When I Am Afraid
Study note
David asks God for mercy because people are trying to swallow him up. His enemies attack him all day. But when he is afraid, he chooses to trust in God. He praises God's word and refuses to fear what mere humans can do.
1 Show me mercy, God, because people are hounding me relentlessly. Attackers come at me all day long. Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.
2 My enemies chase me around the clock. So many are fighting against me from their positions of power. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.
3 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in you. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
4 I praise God for his word. With God on my side, I will not be afraid. What can ordinary people possibly do to me? In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
God Keeps Track of My Tears
Study note
David's enemies twist his words and watch his steps. He asks God to collect his tears in a bottle. On the day David calls to God, his enemies will retreat because he knows God is on his side.
5 All day long they twist everything I say. Every thought in their heads is aimed at bringing me down. Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They gang up and lurk in the shadows. They track my every move, waiting for the right moment to take my life. They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.
7 Can they truly get away with all this wickedness? God, in your anger, bring these nations down. Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.
8 You have tracked every restless night I have spent. Collect my tears in your bottle. Surely you have written them all down in your records. Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
9 The day I call for help, my enemies will fall back. One thing I know for sure: God is on my side. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
Trust over Fear
Study note
David repeats his declaration of trust: In God I will praise his word. He is not afraid of what people can do. He vows to fulfill his promises to God because God has rescued him from death.
10 I praise God for his word. I praise the Lord for his word. In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.
11 With God on my side, I will not be afraid. What can any human being do to me? In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
12 God, I owe you what I promised. I will bring you my offerings of thanks. Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.
13 You have pulled my soul back from death and kept my feet from slipping. Now I can walk in God's presence, in the light of the living. 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?