Psalm 3 is the first psalm ascribed to King David in the book of Psalms.[1] This psalm is a poem, a song which David wrote when he was in great distress. It may even have been sung to a tune at the time.[2]
David had some serious problems and they were exasperated by his relationships with his own family. At this point in his life, when this psalm was written, David has already lost some of his children. Some of their deaths and other tragedies are at least partially his fault. David owes a lot to his family – both good and bad, like all of us. God used his nephews to help put him in power and certainly to keep him there. More than one of David’s sons rebelled against him – not only as dad – but also as King.
David wrote this poem, this song, this psalm, as he was fleeing his son who desires to replace his dad as king (cf. 2 Samuel 16-19). Absalom probably feels quite justified attacking his father given their family dynamics and the way that his dad has dealt with him and his brothers and sister.[3] Absalom in his rebellion has just slept with his father’s concubines, turned some of David’s supporters and extended family against him and Absalom is in full rebellion – Absalom is his son.
David’s nephew Joab, who has had a lot of conflict with David and has done probably more than many others to protect David’s life and his throne, is leading David’s army. David is so distraught that he seems to care more about his son who is rebelling against him and his family than about the rest of his family, his loyal servants, soldiers, concubines, and others who love and serve him - or even himself. His supporters notice this and feel this pain and some act on their feelings as the king is not leading here.
It is in this context when David, some of his family, and his supporters are fleeing for their lives and he sees that many in his own family and close circle of friends and advisors are rising up against him that he writes this poem, this song, this psalm. He writes, verses 1 and 2:
1 Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
2 Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”
David is a leader. How many times do we read of yet another scandal in the news affecting our Prime Ministers and think, surely, this is it! Surely, he won’t be re-elected again! In Britain, the Conservatives have just risen up against their PM and he is a Conservative, a member of their own party and they are replacing him. Foes arose from within his own political family as well as from without.
David’s political foes are not just members of his own party; they are also members of his own family, and they are not looking to only replace him. They are probably looking to kill him.
None of us in this room lead any countries or political parties (as far as I know). But some of us have certainly led within the church and some of us have led other organizations. I know, as well as being one Officer in charge here and previously elsewhere, I am currently on a number of boards and committees, trying to give leadership. I know that at times in the past it has sometimes felt like everyone was against me. I know I have had times when I thought many were hoping for my downfall and I can’t imagine what it would feel like if those people were my own children. David is downcast but he does have some solace. He writes, verses 3 and 4:
3 But You, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
4 I call out to the Lord,
and He answers me from His holy mountain.
The Lord is a shield; the word is even more than a shield in Hebrew; it is something akin to a protective forcefield. The Lord is our protection.[4] This is a key comfort. I have just written a book about Salvation.[5] I just spoke at the Summer Rain Evangelism Festival/Crusade this past weekend (though it seems like a millions years ago now). This stanza is a key element of salvation. Salvation is for the future. Salvation is for eternity but Salvation isn’t only for the future; Salvation isn’t only for eternity; Salvation is also for now. We need and can have Salvation now!
We will all go through terrible times; we will all go through hard times; we will all go through sad times; we may go through times of unimaginable peril or terror but we can always call on the Name of the Lord; we can always call out to the Lord. He will answer us. God will be with us. He will keep us. He will sustain us. Verses 5 and 6:
5 I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.
David sounds like he has been may have even been tempted to be justifiably afraid here – certainly overwhelmed and sad. He is at the end of his own emotional resources. The security he thought he was surrounded by through family, friends, work, leadership, kingship and kinship has crumbled. He reaches out to the Lord and he realizes that he need not be afraid. He is not afraid. God is in charge. God is in charge through everything. God is even in charge of whether or not David will even wake up from one morning to the next. The Lord loves him; the Lord sustains him.
The Lord loves us; the Lord sustains us. It is the Lord who allows us to open our eyes every morning; it is the Lord who gives us the strength to carry on. It is the Lord who – no matter what else happens, no matter what goes sideways in life, no matter what collapses, no matter who may betray us, no matter what we mess up, no matter what may collapse beneath us, it is the Lord who will never leave us or forsake us.[6] And so we can pray in confidence, like Dave, Verses 7 and 8:
7 Arise, Lord! Deliver me, my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.[7]
8 From the Lord comes deliverance.
May your blessing be on your people.
The Lord did deliver David. It was not, however, all roses and happy songs. He did lose his son; he seems to have finally broken with his nephew; he almost lost his crown; he was completely humbled. It was a sad, sad time. Even his coming through it does not turn it into a personal celebration; it was sad. But he did come through it. The Lord delivered him. The Lord continued to bless him in the midst of his distress.
This is the reality of our lives: sometimes we have tough times; sometimes we have times so tough that it does not seem that we can even get through them. Sometimes life is unbearably sad, sometimes life is hard, sometimes life is… life.
But this is Salvation. God will be with us in the midst of our darkest hour. God will be with us in our saddest time. God will be with us when we feel most alone. He can and He will deliver us both for today and for forever.
If anyone here does not know God, if anyone here would like to turn to Him so He can help with whatever and everything that is going on in your life, just let me or Susan or any soldier here know and we will be happy to introduce you to God and He will help you; He will never leave you nor forsake you for even and especially when we are most humbled, His blessings will be poured out upon us, His people.
Let us pray.
[1] Willem A. VanGemeren, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Psalms/Exposition of Psalms/BOOK I: Psalms 1-41/Psalm 3: Quietness Amid Troubles, Book Version: 4.0.2
[2] Peter C. Craigie, 'Psalms 1-50', 2nd ed. (WBC 19: Word Books: Dallas, Texas, 2004), 72.
[3] Cf. Captain Michael Ramsay, 2 Samuel 13-18: Taking Matters in His Own Hands: the Story of Prince Absalom. Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps November 18, 2007 and 614 Warehouse Toronto 230 pm service, Aug 20, 2017. Available on-line: https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/11/2-samuel-13-18-taking-matters-in-his.html
[4] Cf. Charles H. Spurgeon, ‘The Treasury of David Vol. 1: Psalms 1-57’, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, pages 24.
[5] Michael Ramsay, Salvogesis Guidebook to Romans Road, Vancouver Island, BC: The Salvation Army, 2022.
[6] Cf. Charles H. Spurgeon, ‘The Treasury of David Vol. 1: Psalms 1-57’, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, page 29
[7] Peter C. Craigie, 'Psalms 1-50', 2nd ed. (WBC 19: Word Books: Dallas, Texas, 2004),75.: this may not be as violent a phrase as it sounds like, it may merely mean that the wicked words are silenced
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