One of the authors of the Psalms, King David of Israel, experienced many dangerous moments throughout his life. In his psalms, you can sense his helplessness and fear, which he does not try to conceal. He writes, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles” (Psalm 34:4-6).

At the time David wrote this psalm, he was fleeing from his enemies, facing extreme hardship, and his life was in grave danger. “That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. But the servants of Achish said to him, ‘Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one they sing about in their dances: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands”?’ David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands, he acted like a madman,  making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard. Achish said to his servants, ‘Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? Am I so short of madmen that you hearts and bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?’” (1 Samuel 21:10-15).

David, like us, experienced fear—intense fear—even as a mighty warrior. In a similar situation, we might also be paralysed by fear, unsure of what to do. However, in his psalms, we see that while David was afraid, he always turned to God in those critical moments, crying out for His help. This does not mean that David sat passively and did nothing; his trust in God enabled him to act wisely to escape danger. Although pretending to be insane was a clever strategy, David still recognized that it was ultimately God’s mercy that delivered him. Without God’s intervention, no amount of human wisdom would have been effective. It is also worth noting that, despite being in a desperate situation, David never chose to repay evil with evil. This was because he remained steadfast in his reverence for God. This context gives meaning to the verse: “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them” (Psalm 34:7). David’s miraculous escape, despite being vastly outnumbered, serves as evidence of God’s protection over those who fear Him. This protection is comprehensive and effective. On the other hand,  the key is that we must not, out of fear, choose to act in ways that offend God in order to protect ourselves.

Years later, when David reflected on how God had rescued him time and time again from danger, he wrote Psalm 27, which is filled with praise for God. At the very beginning, he declares, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1). This is David’s spiritual journey. Fear can make us feel as though we are surrounded by darkness, vulnerable, and powerless—like prey waiting to be devoured. But the truth is, as David testifies, God is our light. He illuminates the darkness in our lives and shows us the way to peace when we feel helpless. Our lives are like being inside a fortified stronghold—though we may face attacks from all sides, these attacks cannot truly harm us because the stronghold shields us. These frightening experiences did not destroy David. Instead, they allowed him to experience God in a profound way. Each terrifying trial became another opportunity for him to know God more deeply. Eventually, in times of trouble, David no longer focused on the danger but on God Himself—and that is why he was no longer afraid.

Fear is a natural human emotion. Even Christians experience fear. However, we can rely on God to first overcome the fear in our hearts and then face the people and situations that make us afraid. Although David was a seasoned warrior who had fought in many battles, he, too, had moments of fear. But he trusted in God, remained committed to fearing Him, and never resorted to ungodly means to escape danger. Because of this, he experienced God’s deliverance again and again. Each rescue deepened his understanding of God’s power and mercy. Over time, these experiences strengthened his faith, allowing him to trust God even more in future trials, so that he no longer feared. May David’s experience also become our own. “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13).

translated by Elder Liu Kerh Li