Psalm 62

1 I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.
3 So many enemies against one man— all of them trying to kill me. To them I’m just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence.
4 They plan to topple me from my high position. They delight in telling lies about me. They praise me to my face but curse me in their hearts.
Interlude
5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.
7 My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Interlude
9 Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind, and the powerful are not what they appear to be. If you weigh them on the scales, together they are lighter than a breath of air.
10 Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life.
11 God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you; 12 unfailing love, O Lord, is yours. Surely you repay all people according to what they have done.
"Quietly..." Very different from "panic" or "freak out!"

Either can describe how we respond under pressure. For example, in David's situation, "So many enemies against one man— all of them trying to kill me,. This would qualify as a high pressure situation. "They delight in telling lies about me. They praise me to my face but curse me in their hearts. " All in all...not a delightful circumstance.
In my years I've seen many different reactions to pressure. I was on a hillside in South Vietnam one afternoon...getting ready to shoot a fire mission with our 155mm howitzer. Suddenly the folks we intended to shoot at began shooting at us. Mortars landed all around us. Our need to fire our cannon became all the more urgent. Well...our guy responsible for the primers "freaked out" and ran off to a bunker. No primers...no boom!
Eight of us were left out there defenseless.
Although angry at the time, I've thought about that many times over the years. I'm less critical today. I have found it is extremely difficult to conduct ourselves honorably when everything around us is pandemonium.
Yet, David "wait(ed) quietly before God, (his) victory comes from him. " In my experience that makes him extra special. But that's not the entire story. There was a reason for David's calm demeanor. He looked at his enemy and said "to them I’m just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence. "

What David had going for him was...the enemy had absolutely no clue. David knew that "He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me." In truth, no matter what the enemy's intentions, they would not be successful.
All the easier to wait quietly. Sort of like the difference between waiting for a shock of electricity or waiting for dinner. I've already decided which I prefer.
So, here's my thought: Do we really believe God is our fortress and we will never be shaken? I think the answer is revealed by how we respond under pressure. It could be the pressure of finals, or a deadline at work, or a delinquent child. Our ability to remain at peace is directly related to our confidence in God.
Of course, I'm not suggesting we can just say it and it will be so...
It's a cultivated reaction. It comes from constant practice. David says "O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge." It's not complicated. "At all times" we are to practice pouring our hearts out to him. That means even during the good times. So, when pressure comes our response will kick in automatically. And the result? "unfailing love, O Lord, is yours. Surely you repay all people according to what they have done."
Something will happen to you today...a small thing. You will have the opportunity to handle it like you've done countless times before. Or, you can immediately pour it out before the Lord and follow his guidance. It may not seem like a big thing but...practice makes perfect.
Live boldly out there today...