Psalm 56:1-13 NKJV
56 Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up;
Fighting all day he oppresses me.
2 My enemies would hound me all day,
For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.
3 Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
4 In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?
5 All day they twist my words;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They gather together,
They hide, they mark my steps,
When they lie in wait for my life.
7 Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, O God!
8 You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
9 When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because God is for me.
10 In God (I will praise His word),
In the Lord (I will praise His word),
11 In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God;
I will render praises to You,
13 For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God
In the light of the living?
David’s words in Psalm 56 flow from a heart overwhelmed by fear, yet anchored in trust. As he faces relentless enemies, David begins with an urgent plea: “Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; fighting all day he oppresses me” (v.1). Here, we see that even the most faithful servants of God are not exempt from suffering. David’s enemies hound him without rest, and their strength seems overwhelming. Yet, in the midst of this relentless pressure, David turns not to despair but to the mercy of God.
Trust is the central theme of David’s response to fear. “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You” (v.3). He acknowledges his fear but refuses to be governed by it. Instead, he places his confidence in God’s promises, declaring boldly, “In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?” (v.4). David’s fear is real, but it is eclipsed by his trust in the almighty God, whose word gives him strength and assurance.
David’s trust is not blind optimism but rests on the foundation of God’s promises. He praises God’s word because it reveals God’s faithfulness, His protection, and His deliverance. Even when enemies distort his words and plot against him (v.5-6), David knows that God is aware of his every tear. “You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?” (v.8). God’s care for His people is so intimate that He counts every tear, reminding us that no sorrow is unnoticed, and no suffering is wasted.
The psalm culminates in confident hope. David knows that God will act on his behalf: “For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?” (v.13). Though surrounded by enemies, David is already speaking of deliverance in the past tense, trusting that God’s rescue is certain. His faith allows him to look beyond his immediate danger and rest in the promise of eternal life with God. Let us pray: Lord, in times of fear and distress, help us to trust in Your mercy and promises. Strengthen our hearts to walk before You in the light of the living. Amen.