Jan 23, 20192 min
Read Psalm 118:1-9
"The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (v. 6). This is a word of assurance. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31). The God of the universe is on our side--Father, Son and Holy Spirit. No matter who may be against us, He is on our side.
It's also a word of confidence. "I will not fear." As I look at the past, I see that God has cared for me every step of the way. As I look at the present, I know He is with me. As I look to the future, I know He is ahead of me. He surrounds me. He promises, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Heb. 13:5). I respond, "I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (v. 6).
Finally, it is a word of defiance. "What can man do unto me?" In other words, fear God, not humans. Jesus taught this to His disciples. "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28). When you fear God, you need not fear anyone else. To fear God means to love Him, revere Him and respect Him. No matter how difficult your experiences are, the Lord is on your side. You need not fear the past, present or future or what anybody can do to you, because you fear God. You have His words of assurance, confidence and defiance.
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