When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
Psalm 56:3-4 NIV
In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
When David wrote this, he was remembering a time when an enemy had seized him. And he was fearful, not knowing what the Philistines might do to him. It was not a good time for David.
Trust in God
But David’s response to that fear was not to wring his hands in angst and worry. Instead, David put his trust in the Lord God. He recognized that God was more powerful than the enemies arrayed against him. David knew that he could trust God to see him through his current situation As well as anything else that might come his way.
David’s words are encouraging. If God is for me, and if I am trusting in him, what can mere mortals do to cause me real harm? And not just other people. It applies as well to hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanoes. It also applies to the viruses that cause disease, including COVID-19.
I believe we are right to be careful and not live foolishly. This virus is deadly and is something to be concerned about. But like David, when we are afraid, let’s put our trust in God. Our medical people and politicians are doing the best they can to overcome this outbreak. And I am very grateful to them for their efforts. But, in the end, my trust is in God, not in people, as admirable as their efforts are.
This virus may attack my body. It may even lead to my physical death. But I do not need to fear it. Because I put my trust in God and have confidence that he will keep what I have committed to him (2 Tim. 1:12).
