This
psalm is attributed to David ‘while he fled his son Absalom’. Absalom had organised a revolt against his
father, and David had to flee to safety. This must have been one of the most terrifying
episodes in David’s life.
And yet the psalm
tells us that, having called on the Lord for help, David lies down to
sleep. While normally I drop off to
sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, I’m not sure that I would find this
so easy if I were being pursued by an army trying to carry out a coup.
But
David sleeps, and wakes again, recognising that it is God who watches over him
and protects him. He puts all his fears
into God’s hands.
The
world seems increasingly uncertain, and we can be tempted to live in fear. So
let us welcome David’s example of a faith which overcomes fear. At the beginning of the day and at its end we
can give our concerns – large and small – to God, and gain peace from putting
ourselves under his protection.
Mags Bird
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