When a Strong Man is Afraid…

What does a strong man do when fear comes knocking at his door? 

Everyone who has ever read the Bible or listened to Bible stories has heard of David, the mighty warrior who killed Goliath with a single stone, killed a lion and a bear, and slew tens of thousands in battle. In fact, when I think of David, I see a man with a sword ready for battle!

A month ago I opened the Psalms, and as I read them one by one, I noticed something. There were words of fear, coupled with despair and sadness. Words written by none other than David!

Let me share a few of these words below…

Psalm 3:1 “Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!” (NIV)

Wait a minute… I thought David was a brave man who feared nothing and no one!

Psalm 22:1-2 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.” (NIV)

Wow – a man like David actually felt lost and forsaken, afraid that the Lord had left him all alone!

Then… there are these verses from Psalm 31…

Psalm 31:9-13 “Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors and an object of dread to my closest friends— those who see me on the street flee from me. I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. For I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side!” They conspire against me and plot to take my life.” (NIV)

As I read these words… I could not picture David being afraid of anyone! The truth is, however, he felt ridiculed, forsaken, afraid and alone!

Even the strongest man experiences fear.

So – the big question is, what did David do when he was afraid? Did he turn to his friends? Did he make pacts with his enemies? Did he give up on God? The bigger question is – if you were in David’s shoes, what would you do?

I noticed something interesting as I read on. Every time David expressed fear, anguish, sadness, or despair, he would not just leave his words of despair hanging aimlessly. David would let them out, and then remember that there was someone he could turn to, even if the circumstances around him remained the same. He would turn his focus back to the Lord.

Remember the verse above from Psalm 3? Here is what David writes later in the chapter…

Psalm 3:3 “But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.”  (NIV) 

David knew that even when he had thousands of foes rising up against him, the Lord would always be there to protect him!

How about the verse from Psalm 22? Did David realign himself to the Lord later in the chapter? Yes, he did!

Psalm 22:19 – 22 “But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen. I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you.”(NIV)

David’s situation has not changed and yet he recognizes the Lord as His strength, deliverer, and rescuer. He even promises to praise him!

Note the words are in the present tense, indicating that the Lord’s deliverance was yet to take place. David, however, chose to praise the Lord anyway, turning his eyes away from his current trials and fixing them on God.

That’s a great lesson for us – during fearful times, focus on God!

Lastly, the verses from Psalm 31 – heart-wrenching verses indeed. How did David get out of that dark place?

He trusted in God.

Psalm 31:14 ‘But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.”’ (NIV)

David knew that the safest place he could be at that moment was in the Lord’s presence, a place where he could experience God’s abundant blessings.

Psalm 31:19-20 “How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.  In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues.” (NIV)

David, strong and powerful as he was, still needed the Lord during those fearful moments. How about you? When you are afraid, do you remember to realign yourself to God? Do you remember to focus your eyes on Him? Do you trust Him? Do you run into the Lord’s presence when you are afraid?

 

Psalm 29:11 aptly summarizes what David experienced every time he went through a fearful season and cried out the Lord. My prayer is that this verse will encourage you to always turn to the Lord when you are distressed and afraid.

Psalm 29:11 “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” (NIV)

 

 

 

Hi, everyone! I hope you have been well! Today’s article comes as a result of my discovery that David the mighty warrior actually experienced fear on several occasions! I hope that what I have shared above will encourage you the next time you feel afraid and alone. Please share this article with someone who really needs to read it. Have a blessed week ahead!