When fear threatens our confidence in the Lord

When an army was attacking David, he said, “Do not let me fall into their hands. For they accuse me of things I’ve never done; with every breath they threaten me with violence” (Psalm 27:12, NLT).

As I look at my own challenges, no one is accusing me of anything. No violence is threatening me. How do your troubles compare? Maybe you do have something serious going on, or you’ve just received shocking news. I’m not minimizing your experience (or mine).

My point is that while David had a vicious army seeking his blood, he still said things like “The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” (v. 1) and “Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident” (v. 3).

But then the psalm turns a corner. After brimming with confidence in the Lord’s protection, David expresses great fear of the threat he sees before him. His emotion in the verses that follow is raw.

At the end, he returns to where he started, once more reminding himself of his trust in the Lord’s care:

13   Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.

He remembers who the Lord is—a God who does good to his people. In the final verse, David delivers the conclusion of the matter, the lesson he wants to leave us with.

14   Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

This encouraging psalm tells us it’s okay to be afraid. David’s own conflicting emotions of fear and courage give us permission to waver between the two. We can take comfort that when fear threatens our confidence, we’re not alone.

And as he says in verse 13, we can also rest in the knowledge that the Lord’s goodness is on the way.

Fearing bravely,