IN GOD I WILL PUT MY TRUST

PSALM 56

Introduction

This is the time of David's outlaw life. This psalm was written during David's fugitive years. David fled from the palace of King Saul after being warned by Jonathan of his father's ill intention (1 Samuel 20:24-42 ). It is a prayer of David, revealing for us the inner struggles of his heart during a time of severe affliction from mortal enemies with great power (v 1 ,4 ,11 ). Three times he said in verse 3 ,"What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." Then in verse 4b ,"in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." Again, in verse 11 ,"In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me." The time of severe trial is also a time of heightened trust in God. When circumstances in life seemed so bleak, there is solace and help with every look at the Saviour. When afflictions increase, faith in God's ability to help must proportionally increase if we are not to crumble under its weight. David described the sorrows of his heart in prayer by the phrase, "put thou my tears into thy bottle" literally asking God to remember every affliction or tear that he shed in fulfilling God's will for his life.

The "Jonath-elem-recho-kim" literally means "the silent dove of far-off places" is probably the name of a melody. It is used only used in title of psalm 56 . Perhaps it is a description of the psalmist in his flight given in Psalm 55:6-7 "And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah." The "Mitham of David" probably means "inscription or writing of David".

Background

He first fled to Nob, the city of priests where Doeg the Edomite (Psalm 51 ). Here in this psalm, it was the scene "when the Philistines took him in Gath." During the years of David's flight from King Saul, he twice took refuge in Gath (winepress).

On the first occasion to save his life David feigned madness (1 Samuel 21:10-15 ;Psalm 56:1 ); on the second, he was accompanied by his wives and 600 followers, and was kindly received by Achish the king who gave him the city of Ziklag in which to live (1 Samuel 27:1-12 ;28:1-2 ;1 Samuel 29 ). Gath is one of the five cities of the Philistines (Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, Gath), all located on or near the coast of Southern Palestine, and each ruled by its own king (Joshua 13:3 ;1 Samuel 6:17 ).

Gath was an old Canaanite city, and among its inhabitants, who were called Gittites (2 Samuel 6:10 ,11 ;15:18 ,19 ,22 ), were the Anakim, a people of extraordinary height who lived in the hill country of Palestine generally. The giant Goliath who was slain by David was one of the Anakim from Gath (17:4 ,23 ;2 Samuel 21:20 ,22 ;1 Chronicles 20:5-8 ).

Among some Anakim from Gath slain by David and his servants was a man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot (2 Samuel 21:18-22 ;1 Chronicles 20:6-8 ). When the Philistines saw that their champion Goliath was dead, they fled from the pursuing Israelites to their own cities as far as Gath and Ekron (1 Samuel 17:52 ).

This psalm was a reflection on the occasion to save his life, David had to feign madness (1 Samuel 21:10-15 ;Psalm 56:1 ). It is given in 1 Samuel 21:10-15 "And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said unto him, 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? 12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 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. 14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? 15 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?"

David feigned madness to escape the wrath of the Philistines whilst hiding in enemy territory.

".Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High." (v 1-2 )

Show me Thy favour, be gracious to me, O God, was the urgent plea (imperative) of the psalmist. He confided in His God that his enemies would daily swallow him up - he was trampled upon and crushed under the weight of persecution, feeling so exhausted gasping for breath from running. The word "daily" is literally translated "all/every day". He does not know how to deal with the incessant attacks and committed his trouble and his very life to God for protection and deliverance. He poured out his helpless

plight to God.

"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 unto 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." (v 3-4 ,10-11 )

The power of God's word to bring comfort and peace must not be underestimated in our every trial of life. The Psalms provide us with God's assurance for every situation of life. The Proverbs provides for us His wisdom to tackle the vicissitudes of life. The gospels demonstrated for us the power of our Lord in life's trials telling us that Jesus has authority over issues of life/death, provisions, sickness, a deranged mind. We can call upon our Lord for help, He understands every human misery and He is able to help.

I will praise His word - refers to the psalmist's confidence and the praiseworthiness of God's word to help him. It helped him to renew his faith or trust in God. It assures him of God's presence with him to help him. For example, in Psalm 121:1-2 ".I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth."

The word "from" shows the origin of the psalmist's help. In the original it consists of two prepositions - "from" and "with or beside". It assured the psalmist that the help from God is not far away in the hills but He is right there with him and beside him. This is the meaning of God's abiding presence with us that every believer must realize. This truth gives much assurance to still the heart in face of uncertainty in the future and difficult present circumstance. When we go to God in the study of His word, there is great comfort and assurance.

The psalmist confided that the assurance in God's Word gives to him confidence and courage to face life squarely despite the harshness of the environment and people.

"Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul." (v 5-6 )

Wickedness of the human heart is fully described here. Let it not be named among God's children these sins of the spirit.

"Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God. Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for 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?"

God knows the grief of His children. The Holy Spirit that indwells every child of God is able to feel our sorrows as was the experience of Apostle Paul, Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Likewise, our Lord Jesus in heaven intercedes for the cause of His oppressed children, Hebrews 4:15 "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

Every tear of God's children is known to Him and kept in a bottle. There is an allusion here to the custom of collecting tears shed in a time of calamity and sorrow, and preserving them in a small bottle or "lachrymatory," as a memorial of the grief. The Romans had a custom, that in a time of mourning - on a funeral occasion - a friend went to one in sorrow, and wiped away the tears from the eyes with a piece of cloth, and squeezed the tears into a small bottle of glass or earth, which was carefully preserved as a memorial of friendship and sorrow. (Barnes)

God is able to help, vindicate every wrong. When God seals His children with the Holy Spirit of promise, it comes with it all the privilege of God's care and resources, a guaranteed inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14 ). This is not only for the present but in death being ushered into eternal blessings of heaven. Therefore, may every troubled soul hearken to the call of our Saviour Jesus Christ in Matthew 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." May we call upon Him and not succumb to the pressures of man and circumstance.