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Psalm 56:4, 11 - Faith and Trust in a Sovereign God and His Promises Resolve Fear.

Psalm 56:4, 11 - Faith and Trust in a Sovereign God and His 
Promises Resolve Fear. 

Psalm 56:4, 11 (TNIV) In God, whose word I praise - in God I 
trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 11 in God I 
trust and am not afraid. What can mere human beings do to me? 

Psalm 56:4, 11 (NLT) 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? 11 I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere 
mortals do to me?  

Psalm 56:4, 11 (CWR) I'll feed on your holy word and praise you. 
Then my fears will subside. After all, what can humans do to me? They 
cannot touch my soul. 11 I trust you and try not to be afraid, because 
I know that no one can harm me when you are with me. 

Psalm 56:3, 4, 10, 11 (TLB) But when I am afraid, I will put my 
confidence in you. Yes, I will trust the promises of God. And since I am 
trusting him, what can mere man do to me? 10, 11 I am trusting God--oh, 
praise his promises! I am not afraid of anything mere man can do to me! 
Yes, praise his promises.  

CONTEXT

When The Philistines Had Seized David In Gath.

COMMENTARY APPLICATION with Emphasis on vv. 4, 11.

Verse 4 is the refrain of the psalm, and is repeated in 
augmented form in vv. 10 and 11. [SDA Bible Commentary] 

Twice the author stresses that he puts his trust in God (vv. 4, 
11). It means he does not trust in the army, horses, allies, wealth, 
or wisdom but in his personal God. [Andrews SB] 

Terrors and tears must be handled with trust (vv. 3-4, 10-11). 
But be sure your motive is not just deliverance. He delivers us that 
we might delight in Him and serve Him (vv. 12-13). The highest 
purpose of prayer is the glory of God. [Chapter by Chapter Bible 
Commentary by Warren Wiersbe re Psa. 56] 

  The scene in this psalm is very familiar: the psalmist has 
been attacked, slandered, and maligned by his enemies. He even feared 
death and had every human reason to be afraid. But as he reminded 
himself of the Lord's care and concern, as he meditated on God's power 
and majesty, and as he trusted and praised God's Word, his fear 
began to flee. 
  When circumstances cause us to be afraid, the only way we can 
avoid being overwhelmed by fear and genuinely trust in almighty God is 
by experiencing and declaring who he says he is in his Word. It is 
there that we learn of him and come to know him. As he speaks, his 
very words and presence bring peace, calmness, rest, and stillness in 
our inmost being. Therefore, as the psalmist said, we trust in God, 
so why should we be afraid? As children of God, we learn to live by 
his precious, powerful Word so that we can walk before him in the 
light of life. We can trust him and not give way to fear. 
  LORD, when I am afraid, I trust in you, and I praise you for 
the sustaining power of your Word. Help me to lay hold of your words 
to me, for they alone bring me life, health, and peace. Let my 
trust in you continue to grow deep and wide so that I can fulfill the 
plans you have for me in order for your kingdom to increase, Thank you 
for the gift of your Word, which comforts, inspires, and guides my 
path each day. [Praying Through The Bible By Fuller re vv. 3, 4] 

  Have you ever found yourself in such a frightening situation 
that it pushed your "panic button"? Some people face that kind of 
fear because of a dreadful circumstance. Others may fear failure, 
rejection, illness, or death. Children often fear the dark and want their 
parents to hold their hand as they walk into a dark room. 
  Whatever you fear, you don't have to handle it alone by 
working harder, trying to control things, living in denial, or worst of 
all, backing away from God and his promises. Instead, these Scripture 
verses tell us we can turn to God when we are afraid. As we honestly 
admit what we're afraid of, our fear can actually draw us closer to 
the Lord than we ever thought possible. Reading God's promises in 
the Bible gives us assurance that we are not alone in this fearful 
place. God has promised to be with you in every situation and to never 
leave you, so you can put your trust in him. He is the source of our 
courage and security. He can turn your fear into faith. 
  LORD, you have said that when I'm afraid, at the very point of 
my anxiety, I can put my trust in you and experience your 
protection. I thank you for your Word that promises your presence with me. 
You are my heavenly Father, so please hold my hand in dark and 
frightening circumstances, and help me to trust you and walk close to you 
today. 

Your fear is a handle for laying hold on God. When you stop 
running and face your fear head on with faith, you find God. It is His 
presence and power that move us beyond our fears--past, present, and 
future. Bruce Larson  

CROSS REFERENCES

Psalm 118:6 (KJV) The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what 
can man do unto me?  

Hebrews 13:6 (KJV) So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my 
helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:

Grace Notes:
http://www.e-gracenotes.org/index.php

A Better Way to Live:
http://www.itiswritten.com/betterway/

Excellent Spiritual Resource Site:
http://www.christianlifemediacenter.com/

More Spiritual Resources:
http://www.aBible.com