Tag: Enemies

Posted in Exposition

Surrounded, but Secure: Crisis and Confidence in Psalm 3

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

Psalms 3 and 4 are viewed as companion psalms because (according to their titles) both were composed by David and each one falls naturally into 4 stanzas, each composed of 2 verses. Psalm 3 is often said to be a Morning Psalm since 3:5 mentions waking from sleep and Psalm 4 an Evening Psalm since 4:8 speaks of lying down to sleep.

Psalm 3 is classified as an individual lament. Mandolfo (2014, p.115) maintains that ‘there are approximately forty-two psalms of lament in the canonical book of Psalms. About thirty of those are individual psalms of lament; the rest are communal.’ She further explains (2014, pp.115-116) that ‘the following features are typical of most lament psalms:

1. Invocation —the initial cry to God to take notice
2. Complaint —the description (usually general) of the psalmist’s suffering that
includes a complaint either against God or some enemy/ies
3. Request —the psalmist petitions God to act on the psalmist’s behalf
4. Expression of Confidence —often a recital of God’s trustworthy characteristics
5. Vow of Praise —assurance of praise that will follow deliverance (though the verbal tenses in this section are sometimes ambiguous).’

Psalm 3 exhibits the above features identified by Mandolfo.

THE TITLE OF THE PSALM

Psalm 3 is the first of seventy-three in the Psalter to be entitled A Psalm of David and also the first to bear a superscription indicating historical setting. Its context is Absalom’s rebellion and attempted coup against his father King David. Details of this conspiracy occupy 2 Samuel chapters 15-18. Betrayed by family and friends, David was in a precarious situation; having been forced to flee Jerusalem he found himself surrounded by enemies. The titles of several psalms situate them in the life and experience of David, Along with the relevant chapters in the books of Samuel and in probable historical chronological order they are:

Psalm 59 – 1 Samuel 19 – when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.

Psalm 34 – 1 Samuel 21 – when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech. . .

Psalm 56 – 1 Samuel 21 – when the Philistines took him in Gath.

Psalm 142 – 1 Samuel 22 – a prayer when he was in the cave.

Psalm 52 – 1 Samuel 22 – when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul. . .

Psalm 54 – 1 Samuel 23 – when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?

Psalm 57 – 1 Samuel 24 – when he fled from Saul in the cave.

Psalm 63 – 1 Samuel 24 – when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

Psalm 18 – 2 Samuel 22 – in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul

Psalm 51 – 2 Samuel 12 – when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Psalm 3 – 2 Samuel 15-18 – when he fled from Absalom his son.

The titles of two more psalms situate them in the life of David but, although there have been many suggestions, they cannot easily be placed in the accounts in the books of Samuel, Kings or Chronicles.

Psalm 7 – Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.

Psalm 60 – . . . Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aram-Naharaim and with Aram-Zobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the Valley of Salt twelve thousand.

In spite of the fact that the superscription informs us that Absalom’s revolt was the historical context Psalm 3 itself does not specifically mention either David or Absalom.

STRUCTURE

1-2 David’s Complaint

3-4 David’s Confidence

5-6 David’s Courage

7-8 David’s Conquering

EXPOSITION

David’s Complaint (1-2)

Psalm 3 is the first lament in the Psalter and also the first psalm to directly address the Lord. According to the title it was written by David during a period of crisis in his life. As a result of the revolt led by his son Absalom David had to to flee for his life. No doubt troubled about his son, betrayal by family and friends, about leaving his palace and kingdom and possibly also about his relationship with YHWH (v.2) David addresses this lament – a cry of distress – to the Lord. How wise and honest of him to bring his problems directly to the Lord, rather than blame God for them or deny that they existed! The pressure that he is under is emphasised by the triple repetition of ‘many.’

  • Many are they that trouble me – who the ‘many are’ – those that trouble David.
  • Many are they that rise up against me – what the ‘many’ are doing – they ‘rise up’ in co-ordinated opposition to David.
  • Many there be which say of my soul, there is no help for him in God – what the ‘many’ are saying – God has abandoned David – they taunt him about his faith saying: ‘God has abandoned him, he either will not or cannot deliver him.’

Selah. This word appears at the end of 3 of the 4 stanzas (vv. 2, 4, 8). It could be a musical notation, or perhaps mean something like stop and think, what has been said is true.

David’s Confidence (3-4)

But – with this word David withdraws his attention from the activities of the ‘many’ and focuses on what God is. Thus the psalm shifts from complaint to confidence. He says that YHWH is:

  • a shield for (about, surrounding) me – shield is the only metaphor in Psalm 3 and it stands for protection or defence. The Lord as a shield is not only in front of David but all around him, protecting from his foes who have set themselves around him (v.6).
  • my glory – David’s true dignity comes alone from YHWH, the one who chose him and gave him the kingdom.
  • the lifter up of mine head – YHWH is the one who reverses humiliation and gives restoration and encouragement.

