Vietnam Evangelical Covenant Church – “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10)
“When I am afraid” is David’s honest confession in Psalm 56. He did not pretend to be brave, but he knew where to run when fear struck. This article walks through truths that help us trust God when we are afraid. Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB).
What fear creeps into your heart most often? Are you worried you will never marry? Or if you are married, that your marriage will never get better? Are you afraid of failing at work or losing your job? Are you afraid of your health, illness and how you will die? Do you constantly worry about your children, their health, relationships and faith? When are you afraid?
What you fear most may be exactly where Satan is targeting you most. He preys on insecurity, worry and sorrow. He pours the gasoline of lies on our fears, trying to convince us that God is powerless, indifferent or far away. Even King David asked, “How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1)
God is not powerless; His power is immeasurably great (Ephesians 1:19). God is not indifferent to you; He cares for you as a Father cares for His child (1 Peter 5:7). And God is not far away: “The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). But we can feel that He is far away when we are afraid. Sometimes God seems distant in trouble because we have placed ourselves outside His Word.
Every Reason to Be Afraid
David wrote Psalm 56 when he was seized by the Philistines while fleeing from Saul’s army. David thought he might find refuge there if the Philistines forgot who he was, but the king’s servants soon said, “Is this not David, the king of the land? Is he not the one about whom they sing in their dances: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?” (1 Samuel 21:11). And they seized him.
David, running for his life from a murderer with an army, fell into the hands of a jealous and dangerous enemy. These were his “trials of many kinds” (James 1:2) when he wrote, “Be merciful to me, O God, for men are hounding me; all day they press their attack. My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me… All day long they twist my words; all their thoughts are on my demise. They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps while they wait to take my life” (Psalm 56:1–2, 5–6).
He lived each day anxious not only that he might die that day, but that someone might kill him that day. More than once in this psalm he says, “I will not be afraid” (Psalm 56:4, 11). How could he say that while fleeing and held captive?
When I Am Afraid
David could face great trials because he knew where to turn in them. “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56:3–4)
He begins with the words, “When I am afraid…” He acknowledges that the danger, the trials and the fear are real. He doesn’t deny feeling afraid when imprisoned by the Philistines or fleeing Saul. “I am afraid,” he confesses.
But that does not last long: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You… in God I trust; I will not be afraid.” I am afraid right now, but I know where to turn at those times. And when I lay my fear down for Him to carry, He removes every fear in me. “I will not be afraid.”
Whenever you see someone move from “I am afraid” to “I will not be afraid,” you should ask how. Knowing that David overcame fear may inspire someone who is afraid, but unless he tells us how, his story cannot help us face our own fears.
How to Trust God
So what happened to David between “I am afraid” and “I will not be afraid”? He put his trust in God. So will you trust God when you are afraid? Yes, but does David say more about what it looks like to trust God in a cave, in captivity, running for his life?
“In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust; I will not be afraid” (Psalm 56:4).
When David put his trust in God, he put his trust, even his praise, in God’s Word. He did not pray a vague prayer of hope, but anchored himself, his pain and fear, in God’s promises. When I am afraid, I cling to Him in His Word. Instead of staring at the terrifying mountains in front of me, I set my mind on what He has said to those who love Him. Suddenly, the danger is no longer so frightening, because it is drowned out by a greater voice.
Word Upon Word
If you want to know what it looks like to treasure God’s Word in good times and bad, read Psalm 119 again. Nowhere else is Scripture lifted up and celebrated like this longest chapter in the Bible. Perhaps the most precious thing in its 176 verses is how the psalmist speaks of the power of God’s Word to calm our fears and carry us through sorrow.
“My soul melts with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word.” (Psalm 119:28)
“I am severely afflicted; O LORD, revive me according to Your word.” (Psalm 119:107)
“I rejoice in the way of Your testimonies as much as in all riches.” (Psalm 119:14)
“I rise before dawn and cry for help; in Your word I have put my hope.” (Psalm 119:147)
“Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart fears Your word.” (Psalm 119:161)
Rulers persecute me without cause, and I suffer for no reason, but God’s Word is still sweet to me. When I don’t know what to say in a great trial, my only hope for healing, strength, protection and deliverance is written in His book. My heart stands in awe of His Word.
God Is for You
David repeats himself near the end of Psalm 56: “Then my enemies will retreat on the day I cry for help. By this I will know that God is on my side. 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?” (Psalm 56:9–11)
So what does it mean to trust God? It means trusting what God says. And what does God say in His Word? I am with you. If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31). What can man do to us?
When fear comes, and it surely will, even today, you know where to turn. You know the voice you need to hear, the voice that brings peace beyond all understanding; and He says to you, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33). And because you are in Him and He lives in you, through faith you have overcome the world (1 John 5:4–5).
You can say with David, “I will not be afraid.”
When You Are Afraid, Do This
Next time you are afraid, do what David did: tell God the truth, remember what He has promised, and choose to trust even before your feelings change. Faith is not the absence of fear, but placing our fear in the hands of the One who is greater than it.
Memorize Psalm 56:3 and say it aloud whenever fear comes. God’s Word spoken in weakness has power to uphold our hearts.
You may also like: 15 Bible Verses About Anxiety and 26 Encouraging Bible Verses.
Prayer
Lord, when I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. Remind me that You are on my side, and that nothing can separate me from Your love. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Article: Translation Team – Communications Ministry, Vietnam Evangelical Covenant Church
Adapted from: DesiringGod.org
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