When I Am Afraid (2)

Fear is a very interesting and powerful thing. Fear according to Britanica Reference Center means, "

"1 a : an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by expectation or awareness of danger"

From <https://library.eb.com/levels/referencecenter/search/dictionary?query=Fear&includeLevelTwo=1&page=1>

Fear is what makes us want to fight, or urge us to flee. It causes us to freeze, or throws us into a panic. Fear can make a big burly, bushy bearded guy scream like a little girl at the sight of a spider. It can cause people to do crazy things.

My Uncle and Aunt used to live in a small house in Foley. Their bedroom was on the North East corner of the house down a hallway with the back door at the other end. In between was the bathroom, another bedroom, and two hall closets.

One night while they were asleep, they heard a terrible racket. My uncle not having a gun in his house at that time, went to the bathroom and got the toilet brush - going to beat anyone he saw sneaking in their house with it.

After the fear subsided, my Aunt and Uncle realized amidst bouts of laughter that it was actually the toilet lid that had fallen making the sound.

Fear can cause us to do very strange things. The other night after I heard the boys getting wound up again after they were in bed, I went in to tell them they needed to go to sleep.

I then went into the kitchen to get me something to drink. As I came back down the hallway, I saw one of the boys crouched down by the door with a small chair in their hands ready to tackle the stranger they heard in the kitchen and coming down the hallway. They thought I had gone back to bed.

Fear is something that can control us, take away our ability to rationalize, or even bring death.

David who is writing this Psalm on the account found in 1 Samuel 21:10-15, when he was captured by King Achish of Gath. His enemy.

The servants told the king, "This is David - the one they sang and danced in the street about how many he had killed in battle"

David realizing he was in trouble began to pretend that he was insane.

Causing King Achish to say, "Don't I have enough crazy people, without you bringing this nut case in here." (This of course is from the Gordon unauthorized version)

If you look back to the beginning of this Psalm, there may be some notes about the Psalm written by the composer. Who it was written for, what it is, and who wrote it.

There is an interesting phrase where it says, "Michtam of David" While there are several translations as to what that means, some scholars translate that to mean a silent prayer.

I can see David as he is sneaking into enemy territory, running from King Saul, and then is found out and taken into the King Achish, who would love to see him dead as much as King Saul.

It's as though David is praying this under his breath.

Notice David doesn't say, "I am never afraid" Or as the slogan was when I was a teenager "NO FEAR"

David is honest, "When I am afraid."

David knows what it is to have fears, anxieities, worries.

But he has also learned the antidote for this life squeezing, gut wrenching thing called fear - TRUST.

When I am afraid David says, "I will Trust in thee." I will trust in GOD!!!

Fear or one of it's equivalents is found over 500 times in the KJV. I think this frequency shows that God knows all about human emotions and fear.

In fact the Bible covers a lot of territory with fear - I wish we had time to cover all of it, but that is not possible this morning.

But it begins, or at least the first account of fear we have recorded in the Bible is found in the book of Genesis after Adam and Eve disobey God, what do they do - They hide from the Presence of God BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID!!!

Jacob prays in Gen. 32:11 to be delivered from Essau, because, "I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. "

In Deuteronomy 5:5 The children of Israel are afraid of the Fires on Mount Sinai,

In Exodus 34:30 Aaron and the Israelites were afraid when Moses' face shone and they had to throw a veil over his face.

David when he was captured by Achish 1 Samuel 21:12

The disciples when caught in the storm on the lake, and when Jesus walked on the water

and many other times fear makes its mark in the Word of God.

Just as many times as we find people are fearful or afraid we find nearly as many times where God says "BE NOT AFRAID!" or "FEAR NOT" This is not God saying - "you ought to be ashamed at being so afraid," but rather it is God saying, "You can trust me, You are not in danger or trouble" It is usually an invitation to trust, to provide reassurance and encouragement.

Through out this Psalm we are given reasons to Trust in God rather than live by our fears.

A famos person once said, "There is nothing to fear, but fear itself" but in reality that statement is just empty philosophy. But David says, "I can overcome fear with Trust!!!"

I trust God because:

He Knows to look up to God - verse 2 "O Thou Most High" David isn't focused on his fear, or what is creating his fear, He is focused on God. He Knows God is praise worthy - Verse 4a - Not just God - but even His WORD! God's Word is ENOUGH!!! He knows that man can only do what God allows - Verse 4b, Verse 11 - David is so sure of this that he says it twice. In verse 11 he rephrases it as a rhetorical question, with an implied answer, "What can man do to me - nothing" He Knows God Knows HIM - Verse 8a - THE REAL HIM!!! There are really at least three of each of us. Now that is not some existential statement, that is reality. There is the you that everyone here knows, there is the you that your family at home knows, then there is the you that only you know. GOD KNOWS ALL OF THEM!!! David says, You know my wanderings - you know where I go, what I do No wonder he could trust him!!!

He Knows God REMEMBERS Him - Verse 8b - God puts my tears into a bottle, are they not in thy book? David is saying - there is not a wasted tear. That God knows why I cry what those tears about and God remembers those tears. Not only does he store the tears, he keeps a record. I love Isaiah 49:16 Where God is talking about his relationship with Israel - "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands;…" You know what that says to me - You might see nail prints in his hands - I see my name, I see me. When he looks at his hands, he doesn't just see scars, and holes - he sees me. He remembers ME!!! He knows God hears him - Verse 9 - When he prayed - God answered and caused his enemies to turn backWhy God answered his prayers - THIS IS KNOW Because God is for me!!!I love this confidence - It's not something he thinks or hopes but DAVID KNOWS - It has happened before. Have you ever thought about this - not fully - because I couldn't keep you sitting if you fully grasped this truth this morning - THAT GOD IS FOR ME. Another place it says "If God is for me who can be against me"

David doesn't say, "i never get afraid" but David does say, "When I am afraid, I will conquer my fear by Trusting in God.

A God who knows me, who loves me, a God who is for me.