Distress and strength

Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. – 1 Samuel 30v6

What do we do in distress? Stress is, of course, a great killer. It will destroy our health and well being. Most of us don’t handle stress very well. Sometimes it can be overwhelming and all consuming. It can be pressing and choking. It can cause us to lose sleep. It makes us short and snappy with others. When stress controls us we really are a mess!

David was distressed. I wonder why. The king and his army were chasing him all over the land and now the people were talking about stoning him.

Can you imagine trying to sleep in that situation? It was somewhere along the way here that David wrote Psalm 3. In this psalm David ‘Strengthened himself in the Lord his God.’ Look at these marvellous words.

LORD, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God." Selah But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the LORD with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O LORD; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

I love this psalm and its neighbour Psalm 4. I often run to them in my own times of distress. David found all the strength he needed in the Lord.

Surely, if David could find his strength for his distress we can do the same in ours. ‘Many are they who rise up against me?’ There is one answer – ‘I cried to the Lord, and He heard me.’