Journey through the Psalms: A 7-Day DevotionalSample

Nothing to Fear

Hated and hunted—that was the plight of King David, and he was at a loss as to how to cope with it. Worst of all, it was his own son who sought to harm him. So real was the threat to his life that David had to flee his home and hide (v. 1). His enemies seemed greater and more numerous than his friends—and what about God? He heard the taunts: “There is no salvation for him in God” (v. 2). But the taunts weren’t true. God was his protector. God had promised to be faithful no matter what, and his promise included not only protection but also restoration (vv. 3–4). Most of us have never been in David’s shoes—hated and hunted by a family member—but no doubt we’ve been on the receiving end of anger, whether justified or not. At such times, nothing we say or do works to calm the situation and restore reason, and we feel utterly helpless. But we don’t have to wait to get to that point to do what David did. He cried aloud to God (v.  4). He poured out his heart, and because God had faithfully answered him in the past, David knew God wouldn’t leave him without help in the present (v. 5).

After pouring out his heart, so confident was David of God’s involvement in his trouble that he was able to get a good night’s sleep (v.  5). That’s what casting our cares on God really looks like. When evening anxieties are raging, do we hand them over to our heavenly Father? If so—if  we have really entrusted our cares to God—we won’t lie awake all night with worry. Real trust banishes fear (v. 6), and it inspires even bolder prayer (vv. 7–8).