David expresses his confidence in the Lord as the one who will protect, honour and provide for him in his distress.

In v.4. he goes on to affirm his experience of answered prayer. Until this point in the psalm David has been addressing the Lord directly (note: he never directly addresses his enemies) but now he begins to speak about the Lord to others – I cried. . . he heard. The ‘holy hill’ can refer specifically to the Temple (Isa. 56.7; 65.11; 66.20) or more generally to the city of Jerusalem (Psa. 48.1, Dan. 9.16). Even though he finds himself in exile away from Jerusalem David still recognises it as the place of the Lord’s presence and authority and appreciates the fact that his prayers still reach the Lord there. He can therefore say: I cried. . .he responded.

Selah – Stop and think – God answers prayer!

David’s Courage (5-6)

I lay down – I slept – I woke up – he sustained me.

David reports what had happened on his flight from Jerusalem. He was so confident of the Lord’s protection that he lay down and slept – not fitful sleep or the sleep of exhaustion but that of trust. He attributes the fact that he woke up safe to YHWH’s care. David expresses trust using the image of sleep. Even though he was under threat he had profound faith in the Lord’s protection and was able to rest. This support and protection during the night gave David a further boost in confidence.

If the Lord protects him at night while he sleeps then David can be courageous for he has no need to fear during the day either. Even if myriads (tens of thousands) of troops surround him he will not be afraid. He will not panic in the face of great odds because any fears he has will be overruled by his sense of trust in the Lord. He will sleep at night, then rise in the morning and face what another day brings.

David’s Conquering (7-8)

Verse 7 and 8 counterbalance verses 1 and 2. The first two verses have enemies rising up against David and saying that there is no deliverance for him in God. In the last two verses the Lord rises up to defeat David’s enemies and deliverance belongs to the Lord.

Once more David addresses YHWH directly and using the language of holy war (Num 10:35; Psa 68:1) issues a double imperative calling upon God to enter battle on his behalf – arise. . .deliver. Expressing raw emotion he asks God to intervene immediately.

For thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

David says to the Lord: you struck. . .you smashed. With these perfect tense verbs he may be reminding the Lord that this is something that he has already done in the past and can therefore do again now. More likely, however, these are prophetic perfects. David is so sure that these things will happen that he speaks of them as if they have already taken place.

The Lord would not literally strike the cheek bones of David’s foes or break their teeth. David employs these images of battle – in which faces and teeth would be smashed with weapons – to intimate that with the Lord’s help he will conquer his enemies.

Is it appropriate for Christians to not only express fears, frustrations, and complaints to God but also pray against our enemies, as in the imprecatory psalms? The short answer is ‘No!’ Consider the following New Testament verses:

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matthew 5:38-39

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Matthew 5:43-44

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. Mark 11:25-26

See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 1 Thessalonians 5:15

Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21

Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9

David ends the psalm with recognition that deliverance is God’s right alone and then moves beyond his personal circumstances to pray for God’s blessing upon his people as a whole, even though many of them had turned against him.

THE ENDURING SIGNIFICANCE OF PSALM 3

Psalm 3 speaks powerfully to those who experience bullying, betrayal, opposition or sadness for it is a model of faith in the midst of crisis. The psalm illustrates how one might navigate distress and process feelings of isolation, worthlessness and betrayal by engaging honestly and prayerfully with God through lament.

Psalm 3 challenges its readers to, like David, place their confidence alone in God who is a shield around them, the one who lifts up their head and is the source of their deliverance. Believers ought not to collapse under pressure but bring their complaints directly to God and move from a desperate cry for help to confidence that God has not left them and that he hears and answers prayer.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

Flanigan, J. (2001). What the Bible Teaches: Psalms, Ritchie Old Testament Commentary, Kilmarnock.

Mandolfo, C., (2014).  ‘Language of Lament in the Psalms’, in William P. Brown (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the Psalms, Oxford Handbooks Oxford University Press,

Posted in General

Overcoming Fear: Lessons from David in Psalm 27

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

In this modern world things can change very quickly. Take, for example, the international political scene which has seen big changes recently. Suddenly nothing is as it has been for the past seventy years. Allies who could once be trusted are now at best unpredictable and at worst treacherous. New power blocs are forming. During the past week I have even heard some (non-Christian) people say that a new world order has arrived.

In world economics tit-for-tat tariffs, we are told, are likely to result in global shortages, price increases, job losses and higher inflation. Such possibilities can make us fearful. We may begin to worry about things like the threat of nuclear war or the possibility of environmental disaster. Closer to home, and at a more personal level, Christians are not exempt from anxiety and fear. Some worry about the stability of their marriage, the well-being of their children and grandchildren or about their own state of health. Some, perhaps, wonder just how they are going to face the future without a loved one who has passed away. In addition to the cares of everyday life, of course, the Christian also has to contend with ongoing opposition from the world, the flesh and the Devil.

