Editor’s Note: Many of us start reading our Bibles in the Old Testament, but it can feel like a foreign land with its unfamiliar terrain. The current series will help us find wisdom along these ancient paths. First, we considered biblical narrative, and now we look to the Psalms.
God’s people throughout the centuries have clung to the Psalms for help and hope in every human experience. The Psalms lift us heavenward in joyous praise, but also teach us how to understand ourselves and to wisely care for others. The following principles explain some reasons why. I encourage you to have a Bible handy as you follow along.
The Psalms are Timeless Truths
First, the Psalms are timeless truths inspired by the eternal God who never fades and never fails. Psalm 56 records an event in David’s life when he foolishly fled to the hometown of Goliath (1 Samuel 21:10–15). Yet this psalm was later arranged for corporate worship, sung throughout the church’s history, and still ministers today with powerful relevance (Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:16–17). For this reason, God’s Word to David, for David, and by David has impacted believers in every age.
We all know the desperate feeling of being alone, afflicted, or afraid (Psalm 56:1–2). This oppression can even last “all day long,” so that we never have a chance to rest (vv. 1, 2, 5). Yet in such times when we feel powerless, we trust in God with the biblical writers: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6; see Psalm 56:3–4). We cannot lose when God is on our side, nor fail when his promises are at stake.
The Psalms are Emotionally Honest
Yet as we read Psalm 56, we wonder, “Can believers really speak such words?” David tells the Lord exactly how he feels about his enemies: “For their crime will they escape? In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!” (vv. 5–7). Emotions are tricky things and we hardly have full control of them. Yet our heavenly Father invites us to share whatever’s on our hearts. In this, the Psalms can guide our prayers and even give us words. For example, we can practice praying Psalm 56 by expanding on its themes:
- Lord, protect me from my enemies (vv. 1–2, 5–7, 9).
- Teach me to trust in you whenever I’m afraid (v. 3).
- I praise you for your precious Word, O God (vv. 4, 10).
- Thank you, Father, for counting my troubles and my tears (v. 8).
- So, grant me grace to express my thanks to you (vv. 12–13).
The Psalms are Hebrew Poetry
The Psalms are also Hebrew poetry, written in a specific time and culture in a language foreign to most of us. But we can bridge this gap with proper Bible study methods. For example, structural elements like chiasm feed us like a sandwich. Psalm 56 begins with the “bread” addressing David’s fear (vv. 3a, 4c), then the “condiments” of his trust in God (vv. 3b, 4b), before focusing our hearts on his “meaty” praise for God’s Word (v. 4a).
When I am afraid (v. 3a),
I put my trust in you (v. 3b).
In God, whose word I praise (v. 4a),
in God I trust (v. 4b);
I shall not be afraid (v. 4c).
David will later repeat this chiastic refrain for emphasis (vv. 10–11) as his faith in God’s Word drives out his fears. For God has promised that David would be king, thus making him invincible (1 Samuel 16:1–13). No enemy could prevent his reign. Therefore, David’s faith in God transforms his doubts: “What can man do to me? Absolutely nothing! The haters cannot touch me when God is on my side.” We witness David’s confidence in the unchanging character and the unfailing Word of God from the psalm’s poetic structure, repetition, and parallel thoughts.
Hebrew poetry also employs figures of speech and vivid imagery: “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” (Psalm 56:8). God is like a loving Father who sits beside our bed as we toss and turn from nightmares. He collects our precious tears and records our suffering in his journal. As we picture God’s compassion, we affirm with David: “This I know, that God is for me” (v. 9b). We may not know how to flee from enemies, stop our tears, or get better sleep at night. We don’t know much, except that God is on our side.
The Psalms are Songs of Jesus
This very confidence expressed by David would one day be carried onward by David’s Greater Son. For consider that prideful men would trample Jesus and oppress him all day long. They would plot against him, wound him with their words, and resist his cause at every turn. They would watch and wait to catch him in a lie. Yet Jesus always trusted in his Father:
“In you, O God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?”
Well, apparently, an awful lot! They can arrest me and falsely accuse me. They can lash me with whips and crush my skull with a crown of thorns. They can mock me and strip my clothes and shame me before the bloodthirsty crowd. They can pound the nails into my hands and feet and hang me on that cursed tree. They can remove my lifeless body from the cross and hide me in a lightless cave. But this I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise, In God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can any man do to me?
Our Savior trusted in his Father’s Word. And when Christ wept, God kept his tears collected in a bottle. He cared for his Son even as he suffered alone, afflicted, and with all his followers afraid. Then, three days later, God raised him from the dead in victory. We cannot lose when God is on our side.
Application Insight: Whenever you are afraid, you can put your trust in the God who sees you exactly where you are (Psalm 56:8a). Even if you run to someplace you shouldn’t be, God watches over you and extends his gracious mercy. And he also knows the way you feel (v. 8b). For not only does he count your tears, but he collects them like precious gems. He not only knows your suffering, but regards it as his own. Most importantly, he listens when you call (v. 9), so bring to him your troubles and your tears (vv. 3–4, 10–11). Then, trust that he will always hear you on the day you call on him.
The Psalms are Joyful Worship
David trusts the Lord to answer his plea for mercy and his prayer for deliverance. Thus, he concludes Psalm 56 with a promise to praise: “I will rejoice with thank offerings when God delivers my soul. I will draw in breath when he keeps my feet from falling. I will delight before his presence, for he is my everlasting Light of life” (vv. 12–13). These closing verses mirror the beginning, for gratitude can cure our fears (vv. 1–3). So, when we are afraid, let’s count our blessings to see what God has done and remember all his promises (Philippians 4:19). When we are afraid, let’s praise his perfect Word as we walk daily and habitually according to his way (Psalm 119:105).
Jesus also lights our path through the darkness of this fallen world. When we’re losing sleep with concerns about our health, our job, our family, or something else, we await with longing the Light of Christ. As John declares, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4–5). John pictures our Savior as the Light of life, foretold by David, who keeps our feet from falling, guides our way, delivers us from death, and receives our offerings of thanksgiving. He is the One who shows us how to walk with God, then empowers us to follow in his steps. And we have even more to be grateful for than David, since we know Christ Jesus as the Son of David. So, we direct our thankful praise not just to the God who made us, but also to the Son of God who saved us.
Application Insight: When you feel trapped, read Psalm 56 as it relates to your experience. As you read, ask certain questions:
First, “What happened to you?” Why did you feel trapped? How can you relate to David’s fears? Describe the afflictions you encounter (e.g., insults, oppression, the attacks of others).
Then, read the psalm a second time and ask, “What does your suffering feel like?” Circle any words which express your emotions (e.g., tears, restless tossing, the fear of death). Personalize Psalm 56 in your own words as you pray it back to God.
Third, ask yourself, “How has God described himself in this portion of his Word?” Read Psalm 56 again and underline everywhere God shows up. Identify the names of God, his attributes, and his mighty works.
Finally, “What would faith say in response to all these truths?” How will what you know about God change the way you live? How does it compel you to cultivate a thankful heart? Absorb this prayer of David as you grow and change to be like Christ, the Son of David. Then, praise the Lord whose Word brings light into the darkness, peace amidst your fears, and his loving presence to dispel your sorrows.
[1] More examples like the above can be found at Soul Care in the Psalms.
Photo Credit: Tim Wildsmith