Is God Enough?—Encouragement From David’s PsalmsSample

Is God’s Protection Enough?

I wrestled with which word captured the meaning of Psalm 56: Protection or Provision. Perhaps protection is a form of provision. Or is provision a form of protection? To quote the great theologian, Forrest Gump, “I think it’s both.”

From the title of Psalm 56, we know David wrote the song and even shares the circumstance: Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

Why choose a psalm, prompted by David’s capture and fear, to illustrate God’s protection and provision? Because we, like David, will never truly experience God’s protection and provision unless we first endure danger and want.

While meditating on this psalm, I realized 56:4, 10-11 share almost identical phrases. Despite David’s fear, he declares, “…in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? …in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?” (emphasis added).

“In God I trust” caught my attention. Did our forefathers in 1776 add the similar phrase, “In God we trust,” to the new American currency?

Nope.

“In God We Trust” was added after WWII, in the 1950s.Our grateful country declared that God’s protection and provision saved the world from a maniacal dictator. Also in the 1950s, grateful Americans added the phrase, under God, to our Pledge of Allegiance: “…one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Rather than focusing on how America has changed since the 1950s, let’s consider instead the second phrase this psalm repeats: “What can mere mortals do to me?” and “What can men do to me?” (Psalm 56:4,11). Though David lived under the constraints of the Old Testament (OT) Law of Moses, his faith in the coming Messiah became the gateway to God’s protection and provision. Romans 4:13 explains it this way: “It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise…but through the righteousness that comes by faith.”

Before the Cross, the rules and laws were the only path to God. When Jesus was born on earth, He lived, died, and rose again to fulfill every Law in the OT (Matthew 5:17-20). Through His death and resurrection, Jesus opened the door for anyone—not only Abraham’s offspring—to enter into an intimate relationship with the holy God. Even though no one deserves His gift of eternal life, Jesus purchased the forgiveness of all our sins. All of them.

You can pray with the certainty that the LORD will protect you and provide for you because He promised it.“God can bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having allthatyouneed, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

God’s Protection/Provision Is Enough because He promised it would be.

In what ways do you need God’s protection and/or provision? Let’s pray and praise our way through David’s psalm:

Take a moment to ask God for His mercy (Psalm 56:1).

Write down ways the enemy of your soul tries to trap or kill you (Psalm 56:2-7).

Praise the LORD for His compassion and the ways He comforts you (Psalm 56:8-9).

Remember God’s past provision and declare in faith, “In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56:10-11).

Conclude by thanking the LORD for His past protection and trusting His future provision (Psalm 56:13).