Have you ever felt surrounded? Ever felt completely engulfed? Ever felt like there’s no way out of a circumstance or situation? I know I have. So did David. Repeatedly.
In Ps. 55:9-11 he says: For I have seen violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go around it on its walls; iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it. Destruction is in its midst; oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.”
Violence and strife; iniquity and trouble; destruction, oppression and deceit. When? Day and night; never departing. Where? In the midst; right in the middle of everything; in the city. David’s hometown; his dwelling place. Sound like a neighborhood you want to move to? Sound like a place you would want to live, raise a family and call home? Sound like a fun time to be alive? No wonder he said he was restless in his complaint and moaned noisily (v.2). No wonder his heart was severely pained (v.4). No wonder he was overcome with fear and trembling and was overwhelmed with horror (v.5). Think it might have been a little difficult for David to walk after and follow God? Think he ever got discouraged, distraught, distracted and had to fight off defeat? Absolutely. Just read the rest of his writings in the Psalms.
So what did he do? What’s the solution Dave? V.16 & 22: “As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice…Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”
In spite of all the slop and junk he was surrounded by, David called on the Lord because he knew His God would hear him, save him, sustain him and never permit him to be moved. He called on Jehovah 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He threw everything at His feet, just like Peter learned to do (1 Peter 5:7). He did this because he expected his God to answer (Ps. 62:5).
Whoever you are reading this today: man; woman; teenager; grandparent; Christian; atheist; antagonist; agnostic; skeptic; black; white; rich; poor; doesn’t matter. The one, true, almighty, living God has issued a personal invitation to you: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” If you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, do it now because you may not have another chance (2 Cor. 6:2). It doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what you’ve done or where life finds you right now, Jesus bled and died for you (John 3:16) and says anyone and everyone who calls on Him, confesses their sin and repents will be saved (Romans 3:10, 23; 10:13; 1 John 1:9).
Christian, you’re not immune to the struggles of this world (Matt. 5:45; John 16:33), but your Lord is victorious. Only through Him will you find victory (Romans 8:37). Won’t you call on Him, the Savior of your soul, to be the Savior of your day; the Savior of your frustration; the Savior of your marriage; the Savior of your anxiety; the Savior of your fears; the Savior of your addiction; the Savior of your struggles and the Savior of your hour? Do you trust Him enough like David did? (Ps.55:23). Call on Him. He’s waiting for you.