In God We Trust February 15, 2026

In God We Trust
Psalm 56
St. Peter’s Anglican Church
February 15, 2026

Proverbs 27:1 says: ““Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.””

We make our plans and the Lord laughs at them!

As we know, next week will be my last Sunday with you … at least that is the plan for now.

I was only supposed to be with you a couple of years until you called a new Pastor. It’s been over 5 years.

Don’t get me wrong … I have absolutely loved my time of ministry here.

It has been a real privilege to serve you.

And if I was younger … had more energy … and better health … who knows …

““Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.””

Almost two weeks ago my wife had a knee replacement. Her 2nd one.

We thought it would be like the last one … a couple of nights in the hospital — and then home.

She ending up spending 6 nights in the hospital … and now she’s at a rehab facility … hopefully for only a week or two more … but we never know.

““Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.””

While we don’t know what will happen tomorrow … we still trust God that He is working His divine plan out in our lives.

We have God’s promise in Romans 8:28: ““And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.””

In the uncertainty of human life we have to hold on to that truth … and trust our loving God in all the circumstances of life.

As all of our money says: “In God We Trust.”

David tells us about his trust in God in whatever circumstance arises in Psalm 56, one of our Psalms for today.

The title gives us the occasion of the Psalm: “A Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.”

A “Michtam” is a term found in the titles of 6 of David’s Psalms. Scholars tell us the term suggests a “golden”, “precious” or engraved poem.

These Psalms were typically written during times of severe danger and they focus on prayers for deliverance.

David then gives us the setting as he begins:

““Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me.
My enemies would hound me all day, For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.””

It is obvious that David was in deep distress … so he cries our for the mercy of God.

David also acknowledges that without the mercy of God he would be in deep trouble … perhaps fatally.

As we read … he would be “swallowed up” …

We need to note that David’s enemies were greater that those who were on his side.

But then we have those great words of faith:

““Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?””

Listen again to this clear, declarative statement:

““Whenever I am afraid, I will TRUST in You … In God I have put my TRUST;””

David had trusted God from the time he was youth.

We know that as a young man … perhaps an early teenager … he had killed both a lion and a bear protecting the sheep under his care.

And then there was Goliath — again … David still a youth — and we read, as he approached Goliath:

““Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you.””

David’s complet trust was in God … and he knew that victory would come.

We can see from our Psalm that David initially was afraid … and he wasn’t ashamed to admit that … but he didn’t cower in fear … he didn’t say woe is me … he didn’t throw up his arms and say it was all over for him …

No … he did … as he always did … he expressed his complete trust in God.

““Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word) …””

David knew the promises of God … he knew that he had been anointed as the next king of Israel … he had experienced first hand that God was on his side.

The same God that David trusted is there for us.

The same promises that God made in His Word are there for us.

Promises such as I read in Romans 8:28: ““And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.””

Promises such as: ““I will never leave you nor forsake you.””

Promises such as: ““Lo, I with you always.”” and many others.

Knowing the promises of God … David could confidently say: ““I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?””

In Babylon … Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego … refused to bow down to the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

They were given another chance to bow down … and again they refused. And we read:

““… our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.””

Their trust was in God … and they knew … beyond all doubt … that God could deliver them … but even if He chose not to … they still wouldn’t bow down to the gold image.

That’s trust. Even in the face of possible death.

As we continue in our Psalm … David returns to the issue at hand:

““All day they twist my words; All their thoughts are against me for evil. They gather together, They hide, they mark my steps, When they lie in wait for my life.””

We see that there is a concerted effort by all those who conspire together to ambush him …

And so he has a request for God … ““Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, O God!””

In other words … God … take care of them!
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We all go through many trials and tribulations in our lives. No one is exempt from trouble and yes, even tears.

As David says: ““You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?””

This isn’t the first time that David shed tears … and we know that is true of all of us.

But here again … we see his absolute trust in God … his trust that God will deliver him.

““When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me.””

What confidence in God … ““This I know, because God is for me.””

What an expression of complete trust … ““This I know, because God is for me.””

David knew that as he prayed … that his enemies would scatter and run … and he would be delivered.
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As the children of Israel were about to enter into the promised land after 40 years of wandering … God told them that if they were obedient to Him … that He would bless them.

And one of those blessings for obedience says: ““The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.””

Throughout the Old Testament you can read of the times that God’s people were given victory in battle … and their enemies fled.

David knew the promises of God … and he knew what would happen when he prayed.

As a result … he then repeated his words of absolute trust:

““In God (I will praise His word), In the Lord (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?””

His trust in God caused him not to be afraid.

His trust in God elicited words of praise!

As he concludes he says that any vows that he made were binding … in other words the things that he said he would do … he would do …

They say that there a no atheists in fox-holes. In battle … people will make certain promises … certain vows.

David made his vows …and he would keep them … and then he would praise God.

Because we see the conclusion in the final verse:

““For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?””

The results of his trust … are that his soul … his life is delivered from death … so that he may continue to walk in obedience to God.

““Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.””

Even though we don’t know what tomorrow will bring … in reality we don’t know what the next hour will bring … but as Christians …

… as those who have trusted in Christ as Savior and Lord … believing the Jesus died in my place for my sins …

… that regardless of the circumstances we can say with David:

““Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?””

And so my friends … In God We Trust! AMEN!!