Psalm 3
1 A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! 2 Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.”
‘Selah’
3 But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
4 To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.
‘Selah’
5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.6 I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.
7 Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. 8 From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.
‘Selah’
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Psalm 3 – Kept by God in the hard times
(Verses 1-4) Three times (after verses 3, 4 and 8), and often in the psalms, we are told to stop and think about what is said. The Hebrew word, Selah, means, ‘stop and think’, so do ask ‘Why stop and think?’ King David reminds us that many foes rise up against him. Many say ‘God will not deliver him’ from his foes. His own son, Absalom, leads a big rebellion against his own father to try to take David’s throne. That must hurt David’s father-heart. But does it discourage him? No. Why not? He counts on God as a shield around him and the One who lifts up his head and gives David what ‘glory’ he has as king. David now responds by crying out loud to God in prayer. It is a wonderful privilege to know God and to also to know you can pray to Him. But David goes further: he knows too that God hears and answers his prayers. He is not a dumb god, such as the idol worshippers follow. God sees, hears, knows and answers. He is living, loving, all-powerful, and shows mercy and kindness to all who turn from sin to Him. He still does if you receive Jesus as your Saviour.
(Verses 5-6) That causes David to sleep peacefully and know God will sustain him when he awakes. He will not fear if tens of thousands of his enemies surround him.
(Verse 7) But David specifically asks God (whom he calls ‘my God’) to ‘Arise,’ to ‘Deliver’ him, and defeat his enemies. This is a request for physical victory over his wicked physical enemies, by striking them on the jaw and breaking their teeth. What is true physically for David then, is also true now spiritually for anyone who turns from his sins, to ask Jesus to save him and enter his life. Christ saves us by His death on the cross for our sins. He bore our deserved punishment and paid for our many sins there. Now alive again, He sets us free, and causes us to know, trust, serve and rejoice in Him day by day. But we all face spiritual enemies and battles – the world, the flesh and the devil fight against us by overwhelming sins, fears, temptations, bad consciences, unbelief, fear of death, and fear of Hell.
(Verse 8) Trust Jesus! Follow Him, with God’s help. He will save and deliver you now and welcome you in Heaven forever. He will guide, encourage, bless and help you and keep you in this life too as you pray to Him each day, and get to know His word in the Bible, also daily. He will also supply good, close fellowship with others who know Him, on Sundays (the Lord’s Day) and in the week.
Selah! Go on, do it!
