David was in despair because it seemed his enemy would or rather WAS prevailing over him. But as quickly as he was questioning why this was happening, he was stating how good God was and that His love is unfailing.
According to Strong's Concordance, the Hebrew word for trust in this passage is batach, which means... to take refuge in, to be confident or sure, put confidence, secure, (make to) hope, (put, make to) trust. So despite his circumstances, David put his hope and trust in God. That's where he felt safe and secure. He took refuge in God, meaning to hide himself in God's promises. He was stating the character of God, as he knew Him to be.
I have been in this place. And I think that we can learn from David. When our struggles are over taking us, and it seems the enemy is prevailing over us, let us take refuge in God. Let us put our hope in Him, and let us claim His promises over our life. Say aloud his character and sing His praises, and THIS IS WHEN WE SHALL GAIN VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY!
Not too long ago I was going through something very difficult (not my health, this was a couple years ago), and I felt like the enemy was winning. I felt like he was prevailing. And I remember hearing God tell me to "just worship Me." So I did, I put on my music as loud as I could and I opened up psalms and I repeated Davids words and claimed God's promises and spoke His character out loud. And it was after that, that I gained victory. The "walls of jericho" came down in my life.
Just recently I put out a controversial post on my blog, stating that you will suffer and it will be to much to bear. This was not to bring anyone down or make anyone feel defeated. Rather, it was to bring reality to our ideal of life here on earth. Life will be hard and will be miserable at times, but GOD IS STILL GOOD! When we cling to Christ even in our darkest moments, we can have peace. My point of the blog was, you can be a Christian, and have Christ in your heart, but you can still be living in an unbearable place of suffering. You can still feel like you're in the dark (anxiety, despair). Let me explain, we live on a spiritual war ground. We must claim God's promises over our life and receive the peace He wants to give us even in the darkest moments. And He will, but we must seek Him. We must ask for help. You see, David in this psalm is stating where he is and how he feels. He felt like God had forgot him. He says, "how long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?" So do you see? He was relying on himself? It was a choice, it was a statement. He's asking God, and admitting that he has been counseling his own soul and in that, there was sorrow. Once he states his trust in God, everything turns around for David's soul. He turns from sorrow to joy. Do you see that? He says my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. He goes from crying to singing? Do you see? In the last line he's now singing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with him. The hebrew word for bountifully is ekkomizo which actually means, to carry out (for burial) - or carried. What I think David is saying is that God has and will deal with David all the way even unto his death. Another translation uses the word delivered. David puts his life into God's hands even unto his own death. I think this may be a similar picture of Jesus at Gathesmene. Even unto death on a cross, Jesus says, "Not my will but yours father." We see a complete trust from David and Jesus for God's will over their lives.
And, so my post was not to discourage, but to encourage, in that when you are in your darkest moments, you can bear the pain and find peace and joy when you hide yourself in Him. Take from David's example in the latter part of his psalm. We find ourselves in both places don't we? It's a daily struggle. Find our strength in ourself? Of find your strength in God!!
To be upset with God is a very sorrowful place. When we find ourselves in that place, let us take refuge in the one true God who's love never fails us. The one true God who can give us peace even in the darkest of circumstances.
