Insight From Psalm 56: How to Overcome Fear and to Trust in God

by christiannewsjournal
girl walking in meadow

In this time of fear, let us trust in God and be confident that He is more than able to keep us all from falling. 

At the center of the Bible is the book of Psalms. It is filled with songs and prayers that express the heart and soul of humanity. It is an excellent collection of praise songs to God, His power, forgiveness, and trust. As you read the book of Psalms, you will always hear the psalm writers despairing, rejoicing, and sharing their honest feelings with God. 

The Book of Psalms was very special to Jesus and the Apostles. It was also their most-quoted part of the Scriptures. Maybe because the Psalms talk about the depths of people’s pain and a whole range of human experience and emotion. 

The Bible has over 100 commands not to be afraid. God does not want us to live in fear because doing so will paralyze us. Fear can rob us of today’s joy if we focus on what might go wrong tomorrow. One good example is how we are being consumed with irrational fears and worries during this pandemic. Let us look at what Psalm 56 teaches us how to manage our fears. 

Turn to the Lord our God

To trust God is to turn to Him. When David was confronted with danger, his first response was to call on the Lord. In Psalm 56:1-3, we can see David’s humility as he prayed. He acknowledged that he needed the grace of God in his predicament. David fell into his enemies’ hands, yet he chose to approach God in prayer as he faced his fears. 

1 Peter 5:7 reminds us that God cares for us. He is a safe refuge for our troubled and anxious hearts. 

Trust in His Word

We can see how personal the relationship between David and God was in Psalm 56:3-4. He was confident, even amid danger, because the object of his trust is in God. It goes the same thing for us; if our faith is focused on God, we can trust Him and His promises no matter the situation. We are reminded in Romans 10:17 how we can strengthen our faith by hearing the Word of God. 

In Psalm 56:10, David declares that his security is found in the promises of God. Even though his present reality did not match what God promised him, like David, we can ultimately hold on to His promises because His Word will be accomplished despite our current situation. 

Trust in His Character

Psalm 56:6-7 tells us that trusting God does not mean that all of our problems will be solved all at once. David’s life was still in danger and yet he still chose to depend on God’s character. We are also reminded in Exodus 3:7 how God sees afflictions and how He hears the cries of His people. Such is the character of our loving Father; He never failed in any of His promises. 

In Romans 8:31, Paul reminds us that “If God is for us, who can be against us“? This is the confidence we can find in God. 

Thank Him in Advance

In Psalm 56:12, David emphasized the value of keeping the vows we make to the Lord and offering thanksgiving to Him as our act of worship, regardless of blessings. This shows our faith and trust in God. David sought the Lord and eventually, the Lord delivered him. 

In this time of fear, let us trust in God and be confident that He is more than able to keep us all from falling. 

In Summary

The context of Psalm 56 points us back to 1 Samuel 21:10-15. David was in a difficult situation when he composed this song. Here we learn from David that we should transfer our focus from what makes us afraid – to God in times of fear and danger. To be able to do that, we have to put our trust in who God is. 

Often we waver between faith and fear. When you feel so discouraged that you are sure that no one understands, remember that God knows every problem and sees every tear. 


Alex Shute is the Founder of FaithGiant. He is a family man and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles. His focus is on connecting people, places, and ideas through digital media. Check out FaithGiant today.

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