PSALM 56

David seems to be in predicaments often. He had many opponents and had to deal with FEAR at many times...when he was young and when he was older. He is requesting of the LORD to be gracious to him as he begins to remember his ememies and experiences he had with their arrogance and desire to trample him. Immediately he recalls what we have often recited and shared with fearful children, "When I am afraid, I will trust in You." David expresses what we wrestle with often...a battle of our fears and our faith in Him Whom we can and must trust! The details of his enemies remind us of the enemies that many of us face in this modern time.

FEARS are rooted in believing the enemy's lies...one at a time. Many are carry overs from our childhood. We must not only deal with these lies in our lives, but be sensitive to come to our children's aid (and friends) when we become aware of fears in their lives. Fear causes wrong actions and wrong attitudes.

REMEMBER THE LORD'S TRACK RECORD in your life: "Put my tears in Your records" - yes, the LORD has recorded everything about us...He knows our sufferings. Tears in a bottle (in David's time, a wineskin) is a proof to us that HE knows and cares.

David had three requests in Psa.56: 1. Deliver me from death v.1-4 2. Deliver me from Stumbling v.5-11 and 3. Deliver me so I can praise You v. 12. In vs. 13, we see that the LORD did ALL that David requested.

David has many thoughts about his enemies through the years of dashing all about and escaping death by the hand of Saul and the others he viewed as enemies. We view people as our enemies today; yet, we must note God's Word which readily reminds us that our enemy is NOT flesh and blood. God's grace can move us from a place of fear to a place of trust - HE is the Deliverer.

David asks the LORD to keep him from stumbling. Only His Grace can do that for us. We cannot assign the LORD the responsibility that He has assigned us. Praise Him, He gives the grace (the desire and power to do what He demands) - but He will not do our part...we must make the right choice BY HIS GRACE! Faith is living without scheming.

Through all of David's escapades, his friends and family probably seldom had a clue to where he was traveling, moving, or staying (even when he acted as tho' he was a crazy man to protect himself from his enemy)...but the LORD never lost track. He never loses track of you and me either. He knows ALL that we do, say, and even think - AND ALSO ALL THE POSSIBILITIES IF WE DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY!!!

Can you and I praise only when everything goes our way? When there is no type of suffering? OR WILL you praise Him today for what He is doing right now in your life? I Thess. 5:18

NEXT WEEK'S LESSON: Psalms 73