Maybe you’ve prayed and prayed for a breakthrough for yourself or a loved one, for deliverance from sickness or addiction. Maybe you’ve prayed for a way to make ends meet, but the unpaid bills keep piling up. How do you keep on praying when God hasn’t yet answered your prayers?

It seems that David found himself in such a situation as he composed this psalm. He was on his campaign to subdue the people of Edom, the descendants of Isaac’s brother Esau. Now, we know that David was eventually successful, conquering and incorporating them into his kingdom (see II Samuel 8:14). But as David wrote this psalm, his victory was still very much in doubt. Verse 10 implies that a siege of an Edomite city wasn’t going well, and in verse 11, David goes so far as to wonder whether his military setbacks meant that God had rejected him.

But David kept on praying for help against his enemies – indeed, he confessed that only God could give him the victory he so desperately needed (verse 12). And he insisted on making worship his top priority, starting off every morning by singing God’s praise (verses 1 and 2). So, how could David be so confident? How could he be sure that God would defeat his most fearsome foes (verse 13)?

In the first place, David relied on the clear word of God. Verses 7 through 9 record a prophecy in which God claimed ownership not only of the nation of Israel, but of all the surrounding areas – including Edom. In the same way, regardless of the circumstances of our lives, we can trust in the many promises that God has made to us, promises to welcome all those who come to Him (John 6:35, 37), promises to forgive us and cleanse us of our sins (I John 1:9), promises to give us rest even from our greatest burdens (Matthew 11:28).

And we can rely on God’s promises for the same reason that David could: because of Who God is. We know God will do what He says because His truth stretches all the way to the sky (verse 4). And we know God will give help and comfort to His people because of his lovingkindness, His unconditional, covenant-keeping love for all those who trust in Christ (verse 4).

So, no matter how bad things may look to us today, let us take our loving, powerful, faithful God at His Word. And let us trust Him to accomplish His good and perfect will in our lives – in His way and in His time.

Psalm 108 (NASB)

A Song, a Psalm of David.
My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my soul.
2 Awake, harp and lyre; I will awaken the dawn!
3 I will give thanks to Thee, O LORD, among the peoples; And I will sing praises to Thee among the nations.
4 For Thy lovingkindness is great above the heavens; And Thy truth reaches to the skies.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, And Thy glory above all the earth.
6 That Thy beloved may be delivered, Save with Thy right hand, and answer me!
7 God has spoken in His holiness: “I will exult, I will portion out Shechem, And measure out the valley of Succoth.
8 “Gilead is Mine, Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet of My head; Judah is My scepter.
9 “Moab is My washbowl; Over Edom I shall throw My shoe; Over Philistia I will shout aloud.”
10 Who will bring me into the besieged city? Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Hast not Thou Thyself, O God, rejected us? And wilt Thou not go forth with our armies, O God?
12 Oh give us help against the adversary, For deliverance by man is in vain.
13 Through God we shall do valiantly; And it is He who will tread down our adversaries.