Faith in the Midst of Fear

 

“When I Am Afraid, 

I Put My Trust in You”

Psalm 56 

David composed this psalm “when the Philistines had seized him in Gath” (see the superscription). The setting takes us back to 1 Samuel 21:10–15, when David fled from King Saul and sought refuge in Philistine territory. Gath was the hometown of Goliath, the very giant David had slain years before. Seeking safety among the enemies of Israel was both desperate and dangerous—his reputation preceded him, and the Philistines quickly recognized him as the famous warrior.

In Gath, David was vulnerable, utterly out of his element. He pretended to be insane to escape (1 Samuel 21:13), a humiliating yet necessary act of survival. This psalm captures that tension: the fear of captivity, the awareness of being surrounded by enemies, and the humiliation of dependence on God alone when every human resource failed.

Yet what shines through the psalm is not despair but trust and praise. David names his fear honestly—“When I am afraid” — but then immediately declares his confidence: “I will trust in You” (v.3). His tears, his wanderings, and his dangers are not ignored by God; they are remembered and recorded (v.8). The psalm is both a cry for mercy and a bold affirmation that God is for him (v.9). In other words, this is not just a prayer from a moment of weakness, but a testimony forged in the furnace of danger: faith thrives not after fear has vanished but right in the heart of it.

Verses 1–2 – Plea for Mercy

“O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me.”

Psalms 56:1-2 

Verses 1–2 open with David’s desperate cry: “Be merciful unto me, O God.” His first instinct under pressure is not to devise a plan of escape but to throw himself on the mercy of God. Surrounded by enemies who seem eager to devour him, David likens their threat to being swallowed alive. Spurgeon paints this vividly: humanity is like a beast with its mouth wide open, ready to consume him, but the mercy of God stands like a protecting wall. Matthew Henry observes that when men were merciless, David fled to the only refuge where mercy was certain—God Himself. This sets the tone for the psalm: not denial of danger, but dependence on divine compassion.

Patrick Miller draws attention to the word “daily.” Twice David repeats it: “he fighting daily oppresseth me… mine enemies would daily swallow me up.” The relentlessness of hostility is real—trouble hounds him every day. Yet Miller points out that the psalm itself becomes David’s daily counterpoint: prayer is his answer to oppression, keeping pace with his enemies’ pursuit. Psalm 57:1 echoes this same cry for refuge, while Psalm 34:19 assures that though the righteous may face many troubles, the Lord delivers them from them all. Thus these opening verses frame the psalm not as a single outburst of fear, but as a rhythm of life—opposition comes daily, but so does God’s mercy.

Verse 3 – Trust in Fear

“But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.”

Psalms 56:3 

Verse 3 stands as the heart of Psalm 56: “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.” David does not deny his fear—he names it honestly. Yet the moment fear arises, trust is summoned to meet it. Trust is an immediate choice, not a delayed response after fear subsides. Donald Coggan reminds us that “faith is not the absence of fear, but the choice to hand over fear into God’s keeping.” Alexander Maclaren adds a crucial insight: fear and faith are not opposites. Rather, faith is born precisely within fear’s grip, like a candle lit in the darkness. This is not about eliminating dread, but about redirecting it—lifting trembling hands to the One who holds them secure.

This verse also provokes deep questions: What can man do to me? (cf. Psalm 56:4). Even if people slander, scheme, or threaten the body, can they ultimately touch the soul? Jesus echoes this in Matthew 10:28: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Isaiah 12:2 and John 14:1 echo the same confidence—“I will trust and not be afraid… Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” The real question becomes: will we allow human threats to loom larger than divine promises? Or will we learn, like David, to meet fear with trust and to answer the trembling heart with the stronger voice of faith?

Verses 4–5 – Confidence in God’s Word

“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? They are always twisting what I say; they spend their days plotting to harm me.”

Psalms 56:4-5 

Here, David anchors his trust in the Word of God. Matthew Henry points out that praising God’s Word is itself an act of faith—by rehearsing God’s promises, the soul steadies itself against trembling. David is not praising his own courage or circumstances, but the unshakable Word that secures his hope. Spurgeon captures this beautifully: “God’s promises are the warriors’ song and the sufferers’ balm.” When the battle rages outside and turmoil stirs within, the melody of God’s promises becomes both shield and comfort.

Patrick Miller draws attention to the realism in these verses: the enemy’s plots are daily, relentless, and deceitful—“they twist my words; all their thoughts are against me for evil.” Yet David sees their limits. They are but “flesh,” bound by mortality and unable to ultimately thwart God’s purposes. Romans 8:31 echoes this defiant confidence: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Likewise, Hebrews 13:6 declares: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” The contrast is striking: human schemes may distort, plot, and threaten, but God’s Word endures beyond their lies. Thus, David sings not only of survival, but of a trust so firm that it transforms daily assaults into opportunities to magnify the promises of God.

Verses 6–7 – Cry for Justice

“They come together to spy on me— watching my every step, eager to kill me. Don’t let them get away with their wickedness; in your anger, O God, bring them down.”

Psalms 56:6-7 

David describes enemies who plot in secret, watching his every move, waiting to pounce. Their attacks are not impulsive but calculated, designed to entrap him. Matthew Henry reminds us that while the conspiracies of the wicked may be hidden from human eyes, they are never hidden from God. Spurgeon puts it starkly: “Men lurk in the dark, but God sees clearly; the hunted soul prays for divine judgment.” These verses remind us that no scheme is beyond God’s notice, and no snare can finally succeed when the Lord is our keeper (cf. Psalm 121:7–8).

