What is your context today? Below are 10 questions meant to help you discern your current context. Choose one or two and reflect on where your head and heart are:

1. What am I enjoying about life?

2. Am I taking care of myself physically?

3. Am I letting matters that are out of my control stress me out?

4. What am I looking forward to?

5. Am I holding on to something I need to let go of?

6. What have I been spending the majority of my time on? How do I feel about that?

7. What matters most in my life? 8. What relationships am I investing in?

9. What about the future is worrisome for me today?

10. What about today am I truly grateful for?

David’s context was stress (see: 1 Samuel 21:10-15)! In fact, many of the psalms David wrote came about from a stressful time in his life. It seems his musical talents came alive when he was on the run, uncertain about his future, and exhausted. Psalm 56 is no different.

David was: 1. On the run from Saul who sought to kill him

2. Missing his best friend and his wife (Saul’s son and daughter respectively)

In his stress and fear, David sought to hide among the Philistines. The Philistines had been long time enemies of Israel and David had previously fought against them. The Philistines were not a safe place for David and he was forced to flee from them as well. Sometimes fear and stress lead us to foolish decisions.

David sang out: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid.”