The Lord our Shield

Psalm 3:1  A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom. O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!
Psalm 3:2  Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him." Selah
Psalm 3:3  But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
Psalm 3:4  To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah
Psalm 3:5  I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
Psalm 3:6  I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.
Psalm 3:7  Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.
Psalm 3:8  From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. Selah

David experienced what most of us see only in television shows.  His own son carefully planned to take over the throne from him.  He slowly began to win the hearts of the people, granting them favor upon favor (2 Samuel 15).  And then he takes over the throne.  And to avoid any bloodshed David and his whole household leave Jerusalem.  Later on Absalom and twelve thousand men run after him to have him killed.

No wonder David, in Psalm 3, proclaimed “how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!”.  People were against him and saying that God would not deliver him.  David was literally surrounded by death.

But in all this David looked up, and by faith proclaimed:  “But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.”  No one else could protect him…not his soldiers, nor the people around him.  He knew that his only shield was his Lord. 

And so he cried for help:  “To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.”.  I love how David proclaims his faith – he cries aloud to the Lord and He answers…David doesn’t say “He will answer”, for he knew that his Lord would answer his cry.

He slept soundly.  I know many of us know that feeling of not being able to sleep because we are worried about a situation we are in, trying to think of a solution.  But David slept in peace.  Why?

Psalm 3:5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
Psalm 3:6 I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.

Even with twelve thousand men running after him, he knew in his heart that his God would protect him.

may God, by His grace, reveal Himself to us that we may know Him as David knew Him, that we, too, may put our faith in Him, no matter what circumstance we face.