At times our faith is strong. We are full of confidence, secure in our beliefs and living a contented Christian life. Then trouble comes along and in comes fear and doubt. We see that in this psalm. Notice an abrupt change at v.7. The one who at the beginning of the psalm has made a strong declaration of confidence then starts to waver.

PSALM 27

Let me briefly introduce Psalm 27. According to its Hebrew title it is a psalm of David. The title in the Septuagint (LXX) Greek translation of 3rd century BCE adds the words ‘before he was anointed.’ Assuming that David was the author, then he may have drawn upon his experience of being hunted by King Saul.

Psalm 27 is one of a group of sanctuary Psalms (22-29, excluding 25), so called because they are linked by the theme of the ‘house of the Lord.’ At that time this would still have been the tabernacle, later it was the temple.

I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. Psalms 22:22

My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. Psalms 22:25

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalms 23:6

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? Psalms 24:3

LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Psalms 26:8

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. Psalms 27:4

Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. Psalms 28:2

The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. Psalms 29:9

I am sure that much could be gained from a study of just those references but let us now focus on Psalm 27 – a psalm of confidence in the face of adversity.

It falls into 2 main sections: In vv.1-6 David talks about the Lord – in the third person – ‘he’, ‘him,’ ‘his.’ In vv.7-14 David talks to the Lord – second person – addressing him directly as ‘you.’ The psalm lends itself to further subdivision; I’ll use the following 4 headings:

1-3 David’s confidence in the Lord’s protection.

4-6 David’s desire for the Lord’s presence.

7-12 David’s prayer for the Lord’s deliverance.

13-14 David’s trust in the Lord’s goodness.

DAVID’S CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD’S PROTECTION (1-3)

In these three verses David makes a bold declaration of trust in the Lord amid trying circumstances. Verse 1 is introspective – he looks inward. Verse 2 is retrospective – he looks back. Verse 3 is prospective – he looks forward. In v.1 he speaks about the present, in v.2 he speaks about the past and in v.3 he talks about the future.

The Present

(1) David starts his psalm with ‘the Lord’ before mentioning men. That is the best place to begin when encountering difficulties – focus your attention on the Lord and keep it focused. The divine name YHWH (the Lord) occurs 12 times in these 14 verses. ‘The Lord is’ – he is sovereign. ‘The Lord is my’ – he is personal.

In this verse David uses various metaphors for God.

The Lord is my light – He guides me. In the New Testament this metaphor is taken up in the writings of the apostle John: Jn 1:4-9; 8:12; 1 Jn 1:5-7; Rev 21:23.

The Lord is my salvation – He saves me – whatever my circumstances, victory is certain.

The LORD is the strength of my life – He keeps me safe – a stronghold – a safe haven -a place of refuge such as a fortified city. There I am shielded from the enemy.

The Past

(2) David looks back to times when violent enemies attacked him suddenly like wild beasts, wanting to eat him up (this can refer to slander, or perhaps false testimony in a court of law). Thanks to intervention by the Lord these ‘cannibals’ ‘stumbled and fell’ (i.e. were vanquished). Like David, we too have no idea what tactics the enemy will employ in order to bring about our downfall.

The Future

(3) In the previous verse the attacks by his foes were swift and sudden. Now David foresees the possibility of a sustained assault. An army of enemies may besiege him (all around) or declare a long war but he will still be confident. He trusts God to handle his enemies.

What ‘enemies’ are you facing today? You may not be facing literal physical violence but fear, anxiety, sickness, financial problems or relationship problems could be your enemy. Draw comfort from David’s response to adversity. He considers the present, reviews the past and anticipates the future. In them he sees God’s power and greatness and this realisation gives him confidence and courage. The Lord is his light, his salvation and his stronghold, therefore he has no reason to be afraid.

DAVID’S DESIRE FOR THE LORD’S PRESENCE. (4-6)

This declaration of confidence in the Lord (vv.1-3) leads David to say that his priority in life, his greatest wish, in fact the only thing he craves, is intimacy with the Lord. He wants to have fellowship with the Lord and experience his presence. He expresses this in terms that are poetic and not meant to be taken literally, e.g. David could never see the splendour of the Lord in the Holy of Holies – unauthorised entry of that sacred space meant instant death.

He envisages himself living, serving and praying to the Lord in the Tabernacle (also called a temple in 1 Sam 1:9; 3:3) for an extended period (‘all the days of my life’). While there he could hide from all his cares and troubles, sheltered in the Lord’s pavilion. In these verses he uses several words to refer to the sanctuary: House of the Lord – the place where God lives; Temple – a palace or royal building; Pavilion – a cover, hiding place; Tabernacle – tent.

