How King David Handled Fear in Psalm 55

 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

David, a man after God's own heart, still experienced moments of panic and fear. In Psalm 55, he felt overwhelmed by his circumstances despite having the anointing of the Holy Spirit. This is a powerful reminder that experiencing fear and anxiety isn't a sin. It's what we do with those emotions that matters.

David didn’t hide his feelings or pretend they weren’t there. Instead, he took them directly to the Lord. He poured out his heart, expressing his fears and anxieties, and leaned on God for help.

“Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.” (Psalm 55:17)

David’s words here suggest that he didn’t just pray once and then expect everything to be fine. He prayed continuously, every time panic gripped him. This wasn’t a one-time prayer when the weight of fear was too much to bear (Psalm 55:6-8). No, David took his complaints to the Lord repeatedly, and we should do the same.

When I face fear, I pray the verses that speak to my anxiety that I’ve written on 3x5 index cards—the same ones I posted on this blog years ago. Sometimes I experience peace after praying just one verse. Sometimes I have to pray through them all before I feel a release of my fear and an increase in my faith. Sometimes I have to pray them several times a day. It depends on the circumstances. Like David, we can take our fearful thoughts to God as often as necessary—morning, noon, and night—knowing He hears us every time.

David reminds us in Psalm 55:22:

“Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”

God promises that He will not allow our faith to be shaken. He will sustain us—even when we feel like we’re in panic mode.

But here’s the key: we must ask Him for help. We need to humbly come before God, just as 1 Peter 5:6-7 urges us:

“Humble yourselves…casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

When fear arises, don't hold back—bring it to the Lord. He is always ready to listen, sustain, and care for you.

Scriptures from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.