“In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.”—Psalm 31:1–2

Lies and false accusations against us can cause great anguish, can’t they? Slander is an attempt to turn others against you, and when it seems as if everyone is conspiring against you, it feels like there is nowhere left to go.

At the time David penned Psalm 31, he was apparently the target of a severe verbal assault that included “the slander of many” (31:13); “lying lips” (31:18); and “accusing tongues” (31:20). When David felt as if both friend and foe had turned against him, he looked to God as his “rock of refuge” and “strong fortress.” He trusted “the God of truth” (31:5, NASB) to counter all lies, and he knew that the God of righteousness was able to right every wrong.

David portrayed God as a strong fortress in which to wait out the verbal assault, proclaiming “Praise be to the Lord, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege” (31:21). Inhabitants of a city under siege could wait out the attack in safety. Fiery darts and stones hurled by attackers could not penetrate the fortifications around the city. Likewise, we can take refuge in God when others hurl insults and accusations against us.

There is no evidence that David tried to set the record straight with his accusers. Instead he left it up to God. David was able to do this because of his ongoing relationship with God. Like David, those who know God and know His character are able to seek Him confidently and know that God will deliver His people. We can handle adversity better when we recognize our true relationship with the sovereign God, as David did.

While our natural instinct is to defend ourselves against false accusations and lies, we can, like David, surrender our situation to God and rely completely on Him. We can wait out the assault in safety because God is our rock and fortress. He will protect and defend us.

Need courage for today? Remember who is your “rock of refuge” and “strong fortress.”