I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord… Glorify the Lord with me (Psalm 34: 1-3).

It’s been a long slog dealing with Covid. Fears have beset us at every step. Would we catch the virus by handling our groceries? Would we unknowingly pass it to children or aging parents? When we got the tiniest bit comfortable, a new variant resurrected those fears. But Covid has no monopoly on fear; our world constantly screams at us to be afraid of this, that, and the other. Fears can sideline us, destabilize us, overwhelm us, even form our daily decisions, especially when social media, news sources, even well-meaning friends amplify it. How can we shift from being led by fear toward something more positive?

Let’s see what David does. In fear, he has run from Saul. Perhaps not thinking clearly, he escapes to enemy territory where that king is out to get him, too. David feigns insanity and escapes to a cave (1 Samuel 21-22) where it’s possible he penned Psalm 34. Rather than nurse his fears and beseech God to kill his enemies, David shifts his focus from himself and his circumstances to the Lord. This is not a mere mental shift; he acts differently, determined to “extol the Lord at all times,” to “praise Him always,” “to boast” and “glorify Him” (vs. 1-3).

This movement from fear to worship is far from baseless. David has tasted and seen the goodness of God (v. 8), so when very real fears beset him, he can draw on what God has already done for him: 

He delivered me from all my fear.
He saved me out of all my troubles.
The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him.
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.
The Lord saves those who are crushed in spirit.
(Psalm 34:4, 6, 7, 17-18). 

Cataloguing his blessings shifts David’s attention away from his fears. They no longer control him. 

When I’m paralyzed by fear, anticipating harm that may or may not happen, I, too, can find that same refuge. With David, I can remember times when “I sought the Lord, and He answered me” (v. 4). But I must be intentional about it. I must shift from focusing on my fear of the unknown to remembering how God has calmed my heart in the past. If I have to repeat my commitment to praise three times as David does in verses 1-3, then I will do so. I’m not naive; my fears may not immediately dissipate (see v.19), but my focus will have shifted, for praise - extolling, boasting, glorifying (vs. 1-3) - is active.

Covid will continue to stalk us, but fear doesn’t have to.

Has fear been too close a companion? Could you try shifting toward praise? Make a gratitude list such as David compiled to see what you might have been missing because your focus has been on fear, dread, and uncertainty. 

To read or re-read the summary/overview of this week’s passage, you can click here.