Lessons from Psalms 56

Psalms 56

Psalms 56 is such a wonderful chapter in Psalms! From my research and study of when this chapter was written, it seems to me to have been written during an event in David’s life that was very difficult. A time when it seemed that the world was falling apart around him. David had made his temporary home in Ziklag, a city in the Philistines. When he returned home one day after being gone for awhile, he found the city had been burned to the ground and his family had been taken captive. How sad! How would you feel if something like that happened to you?

Ellen White says, “David seemed to be cut off from every human support. All that he held dear on earth had been swept from him. Saul had driven him from his country; the Philistines had driven him from the camp; the Amalekites had plundered his city; his wives and children had been made prisoners; and his own familiar friends had banded against him, and threatened him even with death.”

What a situation! These would have been circumstances that are very easily calculated to make someone discouraged.  And it seems that during this time, David wrote Psalm 56. So turn with me in your Bibles to Psalms 56 and we’ll read verse 1 and 2:

“Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.” (Problem)

Here we see the problem or persecution that David was facing and what he feared. He had trials and problems. Do you ever have problems in your life? Problems that seem overwhelming? Homework that never seems to end? Work beyond your capability to keep up with? Difficulties that seem too great to pass through?  David understands what you might be feeling. But instead of yielding to the discouraging circumstances, let’s take a look at what David did from the next verse. This is the most common verse from this chapter.

“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. “ (Promise)

Isn’t that a great verse? A great promise? “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” When we are fearful of the future and of what will happen to us, let’s remember this promise! Today we’re going to be looking at 8 key points that start with “P” (I tried to make it 7, but there was one too many) and these will help us know what we can do when we have problems or persecution. And we just looked at the first one – the Promise. The first “P” is the Promise.

Is this the only promise God has given us when we have problems or trials? Oh, no! The Bible is full of promises. 2 Peter 1:4 says, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

There is no lack in the Bible for promises. If you don’t know very many or hardly any, I would encourage you to read the Bible, to study to find those promises. Memorize them and put them in your mind. So read the Bible and look for the promises that you can use when you run into problems and trials. So the first key point, the first “P” we learned is what? The Promise – claim the promises. 

Now let’s move on to verse 4 and discover 2 more key points from that verse.

“In God I will praise his word (Praise), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.” (Peace)

Did you see the next two “P’s” from that verse? “In God I will… praise His Word…” I will praise God. When we are going through difficult times, what do we generally feel like doing? Praising God? We should, but unfortunately, many times, we find ourselves complaining or grumbling about our circumstances, which we find ourselves in.

So how do I praise God when I’m going through difficult times?  Look for the blessings that God has given to you. Ellen White says, “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.” We don’t have to fear the future, because we can look back and see how God has been with us.

For the second “P”, we’ll put down Praise or in other words, singing. Sing when you’re having a bad day! They may be the last time you want to do at the moment, but it’s the right thing to do!  Have you noticed when you sing that it generally lifts your spirits and makes you happy? Sing cheerful, happy songs like “Let our hearts be always cheerful” or “Tis love that makes us happy” or something like that, just to give you an example.

Ellen White says, “Song is a weapon you can always use against discouragement.” So when in difficulty and trials, sing and you will be encouraged and inspired to press onward and keep going!

Well, that was the second “P”. What is the third “P” from also that verse? “…in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.” If I do not fear what flesh (man) can do to me, what is that called? It is another way of saying I have peace, right? So the 3^rd “P” is Peace.

Hebrews 13:6 says, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Paul is probably echoing the psalmist when he wrote these words.  Can you have peace in your heart, even when the world is falling apart around you? One of my favorite verses is from Isaiah 26:3 which says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee.”  “Whatever burdens lay heavily, cast them on the Lord. He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. Repose in God. He is kept in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on God.   The unfailing promises of God will keep your heart in perfect peace.” 

So, my friends, even if the world is seemingly falling apart around you and the difficulties and trials are more than you can bear, remember that God can keep you in perfect peace. Surrendering 100% to Christ is what brings perfect peace. Let’s go on in the chapter to verses 5-7: “Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul. Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.”

Here David is describing more problems and persecutions. He’s distressed with what the wicked have done to him.

