocrites that wanted to stone the adulteress? ‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.’ (John 8:7) And what happened? They all walked away shamefaced, leaving only Jesus and the woman, whom He subsequently forgave. And if Bruh David was worthy enough in the Lord’s sight, to make His Only Son, Jesus be born of his line, then that’s good enough for me. But the facts show that Bruh David was a man of many parts. I guess you could term him a Renaissance man; a forward thinker, who was accomplished in several areas; war, poetry, music, romance, leadership, all bundled up in a supreme faith in the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Sorry, I forgot one of his accomplishments; actor extraordinaire. It seems this Psalm was written when Bruh David fled from Saul for the umpteenth time, after his final meeting with Saul’s son Jonathan. He went first to Nob, to the priest Ahimelech, who was surprised to see him alone, and questioned him. Bruh David gave him some nansi story about being on a secret mission for the king, talked him into giving him holy bread and the sword which he’d used on Goliath, then he made tracks to the Philistine land of Gath, seeking a safe haven. However, the king’s servants recognized him and asked; ‘Is not this David, the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. Then Achish said unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad; wherefore then have ye brought him to me? Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?’ (1 Sam.21:10-15) Ah Friends, Bruh David certainly had much manly parts (smile) to seek sanctuary alone in the Philistine’s land, having killed their main man Goliath and many others, and when recognized, put on an acting performance worthy of an Oscar. But people, what we need to note though is that whatever befell him, good or bad, he always turned with confidence to the Lord. This was one of those times when he was completely alone, fearing for his life from both Saul and the Philistines. And what did he do? He turned to his God. ‘Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me…for they be many that fight against me, O thou Most High.’ (vs.1-2) And then, having cried out to his God for help, he shows his true mettle. ‘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 to me.’ (vs.3-4) Oh Friends, can we make such a bold, fearless statement? If we are true believers, who’ve surrendered our all to Jesus, then we should. It’s the hallmark of true faith. Sadly though, faith’s not an easy thing to come by. We only grow in faith through trials and tribulations, when we’ve nowhere or no one to turn to but God, like Bruh David here. ‘When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word. In God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?’ (vs.9-13) Oh Friends, nuff said! May we all seek to acquire that level of faith and trust in the Most High God, where even in our darkest moments, those of deep anguish, fear and sorrow, we can still call out to Him and be assured that He will not only hear us, but also lift us up out of the mire. Much LOVE!…the heart that’s filled with faith…always conquers fear…
Oh Friends, what a poignant, heartfelt statement! It’s simple, yet powerful, brooking no doubt of the Psalmist’s intense faith. It’s a statement that all believers should feel in their hearts and souls, and utter with as much faith and authority as Bruh David did. Before we go further, let me say that this is one of the Lord’s mysterious movements. I didn’t plan on using a Psalm today, but for some reason, when checking my log, I found that I’d written yesterday’s Bit as Psalm 56 instead of 76. So being curious, I checked out Psalm 56. And the rest, as they say, is history. (smile) I don’t know why the Lord guided me to it, but whom am I to question His direction eh? But Psalm 56 sure is powerful! It’s a Michtam of Bruh David’s; a soulful contemplation, when the Philistines took him in Gath. It’s a prayer for help, a confident one nonetheless. Some might wonder why I admire Bruh David so much, since in some circles he’s simply considered an adulterer and a murderer, but that’s only one small instance in his rather unique life. Remember what Jesus said to the hypocrites that wanted to stone the adulteress? ‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.’ (John 8:7) And what happened? They all walked away shamefaced, leaving only Jesus and the woman, whom He subsequently forgave. And if Bruh David was worthy enough in the Lord’s sight, to make His Only Son, Jesus be born of his line, then that’s good enough for me. But the facts show that Bruh David was a man of many parts. I guess you could term him a Renaissance man; a forward thinker, who was accomplished in several areas; war, poetry, music, romance, leadership, all bundled up in a supreme faith in the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Sorry, I forgot one of his accomplishments; actor extraordinaire. It seems this Psalm was written when Bruh David fled from Saul for the umpteenth time, after his final meeting with Saul’s son Jonathan. He went first to Nob, to the priest Ahimelech, who was surprised to see him alone, and questioned him. Bruh David gave him some nansi story about being on a secret mission for the king, talked him into giving him holy bread and the sword which he’d used on Goliath, then he made tracks to the Philistine land of Gath, seeking a safe haven. However, the king’s servants recognized him and asked; ‘Is not this David, the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. Then Achish said unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad; wherefore then have ye brought him to me? Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?’ (1 Sam.21:10-15) Ah Friends, Bruh David certainly had much manly parts (smile) to seek sanctuary alone in the Philistine’s land, having killed their main man Goliath and many others, and when recognized, put on an acting performance worthy of an Oscar. But people, what we need to note though is that whatever befell him, good or bad, he always turned with confidence to the Lord. This was one of those times when he was completely alone, fearing for his life from both Saul and the Philistines. And what did he do? He turned to his God. ‘Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me…for they be many that fight against me, O thou Most High.’ (vs.1-2) And then, having cried out to his God for help, he shows his true mettle. ‘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 to me.’ (vs.3-4) Oh Friends, can we make such a bold, fearless statement? If we are true believers, who’ve surrendered our all to Jesus, then we should. It’s the hallmark of true faith. Sadly though, faith’s not an easy thing to come by. We only grow in faith through trials and tribulations, when we’ve nowhere or no one to turn to but God, like Bruh David here. ‘When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word. In God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?’ (vs.9-13) Oh Friends, nuff said! May we all seek to acquire that level of faith and trust in the Most High God, where even in our darkest moments, those of deep anguish, fear and sorrow, we can still call out to Him and be assured that He will not only hear us, but also lift us up out of the mire. Much LOVE!…the heart that’s filled with faith…always conquers fear…
SCRIP-BITS 