I hope your Monday has been marvelous! Today, we’re going to talk about Psalm 3. David wrote this while he was on the run – his son Absalom wanted to take the throne and is trying to kill him. King David cry out to God for peace while he faces turmoil.
Lord, how my enemies have increased!
Many are rising up against me.
2 Many are saying of my soul,
“There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah
Verses 1-2 need a bit of context. Absalom had threatened to kill his father, King David. Absalom was leading a revolt against him. The full backstory can be found in 2 Samuel 15 – 17. Absalom had deceived the king and led a conspiracy, but his past was not full of malice. He welcomed his sister Tamar into his home after she was raped by their brother in 2 Samuel 13. Tamar is the first of only 5 women to be mentioned in Christ’s genealogy in Matthew 1 (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Uriah’s wife, and Mary). It was common in that time to mention only the men, so the women mentioned are important. Tamar was assaulted by her brother, Rahab was a former prostitute who helped the Jews enter Jericho, Ruth was a widow and foreigner who married Boaz, Uriah’s wife lost her husband when a David jealously put Uriah in a place where he would certainly be killed on the battlefield and Mary was the mother of the Messiah. Each played a key purpose. Let’s continue…
But You, Lord, are a shield around me,
My glory, and the One who lifts my head.
I was crying out to the Lord with my voice,
And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah
I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.
The psalm continues with a call for protection. David remembered that the Lord would provide for him, just as He will provide for you when you face challenges that you can’t escape. David’s was a threat of assassination (and a family issue in a sense), but the trials that you face could be anything. It could be health, financial, you name it. Maybe you are facing more than one trial. God will listen to you and provide support if you call out to Him.
7 Arise, Lord; save me, my God!
For You have struck all my enemies on the cheek;
You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.
8 Salvation belongs to the Lord;
May Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah
David called out to God for help in verses 7-8 to finish up the psalm. We can each call out to Christ in a similar way. Especially if you feel like no one understands what you’re going through, tell it all to God. He has promised that He’ll listen and you can take all the time you want. Psalm 27:9-11 is a reminder that God will always be there for those of us who call on Him.
Have a wonderful week!
Please Leave a Reply