Other chapters of Tehillim that speak of trust and deliverance usually address a present danger, and the worshipper’s trust in God’s deliverance stands him in good stead and brings about his salvation. What makes our psalm unique is that it does not speak of present, immediate threats; rather, it describes the various types of dangers that attack a person in this world. How can one develop an awareness that can deal with the perpetual danger facing him at every step and at every moment of his life?
A person must be aware of the existential dangers that surround him; he should not live under the false illusion that the world is a tranquil, safe place. On the other hand, this awareness should not embitter him or cause him to live in constant fear. Admittedly, the world is full of all sorts of dangers, but it is not ownerless: God watches over His creatures and treats each according to its needs. A person who trusts in God and makes Him his abode and his refuge will enjoy His protection from all of the dangers in the world. As his trust in God and closeness to Him grow, so God’s Divine patronage in his regard will assume deeper and broader significance.
To learn all of this, the disciple needs the guidance of his teacher – the other character in this drama, who is older and more experienced, who is familiar with the world and its threats, and who recognizes the Divine protection enjoyed by the disciple.
This confirmation of the teacher’s words is provided, for the benefit of the reader, in the form of God’s word in support and elaboration of what the teacher has said.
