Psalm 3 - Trusting the Lord in Times of Crisis

8/18/19                                                                                                                                                                                  Trusting the LORD in Times of Crisis

Psalm 3

                What do most people do to relieve stress and anxiety in their lives? (blow up, meditate, take medication, talk to a friend, see a psychologist) What do you do in times of stress or crisis that may cause you anxiety or fear? Psalm 3 is an exhortation in what we ought to do at such times.

                This Psalm is first in the psalter in a number of ways. It is the first Psalm ascribed to David in Book 1, the vast majority of which are composed by him. It is the first of 13 Psalms with an ascription describing some circumstance in his life. It is the first lament psalm and the first with the musical notation Selah.

                The central theme of this psalm is trusting the LORD in a time of crisis or distress. The form of the Psalm may be expressed in this way (chiasm, EBC p. 73):

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                A. Lament over the Enemies (1-2)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 B. Prayer to the LORD (3-4)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                C. Trust in the LORD (5-6)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                B’. Prayer for Deliverance (7)

                                                                                                                                                                   A’. Hope in the LORD (8)                                                                                     

Have you ever had such times in your life? This is one of many psalms that instruct us in how we ought to respond to circumstances that may cause us anxiety, fear, or distress.

I. The Cause of the Crisis, 3:1-2.

A. The initial cause – David’s sin (superscription).

       1. What does the superscription indicate about the crisis?

·         Circumstance of David fleeing Jerusalem as a result of Absalom’s attempt to usurp the throne. This crisis is related to David’s sin with Bathsheba, 2 Sam. 12:11-12. From this point on a number of crises develop in the family of David that cause much stress and heartache.

2. Sometimes a crisis in our lives develops because at some point in time we rebelled against the Lord. We cannot escape all of the consequences of disobedience. But the Lord did forgive David and helped him in these times of conflict and distress.

B. The immediate cause – Absalom’s rebellion.

1. How does David describe the crisis in these verses?

·         Note the emphasis on the word “many”. The first phrase – “how many are they who trouble me.” The suggestion is that the people David is supposed to be ruling are increasing in their opposition to him and defecting to Absalom. They are rising up against their God ordained ruler to follow a rebel.

·         What makes this situation even worse? It is one of the king’s own sons who is responsible. Nothing enhances the stress of a crisis like the involvement of a family member does it?

2. Now, let’s think about this situation – can anyone relate to us the story?

·         Absalom positions himself at the gates of Jerusalem and befriends himself with all those who have some kind of grievance. In this way, the people begin to align themselves against David and with Absalom. 2 Sam. 15:12 – And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.”

·         In a few years Absalom declares himself king in Hebron causing King David to flee from Jerusalem. He has to cross the Jordan and in so doing he calls out to the LORD to deliver him.

·         Things were so bad that some of the people cursed David and did not believe God would help him, v. 2. E.g., Shimei, 2 Sam. 16:7-8.

3. David faced a situation where his life was gravely in danger. There is no doubt that Absalom would have executed his father in order to usurp the throne. In the midst of this very serious crisis what does David do?

II. David’s Confidence in the Crisis, 3:3-4.

A. David confides in the LORD, 3.

      1. But you, O LORD.

·         The Lord stands in contrast to the rebellion of God’s people against their king (and consequently the God who ordained him).

·         LORD is the covenant name of God, the name by which he revealed himself to Israel. He is also the God who made covenant with David and promised him an eternal reign. In a situation that threatens the covenant, David turns to the One who made it.

2. The LORD is a shield.

·         What does this metaphor indicate? What does a shield do? It protects one from the blows of the enemy. David puts his confidence in the LORD as the one who protect and deliver him in this time of crisis.

·         This terminology is used often in the Psalms picturing reliance upon the Lord to protect us in times that normally cause fear, panic, anxiety, or distress.

3. How else does David describe the LORD?

·         “My glory” – He is the One responsible for giving David the honor and glory of kingship and its consequent authority to rule. David views the Lord as his king who bestows dignity on whom he chooses. He has no glory of himself, only that which the King of Glory graciously gives him.

·         One who lifts up the head – What is our usual stance physically or emotionally when we are distressed? Our soul is stooped down, often our head is bowed because we are carrying a great weight. It burdens us and bears down on us.

·         But the Lord is the One who is able to lift the head in confidence as we place our trust in what He is able to do. This also may be an indication of restoration – that David will trust the Lord to rectify the situation and restore him to his former glory on the throne of Israel.

4. In times of crisis which may cause us to be weighed down by anxiety to whom or what do you turn for help?

B. David cries to the LORD in prayer, 4.

                1. It may well be that when David was descending from Mt. Zion, the city of God, as he escaped Absalom that he uttered his prayer. As he thinks back on this occasion, he knows that the Lord heard him. Some suggest that the LORD may have given him a divine oracle at that time that gave him strength and confidence.

