A Path Through Chapter 3

 

There's a path, let's follow it We've started our look at the hymn book of the Psalms. Today it's chapter three, this chapter lets us in on the reality of the sitautions David finds himself in. We get an insiders view on his thoughts as he attempts to stay safe and close to God.   We'll break down this chapter, have some songs together, and hear from our guest speaker. This week our guest is a church leader in Basingstoke, friend and caring man, it's Robin Mendelsohn from the Hub Community Church. So let's... get on the path

Psalm 3 A psalm of David when he fled his son Absalom 1 Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! 2 Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” 3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.  4 I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. 5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. 6 I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. 7 Arise, Lord! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw;     break the teeth of the wicked. 8 From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people

This is the first lament of many throughout the book of Psalms. They don't start with an explanation but they always come around to the realisation and recognition that God is faithful, and He is faithful now in the moment. To get us on the path let's have that focus, here is Faithful Now by The Vertical Worship Band.

The context of passages in the Bible is so important. When a story takes place, what precedes and follows a passage can frame that portion of scripture, who is was written to and why. All of these reasons help us realise that context is king when it comes to reading and understanding the Bible. Here in Psalm 3 we find a song written by David within a particular context.  He was on the run from his own son Absalom. (the full story is found in 2 Samuel 15:13-23) We know this because the subtitle of the chapter is written above. The subtitles we see throughout the Psalms were part of the original text not simply helpful additions by a publisher. They helped the readers and singers of the Psalms an understanding of where that author was coming from. Music is so emotive, it can be written on the highest of highs, the lowest of lows and everywhere in between. It will likely however take a shape that is in step with the emotion of the time. So much of David's writing in the Psalms is emotive of the moment, what he was doing right then, right there, whatever situation he found himself within.

The opening question that David asks in verse 1 is one that he will utter many times throughout his psalms. 'How many are my foes?' He was attacked by his foes verbally and at times especially by Saul attacked physically too. When he found himself in these situations of being in the line of the fire of his enemies we often read this question. Whether it was cried aloud, under his breath or in his head I'll bet you can hear it too. We all do it, maybe not about our enemies being against us but about situations that we come up against. The coronavirus and lockdown situations have been an occasion to cry aloud, under our breath in our head. How many of us have watched and talked to the TV during the daily briefings, how many of us have done more than talk but yelled and screamed at the latest restrictions or difficult news? This is the type of life-changing and dangerous situation that we've found ourselves in, David was in troublesome states and he went to God. We must learn from the poet and king too.

Verse 2 shows us that David's adversaries weren't just out to get him, but they were trying to get in his head too. Did the words 'God will not deliver him' cause him to sway? Did those words make him want to give up faith in God? Were they words which meant that he wasn't willing to stand any longer? We don't have to wait long for an answer. But, like I've written before and taught many a time when we read but it's time to jump for joy. The opposite is now being said, where David was feeling down and attacked he quickly turns his thoughts to the One who lifts his head. In these two verses we see that the God of David is a shield, lifter and the one who answers. He certainly had reason to put his trust in God.

Let's listen to the raw emotion of this lament is heard through this song appropriately called Psalm 3 done by Jason Silver.

Vs 5. Being sustained is something that we all need, everyday, every second. We don't provide our own oxygen, we don't cause the sun to rise morning after morning. We might buy our food but we don't cause the seed to turn to a thriving fruitful plant. We can't sustain ourselves, only God can be the sustainer, (word?) David is really aware of this, while he travels the hills to be safe from his raging son like we see in this psalm or whether it's when he is having a difficult time in his thinking. He comes back to the fact that God is the provider and sustainer, and the one who lifts David head again and again. As a result he can say that he does not need to fear. It's oh so easy to fear, to fall into the trap of worry, to walk right into the uncomfortable struggle of being scared. Here he says even if there were tens of thousands trailing after him he would still turn and trust in God.

Let's have a listen and watch to Robin Mendelsohn as he brings his perspective to the richness of chapter 3.

Lord deliver! This is a cry heard so often in the Old Testament. I think of the moving scene from the Exodus where Moses has led the people to the edge of the Red Sea. The Egyptian armies are pounding across the desert behind them, the water stands a foe in front of them. They can only plead that God will deliver them, Moses can only cry to God to be the deliverer. As we know the sea parts, they cross on dry land, the Egyptians are swept away in the waves. It can almost seem unmiraculous.(word?) It isn't, the sea was pulled back, over 2 million men, their families and belongings crossed through a dry sea bed to safety. This is deliverance on techinocolour display. David knows this story from his history and so many more. He was of course the one who slung the stone to knock Goliath out of commission. He knew what it was to be delivered. Here once again his plead is with the Lord of deliverance in this desperate hour. One of the overriding points in this psalm is that the Lord deeply cares for those who are righteous. Again not that Christ followers are perfect, we all know that's not true. Our shortcomings, and mistakes don't disqualify from the care of God. He is always but a prayer away, I love how God never leaves or forsakes us. We see as this passage wraps up that He watches over the way of the righteous. It reminds me that no matter what is going on in our house, with the toing and froing of life (not so much in lockdown but you get the idea) that either Rebecca or I am watching over our girls. They may be on their own a bit upstairs or in the living room but we're only a 'Mom or Dad' call away, and usually we can hear all that's going on anyway. Let's have this big idea in our mind as we worship and pray together that God blesses those who love Him, and He so loves you, watches after you and causes you to prosper.

You can almost hear David singing this song as he continues to realise and live out the deliverance of God. Let's make the words of 'O God You're my Deliverer' ours today, here it is by Matt Maher.

Lord, we need your deliverance in our lives as a people, in and our lives individually. Would you deliver us and the world from the coronavirus which has plagued so many and changed the lives of so many. We call and cry out to you as the deliverer and lifter of our head. Help me not to fear even when it feels like I'm being pressed on all sides, may my hope and trust be in the one who never leaves nor forsakes me. amen

Isn't it good to be on the path? We'll see how David reaches such highs and lows as he writes many of these wonderful songs. Next week we'll open up chapter 4 with former Rector at Overton, Ian Smale.