David then cries out for justice: “Shall they escape by iniquity? In thine anger cast down the people, O God.” This is not the cry of personal vengeance but an appeal to divine righteousness. Alexander Maclaren notes that David is not seeking to settle scores but asking God to uphold His own justice against evil. Revelation 6:10 echoes this same longing from the martyrs: “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Psalm 59:3 parallels David’s situation, describing ruthless enemies who “lie in wait.” The psalmist reminds us that injustice is real, but it does not have the last word. The cry for God to “cast down” is not fueled by bitterness, but by trust that the Judge of all the earth will do right (Genesis 18:25).

Verse 8 – God’s Care for Tears

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”

Psalms 56:8 

David confesses that every restless step, every sleepless night, and every anxious wandering is carefully noted by God. Nothing in his distress is overlooked or forgotten. Matthew Henry beautifully reminds us that “our sorrows are registered in heaven; God records every sigh of His children.” Spurgeon adds a moving picture: “God’s bottle is never full till the last tear of the last saint is wiped away forever.” Each tear is seen, collected, and valued by the Lord who treasures His people’s pain.

This verse reminds us that God cares! Jesus assured us that even the very hairs on our heads are numbered (Matthew 10:30). Though we often vacillate between faith and fear, God’s intimate knowledge of us means that when discouragement sets in and it feels like no one understands, He understands every problem and watches every tear. Eugene Peterson calls this verse a portrait of “intimacy of care,” showing that nothing we endure is wasted. Donald Coggan emphasizes that our grief carries eternal weight in God’s sight. The psalmist envisions a heavenly book where sorrows are written (cf. Psalm 139:16), dignifying human pain by placing it under God’s keeping. Revelation 7:17 carries this promise to its fulfillment: “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Until then, we can rest assured that every lament is heard, every tear is gathered, and one day mourning will give way to everlasting joy.

Verses 9–11 – Assurance of God’s Help

“My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side! I praise God for what he has promised; yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?”

Psalms 56:9-11 

Verses 9–11 mark a triumphant shift from lament to confidence; David declares with certainty that his cry to God will not go unheard. Matthew Henry stresses how he finds courage in rehearsing this truth—God is for him. This assurance changes the tone of the psalm: from hunted and harassed, David now speaks as one upheld and protected. Paul echoes this in Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Spurgeon seizes on this with boldness: “If God be for me, it matters little who is against me.” The reality of God’s presence reframes human opposition—not denying its pain, but stripping it of ultimate power.

The repetition in verses 10–11—“In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word. In God have I put my trust…”—is what Alexander Maclaren calls “hammer strokes driving assurance deep.” Each phrase strikes the heart with fresh confidence. Eugene Peterson paraphrases this as the psalmist singing the promises back to God until trust overcomes fear. Patrick Miller points out the movement from petition to proclamation—trust has now become testimony. The earlier question, “What can flesh do to me?” is answered in Hebrews 13:6: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” These verses remind us that confidence in God is not bravado, but the steadying power of His Word repeated, believed, and sung until the heart is convinced.

Verses 12–13 – Vows and Deliverance

“I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help. For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.”

Psalms 56:12-13 

Verses 12–13 bring Psalm 56 to a beautiful close, turning fear and petition into gratitude and resolve. 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?” David acknowledges that he is bound by vows of praise. In Hebrew thought, a vow was not only a promise made in desperation but a sacred obligation to give thanks when God delivered. Matthew Henry observes that past deliverances fuel present confidence—David remembers that God has already saved his life from death, and therefore trusts He will continue to keep his steps steady.

Spurgeon comments, “Gratitude is the soul’s debt; praise is the interest we pay.” Deliverance demands a response, and for David that response is worship. Eugene Peterson captures the imagery of “walking in the light of the living” as living openly and joyfully in God’s presence—no longer shadowed by fear, but illumined by grace. Donald Coggan notes that worship here is both response and resolve: thanksgiving for what God has done, and commitment to live faithfully in the light of His deliverance. Psalm 116:8–9 mirrors this same thought—“For you, Lord, have delivered me from death… that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” And Jesus Himself fulfills it in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Thus the psalm ends where all prayers should lead: not only relief from danger, but a renewed life of praise, lived in the radiant presence of God.

Living Faith in the Midst of Fear

Psalm 56 reminds us that faith is not the absence of fear, but the decision to trust God right in the middle of trembling. David’s enemies pressed him on every side, yet he learned to answer fear with confidence: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in You.” His strength did not come from his circumstances but from God’s Word—promises rehearsed, praised, and believed until they steadied his heart.

The psalm also gives us one of the most tender assurances in Scripture: God collects our tears and records our sorrows. None of our suffering is wasted or unnoticed; every sigh has eternal weight before Him. And with that assurance comes bold confidence: “God is for me.” If the Lord is our helper, what can man do? (Hebrews 13:6).

Finally, deliverance calls forth gratitude. David resolves not just to survive, but to praise—to walk before God “in the light of the living.” The psalm leaves us with five enduring themes: faith amid fear, strength from God’s Word, God’s remembrance of our tears, confidence in His presence, and gratitude that leads to worship. Taken together, they remind us that the life of trust is not fragile hope but resilient praise, forged in trials and crowned with thanksgiving.