Reflections on Psalms 56

 Psalms 56(Contemporary English Version)

1. (For the music leader. To the tune "A Silent Dove in the Distance." A special psalm by David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.) Have pity, God Most High! My enemies chase me all day.
   
2. Many of them are pursuing and attacking me,
   
3. but even when I am afraid, I keep on trusting you.
   
4. I praise your promises! I trust you and am not afraid. No one can harm me.
   
5. Enemies spend the whole day finding fault with me; all they think about is how to do me harm.
   
6. They attack from ambush, watching my every step and hoping to kill me.
   
7. They won't get away with these crimes, God, because when you get angry, you destroy people.
   
8. You have kept record of my days of wandering. You have stored my tears in your bottle and counted each of them.
   
9. When I pray, LORD God, my enemies will retreat, because I know for certain that you are with me.
   
10. I praise your promises!
    
11. I trust you and am not afraid. No one can harm me.
    
12. I will keep my promises to you, my God, and bring you gifts.
    
13. You protected me from death and kept me from stumbling, so that I would please you and follow the light that leads to life.

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Life was overwhelming for David when this psalm was written. He was constantly on the run to escape king Saul's pursuit of him, and when he was forced to flee to Gath in Philistia, his intentions became suspect to the king of Gath when it became known who he was and that he had led king Saul's army. He had to act like he was crazy to avoid being imprisoned or worse.

Rather than being immobilized by fear David focused on God's help. David had known God's help many times before and so it was his practice that, "When I am afraid, I will trust in You." (56:3) It didn't seem fair that he should suffer innocently at the hands of his enemies and he asks, "Will they escape in spite of such sin? God, bring down the nations in wrath." (56:7)

But then he turns his full attention to God's care. God cared enough that He had "recorded my wanderings" and had "Put my tears in Your bottle." God had made record of his sorrows. He cared and He would relieve David's sorrow. David was confident that "God is for me." Therefore, he said, "in God I trust; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (56:11) Man could do plenty to him, but only as God allowed it, and David was confident that God would put a stop to it. It would go only so far.

As if God had already acted on his behalf, David concluded with the words, "You delivered me from death, even my feet from stumbling, to walk before God in the light of life." (56:13)