The Enemy Within

 January 20, 2021

Psalm 56 has an interesting couplet in verses four and ten. The writer is complaining to God about enemies who are doing everything they can to destroy him. They hound his steps, twist his words, organize others to try to trip him up. Sounds to me like today’s political landscape. Actually, these are the words of David before he became king. Apparently he misjudged things, allowing his enemies the Philistines to capture him and take him to the city of Gath. This would not have been a very promising set of circumstances inasmuch as it was the home town of Goliath, the mighty champion of the Philistines whom David had killed some years before. They undoubtedly remembered, and David was in a very tight spot.

He writes, 

“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?

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?”

—Psalms 56:3-4, 10-11 

David repeats himself almost word for word with one little exception. In the last line of these two stanzas, his choice of words changes significantly, from “What can flesh do to me,” to “What can man do to me?” 

Whenever we find ourselves in difficult circumstances, especially when we are being oppressed, vilified, and attacked by others, we are vulnerable in two different ways. It’s understandable to be afraid when others are attacking us (v. 11), but we would do well to be aware of the danger we face from within, what David calls “the flesh.” The external threats are easily identifiable. They may be scary, but at least we know what they are. The internal threats are more subtle, and for that reason, are more dangerous. Bitterness, jealousy, the desire to get even, worry, greed, and pride are not always easy to see in ourselves, but they are enemies of the soul not to be underestimated in their power to destroy. Many a believer has successfully stood against the attack of another person only to fall victim to a simmering determination to give the other what’s coming to them.

David asks, “What can man do to me?” He can destroy the body. What can my flesh do to me? It can destroy my eternal soul. However, I need not fear even the flesh if I keep praising his word. I can only praise his word if I know it, and it is this constant soaking of my soul in God’s Word that stiffens the soul against the flesh and enables me to keep putting my trust in Him. I am grateful tonight that God offers not only help against any external enemy arrayed against me, but also from the enemy within my own heart. The internal is the more dangerous, sly, and persistent. The external only has the power to get to me if I allow him to access the inner part of me. But God’s Word is a refuge and strong tower that the Enemy of my soul cannot breach unless I open the door to him. Not tonight, Satan! Not tonight!