1 O God, have mercy on me,
for people are hounding me.
My foes attack me all day long.
2 I am constantly hounded by those who slander me,
and many are boldly attacking me.
3 But when I am afraid,
I will put my trust in you.
4 I praise God for what he has promised.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
What can mere mortals do to me? NLT
::::: DIGGING DEEPER :::::
This psalm has been attributed to David while his life was threatened by Achish, the king of Gath. In 1 Samuel 21:10-15 David pretended to be insane in order to escape. The people of Gath were concerned deeply by David because he was renowned as an incredible warrior, with popular songs being spread about his military abilities. What depth of meaning does this background bring to David's words in this psalm?
Read verses 1-3. According to the songs being sung about David, he was someone who had killed tens of thousands of enemies (see 1 Samuel 21:10-15). Do these verses sound like someone who has accomplished that? What is going on inside of David in these verses?
Look at verse 4. Where does David's strength come from? And before you give an easy answer, consider how David has come to this conclusion in his life. How have the patterns of his life led him to practice verse 4?
::::: APPLICATION CHALLENGE :::::
What could you start practicing today (or be sure to continue to pratice) to turn your major concerns over to God… so that tomorrow you will know that you can trust him?