LEARNING DAILY

 

Psalm 3:1-4, Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who have risen up against me. Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.” But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill.

 

Psalm 3 is David’s cry to God that his enemies are many and their power against him is growing. These enemies have joined David’s son, Absalom, in his rebellion against David. David has heard of this conspiracy and has fled into the wilderness. Read 2 Samuel 15:1-6 for how this happened. David fears that there will be thousands who will pursue him and cries out to the God for help. David’s faith should be an example to God’s faithful followers!

 

David addresses God as “a shield for me”, “my glory”, and “the One who lifts my head”. The warriors shield protects the warrior from the enemy’s weapons; that is how David envisions God protecting him from his enemies. As a shepherd the Lord had protected him from the wild animals as he was with his sheep and had given him victory over the giant, Goliath. Because of what God had done in his life, David expected Him to protect him now and restore him to his position as the king of Israel.

 

As Believers, walking the narrow way according to God’s will, we will encounter afflictions and opposition like David did. The narrow way is not easy, as many of you have discovered. When opposition comes, it is important to remember to call on the Lord, recognizing His power and ability to see you through the circumstances and keep you on the narrow way. Be confident that He hears and that He will act on your behalf. He will be a shield of protection for you and be “your glory”. That means God’s presence will be with you; His presence will give you comfort and strength to see you through and even rise above the trial, temptations and difficulties of life as we walk the narrow way to eternal life in His kingdom.

 

My “sanctified imagination” wonders if there were those along the way and in the wilderness who told David to give up, that he was going to be overrun and destroyed by those chasing him. The accounts of this time in David’s life (2 Samuel 17) tell that David narrowly escaped from those chasing him. But David never turned away from being faithful to the Lord. He writes that God heard him from “His holy hill”. He knew God had heard his cry, that He never slept, was always concerned and always was accessible to him.

 

God still delivers His faithful people from threatening situations or is with them as they go through them. That has to be an encouraging word for someone. It is for me!

 

Oh, by the way. Read verse 5, “I lay down and slept”. Paul writes it this way in Philippians 4:6-7, “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, that passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus.” The key to worry is prayer to the God who hears you!