David Prays as He Flees Absalom

David Prays as He Flees Absalom

Quiet Time

February 26, 2015

Psalm 3

The heading provided at the beginning of this Psalm in my Bible states that David wrote this as he was fleeing Absalom.   

David, first of all, states his case, describing the problem he is facing. Then he turns his attention to who God is and embedded in that is a promise of what God can do.  First of all, we note that David addresses God as Yahweh – the personal and covenant name for God.  He acknowledges that special relationship and then he enumerates who the LORD is to him flowing out of that relationship.

              First, God is a shield—Wiersbe indicates that he is calling Yahweh his protector. (TSB, 877)

              Second, he calls Yahweh his glory –in an entry from My Daily Bread, 2003, the author indicates that David found his worth or significance in Yahweh (http://odb.org/2003/10/06/god-my-glory/).

               Third, Yahweh is the lifter of his head – David was fully trusting God to return him to his throne.

 With that assurance, David lies down and rests, because He knows that Yahweh is on the job. He has that relationship with Yahweh that his enemies are lacking, In David’s case; his enemies here were other people.  Some of us fight the enemies of pain, loss, disappointment, and etc., but if we know Christ – then God has it firmly in control.

David asks the LORD to fight for him. While his imprecation is a bit graphic, the idea is that he want God and even knows that God is doing the fighting while he, himself, has taken every necessary step in the battle plan.

David closes his plea noting that salvation (deliverance, NLT) comes directly from the LORD.  Then he invokes God’s blessing.   Wiersbe notes that “David had no Ark of God, but he had the God of the Ark” on his side. (TSB, 877)

So what does this tell me about God?

     He is in control –i.e.Sovereign

     He is my shield – He protects me

     He is glory – He gives my life worth – I am not defined by my pain or whatever else is troubling me

     He is the lifter of my head –  closely associated with this is deliverance. He is my deliverer

So what is my response – to trust Him, follow Him and wait on Him, if need be.