Psalm 59:16-17,  But as for me, I will sing of your strength; in the morning I will sing aloud of your grace.  For you are my fortress, a refuge when I am in trouble.  My strength, I will sing praises to you, for God is my fortress, God, who gives me grace. (The Complete Jewish Study Bible)

David wrote this Psalm when he was hiding from Saul because Saul had sent men to watch his house so they could kill him.  David didn’t blame God for everything that came against him in life.  He kept the right perspective recognizing that bad things happen in life because of bad decisions either on our own part or others.  Sometimes we are disciplined by God so we will learn to not make the same bad choices and sometimes other people make decisions in life that greatly affect our lives, but either way, God is not the one to blame. 

David always held on to his faith in God and who He knew God to be.  He didn’t expect God to jump when he said jump but he understood that God in His perfect timing would vindicate and rescue him.  He understood that it was God who would give him the grace and strength he needed in times of trouble in his life and David went through a lot of those times.  When you read about his life it is just riddled with one thing after the next.  The minute it seemed things were going well along came someone who wanted to kill him or there was another battle in his way but he always praised God for giving him the grace he needed and for every victory in his life.  He strengthened himself by praising God and reminding himself of God’s faithfulness.  David spent a lot of time alone out in those fields as he was growing up tending to his Dad’s sheep but it was time God had separated him so he would learn to trust him.  He brought lions and bears out so David would learn that he could do anything if his trust was in God and that is what prepared him for that infamous battle against Goliath.

So often I hear people accuse God of being against them because of the struggles they face and they get angry with God instead of running to Him.  Satan loves using the lie ~ “God just doesn’t care or He would ______” when in reality satan came to steal, kill, and destroy you and he is trying to cut you off from God by separating you.  Have you ever noticed that an abuser will do everything within their power to separate the person they are with from their family and friends?  They do it so they have control and that is exactly what satan tries to do.  He wants to gain control of your thoughts because as we all know the battlefield is most often our minds.  (A little side note:  As Christians, we also need to make sure we are not on the wrong side of someone else’s struggles.  Don’t get involved in gossip, satan is a master at division.  If you weren’t there then I am guessing you may not have the truth you are slinging around and if you do possibly have the truth then get on your knees and talk to God, not other people about it or you bring judgment on your own head ~ Psalm 58:10-11)

Let’s be determined to remember regardless of what is going on around us, either good or bad to praise God for who He is and for His love, mercy, and grace.  Let’s run to Him and wait for Him when those storms arise and believe with everything in us that He will come.  He will do what is right and He will always give us what we need to sustain us. Let’s hold tight to Psalm 59:16-17 as we praise His name!