Verse 8 is well-known and it says, “Thou tellest my wanderings (Providence): put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” (Perfect care) Here we find 2 more “P’s” from this passage that can help us with our problems and perplexities.  “Thou tallest all my wanderings…” What’s that? 

That’s providence. That’s the 4^th “P” – Providence or God’s guidance.  Psalms 32:8 says, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go, I will guide thee with mine eye.” Ellen White says, “In everything we need to move along the line of God's providence” and in another place, “God's providence is the school in which we are to learn the meekness and lowliness of Jesus. The Lord is ever setting before us, not the way we would choose, which seems easier and pleasanter to us, but the true aims of life. It rests with us to co-operate with the agencies which Heaven employs, in the work of conforming our characters to the divine model.” So follow God’s providence (His guidance) and remember that “all things work together for good to them that love God.”

The 5^th “P” is from the last part of the verse – “Put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” This one is Perfect Care.  Ellen White says, “In the book of God's providence, the volume of life, we are each given a page. That page contains every particular of our history; even the hairs of the head are numbered. God's children are never absent from His mind.” In your difficult moments or when you have problems and perplexities, remember God’s perfect care. You are valuable to God! He loves you with an everlasting love and He cares for you! Christ would have come to our earth just to save one of you. That’s how much He values you! Remember that when it seems that your problems are bigger than your God. God is bigger than the biggest problems you face, my friends!

Let’s go on to verse 9: “When I cry unto thee (Prayer), then shall mine enemies turn back (Protection): this I know; for God is for me.” (Promise) Here we find the 6^th and 7^th “P’s.” The verse says, “When I cry unto the…” what’s that? That’s Prayer. So the 6^th “P” is Prayer.  This is one of the best things you can do in your perplexities and troubles and it really fits with the 5^th “P” – Perfect Care, because when we remember that God loves and cares for us, then we will love to tell Him everything that troubles us. Steps to Christ says this, “Through nature and revelation, through His providence, and by the influence of His Spirit, God speaks to us. But these are not enough; we need also to pour out our hearts to Him. In order to have spiritual life and energy, we must have actual intercourse with our heavenly Father.”

My friends, talk to God as you talk to your best friend. He loves you and wants to help you in all your difficulties and loves to hear you call to Him for help and strength! When the problems and difficulties in your life are mounting up and you feel overwhelmed and discouraged, remember this “P” – Prayer. God says, “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify Me.” Call to God and He promises to hear you and help you.

Now let’s find the 7^th “P.” Verse 10: “In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.” (Proclaim) The 7^th “P” is Proclaim.  How do I get that? It’s not so obvious! The word “praise” here in the original Hebrew means to shine, to celebrate, to share. What am I proclaiming or sharing? His Word and what His Word has done in my life. This is so important. When we have troubles or perplexities and it seems that everything is going wrong, if we share to others something encouraging or something we’ve found from God’s Word, it will make our problems much smaller! So often people are focused on themselves, but when we are focused on helping others (soul-winning, for example), it helps us take our minds of ourselves and on to something better. Remember that for our own souls to grow, we must share with others what we’ve learned.

And the last 3 verses say, “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.” (Peace) That’s peace again. “Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.”  (Praise) And there’s praise again. Last verse – “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?” (Prayer)

The psalmist ends with a prayer. It’s a prayer of supplication, asking God to deliver him from falling so he can walk before God in the right way. 

My friends, those are the 8 “P’s” from that chapter.

• Promise
• Praise
• Peace
• Providence
• Perfect Care
• Protection
• Prayer
• Proclaim

Remember those “P’s” when you are going through difficult times.  The story is told about a man named Spafford who lived in Chicago. His only son died in 1871 at the age of four and shortly afterward came the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially as he had been a successful lawyer. Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Havre, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sailing ship, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone…" Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died. Bliss called his tune Ville du Havre, from the name of the stricken vessel.

My friends, I don’t know what difficult you might be going through right now, but God does. He knows every trial you face and how to help you through each one. He doesn’t want us to give in to our doubts or discouragements, but to use these 7 simple keys that David used to rise above our difficulties and trust Him fully. How many of you want to have God’s perfect peace in your heart as you work for Him?

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Horatio Spafford