Insight for Today
A Daily Devotional by Pastor Chuck Swindoll

While David's first response to fear wasn't a panicked plea for help, he didn't live in denial. He merely chose to celebrate God's power and to recall His past triumphs. Eventually, however, David did ask the Lord for what he needed.

When fear has us in its icy grip, we quickly turn toward self-preservation. We hope to avoid loss, escape pain, or cheat death. Not David! His composition, preserved for us as Psalm 27, gives priority to eternal matters.

As David faced his fears and expressed them to God in Psalm 27, he began with worship, celebrating the power and faithfulness of his God. The key to the entire song is verse 1. It consists of two similar sentences.

One of the most paralyzing problems in all of life is fear. Our fears are directed in so many areas: fear of the unknown, fear of calamity, fear of sickness, disease, and death, fear of people, fear of losing our jobs, . . .

As David concludes his song about the grinding pain of unjust treatment and his chosen responses, he then commits to patience. Resolved: I will patiently stand and wait for relief.

David's prayer for protection while enduring mistreatment didn't merely ask God for help; the king's song included a commitment on his part. Resolved: I will be faithful in public worship.

King David knew the sting of unjust treatment as keenly as anyone in history. To keep mistreatment from undermining his relationship with God, he put some resolutions into a song.

As David endured unfair treatment despite his doing what was right, He cried out to God in the verses of Psalm 26. As we read his anguished lyrics, we will uncover some resolutions David made.

If I were asked to give a popular title to Psalm 26, it would be: "How to Do Right When You've Been Done Wrong." We have all been "done wrong," haven't we? Maybe that describes your circumstance right now.

As David brings his song of the sheep to a close, having reflected on the Lord's faithful care throughout his life, he then considers his future.

As David's song of the sheep concludes, he suddenly drops the analogy to consider his own experience of God, both as a simple man in need of a Savior and as a king in need of divine guidance.

Like many of the songs found in the Bible, Psalm 23 states its case in the first verse and simply verifies it in the remainder of the song. The key thought is this: Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall lack nothing!

I have observed that few inner battles are more fierce than the daily grind of uncertainty. No doubt you, too, have encountered one or more of its many faces as you have struggled with a career choice, new direction in life, . . .

David sums up his feelings in Psalm 19 with a brief prayer. In fact, these three lines are some of the most familiar in the entire book of Psalms.

As David considers the impact of God's written communication in the second section of Psalm 19, he's prompted to appraise the value of Scripture. He uses two illustrations for the purpose of comparison.

The heavens may declare God's power and glory, but they do not declare His will or His plan and promise of salvation. God has communicated those marvelous truths only in His Word—the living Scriptures, the Bible.

David has packed a lot of great theology into a short space in Psalm 19. Unfortunately, we can hit only the highlights of these 14 verses because neither time nor space permits us to dig into the depths of each one.

Ever felt completely removed from God's awareness? It's almost like you're standing at the bottom of a long stairway looking up, isn't it? The light is off, and even though you knock or call out for a response, nothing happens.

While salvation is entirely a work of God—an unconditional commitment on His part to preserve those He has saved (John 10:28–29; Romans 8:28–39; 2 Timothy 1:12)—He gives us a genuine stake in maintaining the quality of our spiritual lives.

David's Psalm 15 explores the characteristics of a person who enjoys fellowship with the Lord in this life. As you consider each facet of integrity, take note of the Lord's emphasis on relationships.