Psalm 3. A Psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
3:1 “O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!”
[In David’s case, many of his officials and supporters had betrayed him and gone over to Absalom. For us, there are many across the globe who speak loudly against the Word, against the Truth, against God, against freedom of religion and worship, against freedom to spread the gospel and the freedom to believe it.
Many speak in support of what God calls evil–ignoring the plight of the poor, promoting abortion, sexual immorality and perversion, spending huge amounts in unprofitable areas, limiting biblical influence, perverting justice.
But, in spite of the numbers who opposed you and their supposed strength, you, Lord God, are the one in charge. Your power far surpasses anything they have, you will win out in the end! “The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations” (Psa.33:10,11).]
Psalm 3:2 “Many are saying of me, ‘God will not deliver him.’ ”
[Most of us operate on the level of the seen. Faith operates on the higher plane of the unseen, of eternal Truth, of the reality of your character and presence, O Lord. When all seems hopeless, when there are no positive possibilities on the horizon, we can know that you are there, that you have a plan, and that you are already answering, as you did with David, rescuing him from Absalom’s schemes.
As it says in Psalm 145:17-19, “The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving towards all he has made. The Lord is near to those who call upon him, to those who call upon him in truth. The Lord delivers those who fear him, he hears their cry and saves them.”
And Psalm 86:7 echoes this: “I will call upon the Lord in the day of trouble, for he will help and deliver me.” How many times in my life have I lived that, being in distress, crying out to you, and having you deliver me!
Selah
[We must think on that, on the contrast between people’s weakness and God’s power, people’s selfishness and God’s faithfulness, people’s foolishness and God’s wisdom. As Proverbs 21:30 says, “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.” We are secure in Him, even when all crumbles down around us.
So help us this day to live in the shining truth of your glorious character, Lord Jesus: you have a plan, you have laid out a race for us, and you are running with us (Heb. 12:1,2). Help us to look to you, the Author and Finisher of our faith, trusting you to guide us through the twists and turns, the ups and downs of today. And in doing so may we find our rest in you alone, thereby giving you honor before all who are around us.]
