When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
Psalm 56:3-4

Dear God, this is one of those psalms that I don’t like to read because of you read this whole Psalm 56 in context it is one of those, “Kill all of my enemies,” psalms. Yeah, I’m not a big fan of that, although I can see where David would have these feelings come out of him when the Philistines had seized him in Gath. His life was threatened and he had enemies in ways that I never have and probably never will. So I’ll cut him some slack and just say that I don’t feel like the overall message of Psalm 56 is for me.

With that said, these two verses within the psalm are truth for me. The line, “what can mere mortals do to me?” strikes me this morning. What is the actual list? Starting with the most extreme:

• They can kill me
• They can arrest and torture me (my least favorite option)
• They can do numbers 1 and 2 to my wife and/or children (my new least favorite option)
• They can take away my job, money, home, reputation, etc.

Yes, there are things that can happen and they have happened to others including Job and Paul. But the lesson they taught in how to respond to that is worth learning. Better said, the lesson you taught through them is worth learning. I think it is summed up in this passage in Job:

Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm: “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his? Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor, and clothe yourself in honor and majesty. Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at all who are proud and bring them low, look at all who are proud and humble them, crush the wicked where they stand. Bury them all in the dust together; shroud their faces in the grave. Then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you.
Job 40:6-14

Father, help me to simply accept this day as you bring it to me. Love through me. Help me to not be needy, but to be at peace. I’ll take the road you have for me. Help me to walk it.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen