Psalm 3
Today’s Passage: Psalm 3
The context of Psalm 3 is made more clear by reading and understanding 2 Samuel 15-16. From Psalm 3, it is easy to gather that David is in kind of a mess.
1 O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
2 many are saying of my soul,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
His son Absalom rebelled and led an assault on David’s kingship. David was blessed by God, but his blessing was not without struggle.
We see a few things about God in our passage that are helpful for us. A good reminder that even in the hardships of life, a helpful exercise can be to pause and reflect on who God is and the faithfulness He has shown in the past.
God is a shield.
3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
When assaults of suffering, sin, and Satan come, we can have confidence that in Christ, God has not forgotten us or left us. He is our protector. Even when all hope feels lost, God is near and God cares. We must fight to believe and apply this truth.
God answers.
4 I cried aloud to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy hill.
God might not answer in exactly the way you would like, but he hears and he answers according to his will. We can have peace no matter the answer in the fact that God is holy and wise beyond our understanding. We can trust him.
God is our sustainer.
5 I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
God holds our life in his hands. This is true in every circumstance, but there are certain circumstances in which this becomes more and more real. I saw a tweet from Matt Smethurst the other day that said: “Sleep is our nightly declaration that we aren’t God.” This is true no matter the present circumstance!
God is our salvation.
2 many are saying of my soul,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
7 Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.
8 Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people!
David opened this Psalm by saying that his predicament was so bad that people doubted whether God was truly at work in his life. But after remembering God’s faithfulness and character, that God truly is able to save no matter the circumstances, because salvation belongs to the Lord, not man!
No matter what you are going through, remind yourself of character and promises of God. Be committed to discipline yourself to look to God, not just your negative circumstances.
Written By: Graham Withers
The context of Psalm 3 is made more clear by reading and understanding 2 Samuel 15-16. From Psalm 3, it is easy to gather that David is in kind of a mess.
1 O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
2 many are saying of my soul,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
His son Absalom rebelled and led an assault on David’s kingship. David was blessed by God, but his blessing was not without struggle.
We see a few things about God in our passage that are helpful for us. A good reminder that even in the hardships of life, a helpful exercise can be to pause and reflect on who God is and the faithfulness He has shown in the past.
God is a shield.
3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
When assaults of suffering, sin, and Satan come, we can have confidence that in Christ, God has not forgotten us or left us. He is our protector. Even when all hope feels lost, God is near and God cares. We must fight to believe and apply this truth.
God answers.
4 I cried aloud to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy hill.
God might not answer in exactly the way you would like, but he hears and he answers according to his will. We can have peace no matter the answer in the fact that God is holy and wise beyond our understanding. We can trust him.
God is our sustainer.
5 I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
God holds our life in his hands. This is true in every circumstance, but there are certain circumstances in which this becomes more and more real. I saw a tweet from Matt Smethurst the other day that said: “Sleep is our nightly declaration that we aren’t God.” This is true no matter the present circumstance!
God is our salvation.
2 many are saying of my soul,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
7 Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.
8 Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people!
David opened this Psalm by saying that his predicament was so bad that people doubted whether God was truly at work in his life. But after remembering God’s faithfulness and character, that God truly is able to save no matter the circumstances, because salvation belongs to the Lord, not man!
No matter what you are going through, remind yourself of character and promises of God. Be committed to discipline yourself to look to God, not just your negative circumstances.
Written By: Graham Withers
1 Comment
Great post, Graham!
"God truly is able to save no matter the circumstances, because salvation belongs to the Lord, not man!" AMEN!!!