                2. One commentator made this statement – “Too often plans come before prayers. How many blessings we may miss by conceiving our own schemes only to see God frustrate them later and work out his own plans!” (VanGemeren, EBC on Psalms, p. 76)

·         How often do we fret, try to come up with a solution, see what we can do about the problem before we take our crisis to the Lord?

·         We will find in the psalms that this is David’s habit time after time – take it to the Lord in prayer!

III. David’s Calm in the Crisis, 5-6.

A. Trust enables the soul to rest, 5.

                1. In this time of crisis, the first night would have been the worst.

·         David’s supporters escaped to the wilderness, but safety was not there. Word came that they needed to cross the Jordan that night or be in danger of getting caught.

·         Would you have been able to sleep under the same conditions?

2. Yet, because David confided in the Lord and left the situation in his hands, he could lay down and get a good night’s sleep. How many times do we lose sleep because we are worried and upset about something? Instead of praying and leaving it with the Lord, we take it upon ourselves to worry about situations that we usually can’t control or do anything about anyway.

3. David awoke refreshed and ready to face the next day. The LORD sustained him, which means He protected him and his troops through the night. When we place our trust in the Lord he gives us a peace that passes all understanding which enables us to get the rest we need in times of crisis.

B. Faith overcomes fear, 6.

                1. This verse relates to the crisis explained in v. 1.

·         Ten thousands parallels the many who had risen up against David. It does not matter how many had become his enemy when the Lord is on his side.

·         Even if he is surrounded by the foe and it looks like there is no way of escape, he does not have to fear because his faith is in the ability of the Lord to deliver. God had proved himself in this way many times in the life of David.

2. Many situations in life arouse fear.

·         Fear is a valid emotion in some situations. Fear itself is not something that is wrong, but giving in to it is. David feared for his life many times, but he did not let fear overcome him. Instead, he trusted the Lord to deliver him and exercised confidence in those situations.

·         When we feel afraid, when we experience fear, we cannot let it control us. We must turn to the Lord like David did and ask him to deliver us from its power.

IV. David’s Cry of Hope in the Crisis, 7-8.

A. His cry for the LORD to deliver, 7.

                1. Read 2 Sam. 15:14.

·         When David heard the news of rebellion he called upon his followers to arise. They needed to act quickly to get out ahead of Absalom. The king did his part to protect those who were still loyal to him.

·         Note v. 30 – it may well be that as David and his loyal ones were ascending the Mt. of Olives that he cried out to the Lord. This verse may be the very words he uttered!

·         Arise – a call for the LORD to arise on David’s behalf against those who had risen up against him, v. 1. It is a call to action. David was pretty much helpless at this point. It appears that the army of Absalom outnumbered that of David. Only the Lord could protect him in this situation.

·         Save me – means to save or deliver from harm in the context. This is often the OT meaning. In the NT it has taken on the nuance of saving from the harmful effects of sin.

2. 7b – seems to be an indication of past deliverance. As we have seen in many places, past deliverances of the Lord are an indication of present help and deliverance. To strike the cheek is a symbol of humility or bringing one into subjection.  Breaking of the teeth is a strong symbol of crushing the enemy. It seems to portray the foe as a beast of prey with teeth that can rip and tear. To break the teeth is to remove the power of the enemy and make them defenseless.

·         This prayer of David would be answered shortly as he defeated Absalom in battle.

·         In similar situations we can confidently call upon the Lord to deliver us in times of crisis.

B. His hope in the LORD, 8.

      1. David again ascribes deliverance to the LORD.

·         He is ultimately the one who can resolve the situation. The odds were against David and his small army, but in the end, God gave him the victory.

·         We always need to remember that it is the LORD that can move circumstances in our favor through various means. This does not mean that we should be dormant during a crisis, but we should always be trusting the Lord for wisdom, guidance, and what He is able to do to resolve the situation.

2. The psalm ends with a prayer for God to bless his people.

·         David is not just concerned about a favorable outcome for himself, but for all of God’s people. Blessing is in connection with the Davidic covenant. As the house of David is blessed, so will the people be blessed. If the people rebel against the covenant, how can they be blessed? See 2 Sam. 7:28-29.

·                We too can expect blessing when we call upon the Lord in times of crisis. Blessing involves deliverance, protection, vindication, and sustenance.

·                How often do we miss out on these blessings in difficult times because we do not seek the Lord first and trust him for the right outcome? How often do we worry, complain, seek our own resolutions without praying and seeking the Lord’s strength and direction?

·         We will fare much better if we follow David’s pattern – confide in the Lord so that we can be calm in the crisis as we call upon Him to help us.