Attitude During Troubles

Psalms 57:7-11 (KJV)

[7] My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. 

[8] Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. 

[9] I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. 

[10] For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. 

[11] Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth. 

The beginning of this psalm has a list of troubles brought before God, but the psalmist ends the psalm in this way. He begins by saying that his heart is fixed or steadfast. The first realization we must have during any kind of trouble is that God still loves us; He will not forsake us.

I’ve seen a friend who at one time would let troubles get him down but now looks, diligently seeks, where God is going to show His glory in the situation. This is praise. If you know that God is going to display Himself somehow and you are in anticipation of that, you are praising the Lord. 

The psalmist realized that God loved him; that God’s mercy surpasses any possible measurement; and that God is true to His word. Though things might seem horrible to us at the time we can be like the psalmist and anticipate how God is going to show His glory (v. 11).

Where Do You Find Comfort?

Psalm 56 (KJV) 

Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. 

[2] Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. 

[3] What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 

[4] In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. 

[5] Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. 

[6] They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul. 

[7] Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God. 

[8] Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? 

[9] When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. 

[10] In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word. 

[11] In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. 

[12] Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. 

[13] 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? 

Though the world may be against me, the Lord is with me. My hope and comfort come from God’s promises through His word. His word is praiseworthy! I will get hurt from time to time, but the Lord takes note and comforts me through His word.

Instead of being occupied with what man can do to me I will turn my attention to the Lord. If my focus is on the Lord, what can man do to me? If the Lord has rescued me from eternal death, will He not protect me in my day to day walk? Praise the Lord who is greater and more powerful than any adversary I have to face – and the Lord loves me.