Verses 4-5 convey the thought that David yearns to experience the glorious and protective presence of God, not just as a one-off, but throughout his life. His primary aim is to live a life characterised by worship and prayer. As a result he will not only be hidden and protected but later exalted (‘set up upon a rock’ and lifted up above his enemies). When that happens he will publicly sacrifice (possibly a thank offering, Lev 22:28) at the Tabernacle and sing praises to the Lord.

What a great attitude to have in ‘the time of trouble!’ How do we compare? In adversity do I seek God above all else, longing for his presence more than approval, success or personal comfort? Do I pray that I might, by faith, get a sight of his person and his power? Is worship a feature of my daily life, or is it restricted to Sunday morning only?

This Old Testament ‘one thing’ that David desires in Psalm 27 reminds me of the apostle Paul’s ‘one thing’ in the New Testament: But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:13-14 (ESV)

DAVID’S PRAYER FOR THE LORD’S DELIVERANCE. (7-12)

What is happening here? As already mentioned, there is a striking and an abrupt change of tone at v.7. Notice the many references to ‘me’ and ‘my’ in these verses. It seems that David has taken his eye off the Lord and now focuses on himself. The one who has declared that he has nothing to fear is now extremely worried. The person whose only priority is the Lord’s presence now fears his absence. The one who announced his confidence in God is now in distress.

In this David is being honest and realistic. Isn’t it true that amid trials fear and doubt can torment us. We feel abandoned. God can at times seem silent; even believers who are strong in the faith can think this. In v.7 David articulates this struggle: Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! (ESV). David has spoken about God in the third person, now he talks to him in the second person.

In David’s heart he recalls a command from the Lord for people (‘ye’ in v.8 is plural) to seek his face and so he responds with prayer; bringing his problems and requests to the Lord – hoping, since the Lord has always been his helper (v.9), that even should those nearest and dearest to him let him down the Lord will take him up (v.10).

Expressing his feelings of isolation David in vv.7-12 implores the Lord using a series of imperatives, 5 positive and 5 negative.

  • v.7 hear, have mercy, answer.
  • v.9 hide not, put not, leave me not, forsake me not
  • v.11 teach, lead,
  • v.12 deliver me not

Notice that in v. 11 he commits himself to going God’s way and asks the Lord for guidance (‘teach me’) and asks that he might be led along a level path; one without bumps and obstacles that might cause him to trip and fall, because his enemies are out to get him.

David has already mentioned his enemies in vv.2, 6, and 11. Now in v.12 he provides more details about them. They are cruel and corrupt; they bear false witness against him. This may recall verse 2 where he said that his enemies and his foes came upon him to eat his flesh (slander him). This idea may also be present in the first phrase of v.12 (‘deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies’). The word ‘will’ may also be translated ‘appetite’ – i.e. Don’t feed me to my enemies.

This prayer in vv.7-12 reminds us that when fear or doubt arises we can bring all our anxieties to God, crying out to him honestly while holding on to his promises.

I’ll just mention in passing that some words which occur in the first part of the psalm appear again in the second, giving a kind of symmetry:

salvation – v.1 and v.9

enemies – v.2, v.6 and v.11 and v.12

heart – v.3, v.8 and v.14

rise – v.3 and v.12

seek – v.4 and v.8

life – v.1, v.4 and v.13

DAVID’S TRUST IN THE LORD’S GOODNESS (13-14)

David is overcome with emotion when, with renewed faith, he expects that he will see the Lord’s goodness deliver him from his problems while he is still alive. In v.13 that emotion is conveyed by means of a figure of speech known as aposiopesis. This is a literary device where a sentence is deliberately left unfinished, leaving the rest implied and thus creating an effect of suspense or strong emotion. David writes: ‘unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living…’ That is an unfinished sentence so, for it to make sense, the KJV translators have supplied the words ‘I had fainted’ in italics. In other words when he says: ‘If it were not for the fact that I had faith that I would see the Lord’s goodness while still alive….,’ we must supply the missing thought – something like: ‘I would have utterly despaired’ This is an expression of confidence, but David is so emotional that he can’t quite get it out.

He ends the psalm by encouraging himself, and others, to believe in the goodness of God despite adverse circumstances and to wait on God with patience, trusting him to act at the right time. In v.14 there is repetition for emphasis: ‘wait on the Lord….wait, I say, on the Lord.’

SUMMATION

Psalm 27 takes us on a journey from faith, through fear and doubt, to hope. It encourages us to trust God to be our protector, guide, and refuge. It reminds us that where faith thrives fear has no place. The psalm ends with good advice: ‘Rise above your fears, be strong, take heart and wait with expectancy for the Lord to act on your behalf.’

As you meditate further on this psalm, may it inspire you to enter God’s presence and seek his face daily, to cry out to him in times of need, and wait patiently for his perfect timing.