Here are the verses (ESV) and a short summary of how most evangelical Christians view the author and meaning.

Psalm 118:5–6 (ESV)
5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

Most-likely author (evangelical perspective)
– Traditional evangelical view: King David.
– Many evangelical Bibles and commentaries follow the psalm’s superscription and the long-standing Jewish and Christian tradition that attributes this psalm to David. David is widely seen in evangelical circles as the principal psalmist, and Psalm 118’s personal tone of deliverance and thanksgiving fits the life-experience motif associated with David.
– Why evangelicals favor Davidic authorship:
– Superscription/tradition: The psalm headings in the Hebrew text and the long-standing Jewish/Christian tradition link many psalms to David, and evangelicals generally give weight to those attributions.
– Thematic fit: The personal testimony of distress, deliverance, and confident trust in the Lord resembles other psalms ascribed to David.
– New Testament use: Jesus and the apostles quote or echo Psalm 118 (most famously vv. 22–23), and evangelicals often read the psalms christologically and messianically while retaining traditional authorship attributions.
– Brief note about critical scholarship: Some modern critical scholars argue for later or communal/liturgical origins for parts of the Psalter (including layers of editorial shaping), and they sometimes date certain psalms to post-exilic periods. Evangelicals typically acknowledge these scholarly proposals but many still hold to Davidic authorship or at least to the psalm’s ancient, personal provenance and enduring theological authority.

Meaning and pastoral application (evangelical emphasis)
– These verses express confident reliance on God in trouble: calling out in distress, receiving divine rescue, and therefore living free from ultimate fear of human opposition.
– Evangelical application: trust God in trials; praise him for deliverance; live boldly because “the Lord is on my side.” The psalm is often used in preaching and personal devotion to encourage faithfulness under pressure.

If you’d like, I can:
– Show how major evangelical commentators (e.g., Matthew Henry, John Calvin—historical Reformed— or more recent evangelical commentators) treat the authorship and meaning; or
– Give a short devotional reflection or sermon outline based on vv. 5–6.