Thursday, August 7, 2025

Reflection - Psalm 56 - Life Is Real

Source (book): "My Soul Thirsts For God", Reflections on the Psalms from Our Daily Bread, Psalm 56, "Life Is Real", Page 84.
By Paul Van Gorder, Our Daily Bread Writer


Psalm 56
PHOTO: Psalm 56
Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me;
all day long they press their attack.
My slanderers pursue me all day long;
many are attacking me in their pride.

When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust, I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?

All day long they twist my words;
they are always plotting to harm me.
They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps,
eager to take my life.

On no account let them escape;
in your anger, O God, bring down the nations.
Record my lament;
list my tears on your scroll —
are they not in your record?

Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will know that God is for me.
In the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust, I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

I am under vows to you, O God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.


Life Is Real
In the comic strip Peanuts, Lucy had just broken the news to Linus that children cannot live at home forever. Even-totally they grow up and move away. Then she said that when he left she would get his room. But Linus quickly reminded her that at some time she too would have to leave home. When this realization hit Lucy, she was shocked, but she quickly came up with a solution. She turned the TV up loud, crawled into her beanbag chair with a bowl of ice cream, and refused to think about it.

Avoiding unpleasant circumstances is not as easy as Lucy thinks. Life's realities cannot be avoided. We may try to run and hide, but struggles and trials have a way of dogging our footsteps and eventually catching up with us.

Instead, we should face up to our problems. The psalmist David did this when beset my persistent foes and false friends. He didn't try to minimize his danger, he acknowledged the storm that was raging around him and looked to the Lord. He wrote, "In God I trust; I will not be afraid" (Psalm 56:4).

Let's follow David's example - not Lucy's. Facing up to life's difficulties may be a frightening experience. But when we trust God and draw to Him, we'll experience real deliverance.
- Paul Van Gorder
Picture posted by nu1production
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Psalm 56
Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me;
all day long they press their attack.
My slanderers pursue me all day long;
many are attacking me in their pride.

When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust, I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?

All day long they twist my words;
they are always plotting to harm me.
They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps,
eager to take my life.

On no account let them escape;
in your anger, O God, bring down the nations.
Record my lament;
list my tears on your scroll —
are they not in your record?

Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will know that God is for me.
In the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust, I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

I am under vows to you, O God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.
Life Is Real
In the comic strip Peanuts, Lucy had just broken the news to Linus that children cannot live at home forever. Even-totally they grow up and move away. Then she said that when he left she would get his room. But Linus quickly reminded her that at some time she too would have to leave home. When this realization hit Lucy, she was shocked, but she quickly came up with a solution. She turned the TV up loud, crawled into her beanbag chair with a bowl of ice cream, and refused to think about it.


In the comic strip Peanuts, Lucy had just broken the news to Linus that children cannot live at home forever.
PHOTO: In the comic strip Peanuts, Lucy had just broken the news to Linus that children cannot live at home forever. Even-totally they grow up and move away. Then she said that when he left she would get his room. But Linus quickly reminded her that at some time she too would have to leave home. When this realization hit Lucy, she was shocked, but she quickly came up with a solution. She turned the TV up loud, crawled into her beanbag chair with a bowl of ice cream, and refused to think about it.
Picture posted by 노래하는 마음 (Singing heart)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ9VylxfiXtELs4mcDZETZvbkyhj-RmKoddHaiIxJMZ7-qjxXjNIn97odE-N5AKG-1SEmQUiZFihSOh7_mP-Lg3Z9oOTqy5Y-U-QbYlgpPFbEg6CfOCyxmhPHXuSi39f1wgD3VNYipVyrERSlTXn342aWfDnpJM1gFn-SRy1gkfwcqzNWU58OSFFT2TB4/s1199/bb6126cb5251f498c304bea315cc3804.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/1200x/bb/61/26/bb6126cb5251f498c304bea315cc3804.jpg
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/415457134399041776/


Avoiding unpleasant circumstances is not as easy as Lucy thinks. Life's realities cannot be avoided. We may try to run and hide, but struggles and trials have a way of dogging our footsteps and eventually catching up with us.


Avoiding unpleasant circumstances is not as easy as Lucy thinks.
PHOTO: Avoiding unpleasant circumstances is not as easy as Lucy thinks. Life's realities cannot be avoided. We may try to run and hide, but struggles and trials have a way of dogging our footsteps and eventually catching up with us.
Picture posted by firstory on 24 June 2025 at 04:58 am
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsquP6kHbca-G5DhJYxTI10L60LDScjDkBBJGD_IQWuTU0c528oaruv8VVvnFOCinf06eWiy0v4f2fqVnQWsa19taCGUOcGrFHoO0GbNppbXxei2CbNIiKBu8fWfsx0Y1mc3QHLL6Tqz3MccygFwyLsG-pSxDlmBNbtc9p8xCBJChTpdbuGzCbpM_1ks/s3000/aJ-dVFuG90-THlJHEEht3.jpg
https://image.firstory-cdn.me/Image/cklre98vemlhb08046s0amjph/aJ-dVFuG90-THlJHEEht3.jpg
https://open.firstory.me/story/cmcb33lh200dl01xm2nnn9e44



Instead, we should face up to our problems. The psalmist David did this when beset my persistent foes and false friends. He didn't try to minimize his danger, he acknowledged the storm that was raging around him and looked to the Lord. He wrote, "In God I trust; I will not be afraid" (Psalm 56:4).


Instead, we should face up to our problems.
PHOTO: Instead, we should face up to our problems. The psalmist David did this when beset my persistent foes and false friends. He didn't try to minimize his danger, he acknowledged the storm that was raging around him and looked to the Lord. He wrote, "In God I trust; I will not be afraid" (Psalm 56:4).
Picture posted by The Deer's Feet
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUo0SU2A4LXVptYT1ZKPIbMtIHsChBZA1z0F46pFnEBZprFYHrpFqJDoeZAINTY2o-Zci_g2lNkf50FhSJJSmo7qj426_JYsQKrOtiW7t5UvFx4UrUf83jp4bdK0sIg1R15Tf_nn4Jrk4xuB3TlZum3_21-Z7DY53zk04hmC6GolTQKYHCzYZ0B6KD3o/s1792/davids-prayer_11.png
https://thedeerfeet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/davids-prayer.webp
https://thedeerfeet.com/category/characters/david/



Let's follow David's example - not Lucy's. Facing up to life's difficulties may be a frightening experience. But when we trust God and draw to Him, we'll experience real deliverance.
- Paul Van Gorder
 

Dear Lord
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, we pray that we face up to our problems. May we follow David's example in Psalm 56:4, 'In God I trust; I will not be afraid'. Facing up to life's difficulties may be a frightening experience. May we trust God and draw to Him, and experience real deliverance.

Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen
."
Picture posted by Светлана

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Reference
[1] From "My Soul Thirsts For God", Reflections on the Psalms from Our Daily Bread, Copyright @ 2009 by Discovery House Publishers, Psalm 56, "Life Is Real", Page 84.

Links


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