The story is told of a farmer in a Midwestern state who had a strong disdain for "religious" things. As he plowed his field on Sunday morning, he would shake his fist at the church people who passed by on their way to worship. October came and the farmer had his finest crop ever--the best in the entire county. When the harvest was complete, he placed an advertisement in the local paper which belittled the Christians for their faith in God. Near the end of his attack he wrote, "Faith in God must not mean much if someone like me can prosper." The response from the Christians in the community was quiet and polite. In the next edition of the town paper, a small ad appeared. It read simply, "God doesn't always settle His accounts in October."
Some people think they can get away by humiliating God’s people. Don’t worry! God knows when and how to settle His accounts. Just like in the story we come across people who are bent on ridiculing our faith or the righteous stand we take. They find ways to humiliate tarnish our reputation, cause emotional, if possible physical damage. It is not that they try to kill you but in more subtle ways they want to trap you. Isn’t it painful when you are unduly criticized and accused? Some times the opposition comes from close quarters; from those we love the most.
How can you respond to such hostility and hatred? When people oppose you for no apparent reason? One day as I was wrestling with my emotions regarding these things, God directed my thoughts to Psalm 56 where I read about David, who was hunted down by his blood relatives, close friends and enemies a like. He lived under constant threat. He lived in caves because of the pursuit of his enemies. When I read Psalm 56, I was struck by David’s gut wrenching honesty about his situation and the way he connected with God who in the end lifted him from the pit of despair to praise. Let me read Psalm 56.
BACKGROUND: The book of Psalms has been called the Hebrew Prayer and Praise book of Israel and later of the early Christians. Out of 150 Psalms 73 of them were written by King David. Some of them are national in scope, and some are intimately personal. Some are exultant and some are depressing. Psalms carry a tremendous range of human emotion; it is no wonder that Psalms have been so popular through the ages. Jesus loved the Psalms. Even while dying on the cross he quoted from them. Whenever, I am challenged, depressed, anguished and frustrated. I turn to Psalms. It is like being in good company; they have been where you are.
Psalm 56 was written in the context of threat and perceivable danger. I Samuel 21, 22 give us the historical background. Here we read of a hero who once faced and killed the giant from Gath, single handedly. After several years he found himself running for his dear life because his father in law was trying to kill him. He came to the city of Gath where he was seized by the Philistines and brought before King Achish. You might remember this story, “where David acted insane before the King and was eventually driven out from his presence. From Gath he went and hid himself in a cave called Adullam. In that cave David, did not feel like a hero any more, in fact he was a zero, a nobody. In that dark place he felt humiliated, crushed, and alone in other words he was at rock bottom. There in that despondent situation he wrote Psalm 34 and Psalm 56.
When you face all kinds of troubles, and are falsely accused by people what should be your response? How can you deal with your adversity? Psalm 56 would help us to respond wisely instead of reacting irrationally. I would like to divide this chapter into five sections: 1. My Prayer (1-2) II. My Confidence (3-4), III. My Complaint (5-7), IV My Consolation (8-9) V. My Resolution (10-13).
I. MY PRAYER: (Psalm 56:1-2) “Be gracious to me, O God for man has trampled upon me; Fighting all day long he oppresses me. My foes have trampled upon me all day, long, for they are many who fight proudly against me.” One thing we learn from David’s life is that whenever he is in dire situations the first thing he would do is to run to God in prayer. This Psalm is no different. He appeals to God’s grace. This verb is used a total of seventy-eight times, often in the context of the strong and the weak in negotiation. Here David recognizes how weak he was and how strong God is. He was surrounded by many enemies; some of them were his close friends, and companions who went to the house of God (Church) with him. They had one aim that was to make his life miserable. In that context David cries out saying, “Be gracious to me O God.”
In like manner we too may have enemies, they may not necessarily be from outside they could be close friends, family members, colleagues, business partners, or even church members. In my years of ministry I came to realize that some people’s life’s mission is to oppress and intimidate others. At times we feel like we are being kicked around by others for no reason. When we face such situations what should be our response? We could either retaliate and fight back or go to God in prayer. Over the years many difficult and challenging circumstance drove me into God’s presence. When we come to God in prayer we must come with confidence.
