But Thou, O LORD!
Ever had THAT kind of day – everything comes against you in a rush? You feel that you are surrounded by enemies or by problems that are totally beyond your control. David had those kinds of days too and Psalm 3 is a record of a total meltdown. This Psalm has all the “feels” in it!
Many of the Psalms were written out of real life circumstances and this Psalm is a great example of this.
David had a pretty dysfunctional family. Back in 2 Samuel 15, we read how David’s own son, Absalom, planned a coup at the gates of his father’s own kingdom. Using slick words and his good looks (the Bible says Absalom was “pretty” head to toe), he convinced many of the Israelites to join him in an attempt to overthrow David as king of Israel. All of the sudden, David was surrounded by his enemies, led by his own flesh and blood!
In Psalm 3:1-2, David’s desperate situation is described: “O LORD, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, ‘There is no deliverance for Him in God.’” David was stating the facts that he was out numbered and people were talking about it. Have you ever battled something HUGE in your life only to have people cast doubt on the situation? Maybe you overheard people say, “Oh, I don’t see him getting over this!” or “There is no way she will ever heal from that trauma.” Listen – there is not an enemy that is visible or invisible that is too big for the powerful hand of God! “Many” versus God is no match!
Verses 3-6 provide the solution: “But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the one who lifts my head. I was crying to the LORD with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. 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 round about.” David was accustomed to ruling from the holy hill in Jerusalem and now his rebellious son was trying to take that throne. But he took comfort and rest in knowing God was still on HIS throne.
As Corrie Ten Boom said, “There is no panic in heaven – only plans.”
And the image of God shielding us and cupping our face in His unseen hand, lifting our heads toward heaven – that is one of the sweetest images in God’s Word in my opinion! Furthermore, God will cause us to have such peace, that sleep will not be a problem because we know that Jehovah Jireh (the God who provides) will meet every need.
Finally, verses 7-8 crescendo to the salvation of God: “Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the LORD; Your blessing be upon your people!” God’s salvation will come – He will deliver us. But here is the catch: we don’t get to choose HOW God delivers us and that is hard for us to accept. Sometimes God delivers us right THROUGH the fire instead of FROM the fire. Our rejoicing is in the fact that God will save us, not HOW He will save us.
How many emotions can we identify in this Psalm? It began with anxiety, fear, betrayal, abandonment, and confusion. But we can see the transition as David shifts the focus off of himself to God. He then found the calm, peace, and courage! Now he did mention some smacked cheeks and shattered teeth at the end – but he is only human!
We may have a multitude of enemies and problems, but we can rest assured that God is our shield and the lifter of our head! Can we say with David “But You, O LORD…” when our enemies rise against us? He will not abandon us in our time of need.
Here is this Psalm set to music by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir: But Thou, O LORD