What does Psalm 56:3 mean?
David wrote Psalm 56 when the Philistines seized him in Gath, a time of real danger (1 Samuel 21). This verse is one of the shortest and most honest prayers in the Bible: "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." David does not pretend he is never afraid. He admits that fear comes, and he decides in advance what he will do when it does. Trust is a choice he makes in the moment of fear, not a feeling that removes fear first. The next verse adds, "I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." It is an easy verse to memorize for children and adults alike.
Psalm 56:3 in the King James Version
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
Context
2 My enemies want to swallow me up all day long, for they are many who fight proudly against me.
3 When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.
4 In God, I praise his word. In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
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Frequently asked questions
What does Psalm 56:3 mean?
David wrote Psalm 56 when the Philistines seized him in Gath, a time of real danger (1 Samuel 21). This verse is one of the shortest and most honest prayers in the Bible: "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." David does not pretend he is never afraid. He admits that fear comes, and he decides in advance what he will do when it does. Trust is a choice he makes in the moment of fear, not a feeling that removes fear first. The next verse adds, "I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." It is an easy verse to memorize for children and adults alike.
What does Psalm 56:3 say in the KJV?
Psalm 56:3 (KJV) reads: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”