Tears and Tossings

In life, one of the ways we suffer is through fear. We can be gripped with fear of known and the unknown. We can fear our past and be anxious about our future. God knows this. In fact, the most common command in the entire Bible is simply "do not be afraid." The Lord tells his people, time and time again, not to be afraid (Deut 31:6; Josh 1:9; Isa 35:4, 41:10-13, 43:1; Jn 14:27; Phil 4:6-7; Hey 13:6; 1 Pet 3:14).

But -- why should we not be afraid? Why should we not fear? Where can I put my hope and trust?

In Psalm 56, God shows us that we put our hope and trust not in our circumstances, but God. It is God who takes care of us and protects us. Where do we learn this? From his word (Ps 56:4, 10). So, God's people put their trust in him by dwelling in his word, and when troubles come, his people praise his name in the midst of that trouble (Ps 56:11).