II. MY CONFIDENCE: (Vs 3-5) “When I am afraid I will put my trust in you O God, whose word I praise. In God I have put my trust I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?
Similar words are found in Vs 10-11. David knew when he was afraid where to turn and who to trust. He turned to God’s word and he put his trust in God. Where did he get that confidence from? Has it happened over night or has he learned to trust in God from a very young age? Is it possible for us to place our trust in God in the age of science and technology?
Do you remember as a young boy when David faced the giant said, “You come to me with a sword, a spear and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted?” What courage it takes to challenge a giant? When he became a mighty warrior himself; his trust in God never diminished but it only increased so he said; “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7) David exhibited unwavering confidence in God.
These words of confidence, “In God we trust” have been a source of encouragement to many weary souls over the centuries. Interestingly they were adopted as the official motto of the United States in 1956. The phrase, “In God we trust” has appeared on U.S. coins since 1864 and on paper currency since 1957. Ironically, where do we place our trust in these days? Is it in our intelligence, the mighty dollar or in the almighty God alone?
For the modern mind the thought of trusting in God is rather crazy. Some, would rather trust their cool gadgets, technology, own wisdom and wealth, but trusting in God? They might say it is for the sissies not for me! But for David it was the only thing left for him; he was at rock bottom in his life; there was nowhere else for him to go to or nothing else he could do other than trusting in God and his word. I can tell you by my experience God is absolutely trust worthy therefore I would rather go to him with confidence and bring my complaint to Him alone.
III. MY COMPLAINT: (Vs 5:7)
When we face troubles and horrible situations our emotions become raw. It is absolutely OK to let God know exactly how you are feeling about a particular situation or a person. The right place to vent our feelings and frustrations is God because he can do something about it. David brought his complaint straight to God in no unclear terms.
David said, Oh God look, “They don’t let up, they smear my reputation and huddle to plot my collapse. They gang up, sneak together through the alleys to take me by surprise, wait their chance to get me. If you are facing such evil people in your life, whoever that may be don’t worry, tell it to God because he knows how to deal with them and he will see to that they are dealt with properly. When I bring my complaints to God only then will I find consolation in my desolation or anguish. What is my consolation?
IV. MY CONSOLATION: (Vs 8-9)
When I go through heartache, face disappointment, experience failures I often wondered does any one care for me; does God even care for me? It is human to feel that way. When we grieve over the loss of a loved one or a lost dream, it is OK to cry, there is nothing wrong with it. Crying can be great therapy. However some men who think they ought to be tough, crying is not cool, rather it is considered as a sign of weakness. But is it? God has emotions. His heart is grieved over the wickedness of evil men. Hebrew 5:7, tells us that, “Jesus During the days of Jesus' life on earth, offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” There is a whole book in the bible called, “Lamentations” When you go through tough times; don’t try to be cool and tough, and be sophisticated, don’t hold back your tears, let it go! CRY out to God for help. That’s what David did over and over again. Here are a few scriptures where David cried out to God for help.
“Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave.” Psalm 31:7
V. MY RESOLUTION: (10-13)
As in many of the other Psalms it is as if we see the tone of the song change from a B major flat Key to a C sharp key. In other words David starts out with just putting it all out on the table before God all the mess and misery he is in, but as we see here after all is said and done and tears have been cried. He comes to a place of resolution, his emotions no longer dominate instead he knows where his strength lies. David says in verse10 and 11 he reaffirms his faith in God saying, “In God whose word I praise in the Lord, whose word I praise in God I trust I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? He has regained his footing; he has got the right perspective then he goes on to say, “I will present my thank offerings”
In the same way when we come to God we begin to see things from his perspective. He can change our situation if not; change our hearts so that we can handle any situation with his help. I encourage you today not to hold back from being brutally honest with where you are at. Share your heart with the Lord. Spend time with Him don’t rush through this, allow God to assure you of His presence so that you too will regain your footing, gain your perspective and come out of the pit of self pity and begin to give him praise and thank him for all that he has already done for you. Amen
