Psalm 59:6-8
Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
7 There they are, bellowing with their mouths
with swords in their lips—
for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”
8 But you, O LORD, laugh at them;
you hold all the nations in derision.
There is a Joe Jackson song whose chorus goes, “Just because you’re paranoid, don’t mean they’re not out to get you.” It is meant to be funny but if someone would call David paranoid for these verses above, he could just point out the window at King Saul’s men waiting to kill David to prevent him from being the next anointed king of Israel. David literally could not leave his house without the very real danger of being murdered. It can be adverse to the mental health of anyone but David was not just anyone. He was a man after God’s own heart. Therefore, David wrote and believed verse 8. That the Lord was with him wherever he went.
There are many people in the world who cannot leave their home for fear, real or imagined, that they might be struck down in the streets. Their lives are ruled by verses 6 and 7 and they languish without the hope from verse 8, that God knows their needs and loves them. What a sadness to know that people exist like this! That is why we are called to make disciples, for the simple reason that people are scared and need the Lord. What a difference it makes in the life of the believer to know that no matter what happens, everything will be alright!
O Heavenly Father, thank you that we have nothing to fear when you are with us. Go before us today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.