WHEN I AM AFRAID . . .

Like Psalm 34, Psalm 56 is linked to David’s experience among the Philistines in Gath, when he feigned insanity because he was afraid of what the Philistine king might do to him (see 1 Samuel 21:10–15). David had escaped to the Philistine city to elude Saul’s relentless pursuit but found himself in a potentially more dangerous situation.

He knew what it was to be pursued by enemies “all day long” (Psalm 56:2). Not only can fear prompt us to do things that are uncharacteristic, but it also can cause us to look for relief and rescue in the wrong places. David had sought refuge among the enemies of God’s people. Given his growing infamy among the Philistines, this was not going to end well. And if they had not driven him away, it is likely he would have been compromised in other ways. But reflecting on this experience, David could be confident about where he could turn for help—where he should have turned for help earlier. Note the sequence in these verses: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you . . . and [I] am not afraid.” Being “not afraid” does not change the circumstances—the initial and perhaps ongoing cause for fear—but the response to those circumstances is different. Because it is based on God’s promises, such a response is independent of circumstances and is beyond the reach of “mere mortals,” no matter how they might threaten the author of the song. Thus, this song is a note of praise even amid potentially fearful circumstances.