COV LIFE BLOG

Psalm 3 – The God Who Saves

At verse 3, there is a vigorous realization of the spiritual above the material. David seems now to be his true self. He has left the little and beclouded view and risen to levels whence he can survey the larger providence and purpose of heaven. Strange as it may appear, it is when material forces press against us with mightiest urgency that we see most of the nearness and sufficiency of the spiritual world. It is when we are driven to the very brink and our foothold seems to be insecure that we are enabled to commit ourselves to the security and love of the infinite. The twelve legions of angels seemed to be nearest Christ when his enemies were triumphing over him. That is a consideration which should sustain the soul in every night of assault and danger. Material help is then of no use, it is out of place because out of harmony with the soul’s deepest and richest experiences. There is a poverty which money cannot relieve. There is a danger to which an offered sword is little better than an affront. There are extremities in life which God only can handle; but it is the experience of the Church that in such extremities God has magnified his grace towards his suffering ones and delivered them with great strength from the crises which afflicted the soul.

These verses show how much a man may have in reality when he seems to have absolutely nothing in appearance. David has described his estate as one of loneliness, amounting almost to utter desolation, so far as social relationships are concerned. He seems to be alone in the very midst of threatening and desperate enemies. His soul is mocked and his prayers are blown aside by the furious opposition of his pursuers. What then has David even in the midst of all this loss and peril and fear? He himself [then] seems to give an inventory of his riches.

We are too prone to think of God only as at the head of battles and as leading great hosts in orderly procession; we forget that he giveth his beloved sleep, that he dries the tears of sorrow, and that he does about us the work of a servant, ministering to our life in patience and tenderness and all-bountifulness of love. The warrior who talks about a shield and who rejoices in the lifting up of his head recognises in the gift of sleep the benediction of God. “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.” “When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet,” God will never allow himself to be excluded from what may be termed the more quiet and domestic spheres of life. He as certainly closes the eyelids of his loved ones in sleep as he makes the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to rejoice.

Joseph Parker

---

SCRIPTURES FOR THIS SUNDAY
Read all Psalm 3. This is the first psalm of lament in the Psalms. What can these verses begin to teach us about how a Christian deals with suffering? How do these verses remind of us our hope?

SONG FOR THIS WEEK
Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor by Matt Boswell