I have listened and sang along to the song “Build My Life” by Pat Barrett and Cory Asbury probably hundreds of times since I first added it to my playlist a few years ago. For some reason the other day, the phrase “I will put my trust in You alone and I will not be shaken” grabbed my attention. This phrase is repeated several times toward the end of the song, and I could not get it out of my head.

The next morning, I began to read the new passage I had chosen to memorize.

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” (Psalm 62:5-8)

“I shall not be shaken…Trust in Him at all times.” Sound familiar? How quickly do we go from feeling all is right with the world to feeling shaken? A phone call, a conversation, even a text can change everything and leave us feeling unsteady and unsure. We do not know the next steps to take or what the future holds. We are shaken.

Judges 6-8 shares a time of uncertainty in Israel’s history. Falling into sin, God punished them by placing them under the control of the Midianites. As Israel returns to the Lord in repentance, they find God does not forsake them. He has a plan for their salvation. God choses a man named Gideon to be His instrument to deliver the people from the oppression of their enemy.

Feeling shaken himself by Israel’s oppression, Gideon is approached by the angel of the Lord while hiding from the Midianites as he threshes wheat. Learning God’s plan to use him to deliver the Israelites, Gideon asks God for several signs of proof before he finally rests on God as his rock and foundation. He needed proof to trust God could use him for the task, and receiving the proof, Gideon held firm on God. He was no longer shaken, and God used him to deliver Israel from the Midianites.

We have the same firm foundation in God. He describes Himself as our fortress, our refuge, our salvation. Where does your mind take you when you think of those words? I think of a strong castle with thick walls – impenetrable, completely safe, and secure. This is how God describes Himself to us. You are safely in the hands of the One who is your rock and your salvation. Will difficulties come? Yes, but with difficulties comes the promise you will not face them alone. God is your help, your hope, and your salvation. The foundation on which you can stand. Because of this, you do not need to be shaken. He holds you firmly in His hand.

Life is full of situations that will shake you. When you pour out your heart before Him, you cast your cares on Him. You remember who God is and what He has done. You plant your trust firmly in God, and you are no longer shaken but standing with hope and in patience as He does His work through your situation. You can honestly say, “I will put my trust in You alone and I will not be shaken.”

• See more thoughts on Psalm 62 in Moments with God, Vol. 104.
• See more thoughts on Gideon and his story in my devotional, Trust in Every Moment: A Journey Toward God.