...deliverance belongs to the Lord...

Psalm 3

Trust in God under Adversity

A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.

1 O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;

2 many are saying to me, ‘There is no help for you in God.’ Selah

3 But you, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.

4 I cry aloud to the Lord, and He answers me from His holy hill. Selah

5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.

6 I am not afraid of tens of thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

7 Rise up, O Lord!    Deliver me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;    You break the teeth of the wicked.

8 Deliverance belongs to the Lord; may your blessing be on your people! Selah

The mood of Psalm 3 reflects the fact that this is an individual lament psalm. The author of this Psalm speaks of his confidence in personal and individual deliverance by God. How many times I have lamented to the Lord, lamented about my sin and life-struggles, as well as times when everyone and everything seems against me! I love this psalm because of its sobering reminder to be careful with who and what is influencing your life. It’s true that you are who you hang with, and you are what you spend your time doing! So verses 1 & 2 set the stage of this psalm in very personal ways:  “O Lord, how many are my foes! How many are rising against me, and saying to me, ‘Paul, There is no help for you in God.’”

Dear friends, consider the “voices” in your life who have your ear and your heart! Who are you listening to, and what are you investing in, that is slowly pulling you away from the Lord? Who is telling you: “There is no help for you in God?” Can you hear David lamenting all the tragedies of his life?  The historical situation reflected in Psalm 3 finds David at a low point in his life. Because of his sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11-12), his life was torn apart by family troubles (2 Sam. 12:15-14:33) and his kingdom wrenched from his grasp by Absalom’s rebellion (2 Sam. 15:1-19:43). The hearts of Israel were with Absalom (2 Sam. 15:13). The anointed of the Lord (Ps. 2:6) was forced to flee Jerusalem and wait out the crisis at an encampment across the Jordan (2 Sam. 17:24). So this psalm reflects both the national situation and the personal feelings of David.

But, by the grace of God, David turns to the Lord and prays, and God lifts his head and answers his pray in verses 3 & 4. The Lord sustains David, and takes away his fears in verses 5 & 6. And in the end, the Lord delivers David from what is causing him so much grief, and David acknowledges from whom his deliverance comes: “Deliverance belongs to the Lord” (verse 8)! Dear friends, these are the words we need to take to heart today in Psalm 3. There is no deliverance anywhere else in our lives, except from the Lord! We have no hope, no resolution to the pains of our life and the consequences of our sin, except in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!

So, today, turn to the Lord in humble pray and open your heart to His merciful love — again! Do not hesitate. Take to heart these marvelous, inspired, words of David: Deliverance belongs to the Lord!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.