This text lends itself to the adaptation of a movie, but in fact it is a song. This is a song that was sung in worship just like psalms are commanded by Scripture to be sung in worship today. But honestly I can see this particular Psalm turned into a movie since it is a story that resonates in the hearts of everyone due. Like any good movie it is based on a real story, had a villain, a victim and a hero. But this song need not be related to a stuff theater as it is good fro the Friday Night Gridiron, the Monday morning meeting, the mall during a tax free weekend, the modern battle field, a hospital waiting room, the family reunion, or the rough and tumble playground.
Join me as we read Psalm 3 with the topic of a Man on the Run
Advancing Attack: 1-2
Psalms 3:1-2 A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son. Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. 2 Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God." Selah
• Painted before us is a picture of a man on the lamb. He is running for his life. David is not on a battlefield like with think of with modern warfare. No, David’s battle is a fight for his very life. The king is being pursued and tracked down like an escaped criminal. His pursuers are relentless. Every where he turns he is being chases down. He his footsteps have to be guarded because he can afford to be seen by anyone. David does his best to cover his tracks because every little thing is intelligence for Absalom to gather in his quest to eradicate David. Poor King David has gone from the man on the throne, the King of Israel, to being treated like a common dog being hunted by the men who formerly served him. What betrayal. What treachery. Am man of God’s Heart now is running for his life as his son, Absalom hunts him life game.
• You may remember Absalom from your private studies as David’s son. He is described as being the most handsome mad in Israel, kind of like a Clark Gable, a Brad Pitt or McDreamy. He was the prefect specimen of a man, flawless to the point of perfection. The Bible tells us that he was physically prefect and loved by everyone.
• Absalom used this to his advantage as He would stand at the gates of the city and greeted everyone who entered in, giving the instruction of what to do, and where to go, acting like he had an official position and power. In doing so Absalom gained the loyalty of everyone who passed by and became the face of the Kingdom. He was adored and everyone began to forget about his father David, the real king. David’s own flesh and blood was stealing the Kingdom from under his Crown.
• David’ Enemy was Familia, or family. His offspring, His own son - who else can be a closer enemy that family. Talk about an uncomfortable situation to be in. The son you loved and raised is now raising a nation against you. Being hunted down by your heir, being forced into this new and difficult situation as you are now Enemy No. 1 in your own kingdom. All trust was gone, no secrets we held as Absalom knew David like no one else. These first two verses are the desperate cries of a man deposed of the throne as he senses the Advancing Attack.
Surety of Security: 3-4
Psalms 3:3-4 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. 4 I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah
• Notice the change in David’s tone as he recounts his Surety of Security. As Death Squads close in, His thoughts are not of “Where can I run now?” He is not trying to fashion sort of make shift MacGyver style weapon for a last stand. He is not worried that his son wants his head on a platter. No, instead his thoughts are not on what he can do, but “Who is God? and “What can our benevolent God do?”
• He calls God his Shield. The One who goes before him and buffets the attacks that come. Jehovah is his Instrument of Safety. David calls Him, Jehovah-Magen - Lord my Shield - Deut. 33:29 Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs."
• God is the one who stands before us; He is the one who takes each blow. He stops the advancement of evil for overcoming us. He is the shield that we hid behind and cling to when the adversaries of our soul assault us. It is God who blocks the attacks of the enemy who seeks to destroy both David and us.
• We must understand that God not only shields us from the fiery arrows that come from a distance, but also from closer attacks. Remember that Absalom was his son. He was family and is there anything closer than family?
• Let me make this clear before we go any further. With God as our shield we are not guaranteed to be free from attack but we are guaranteed that it will be futile. Our Great and Mighty Shield and Savior covers us from all around. Our enemies may continue to shoot their arrows, but we will victoriously continue in the Surety of Security of God’s unending love.
• In turn we must continue to trust God to carry us though even in times of great stress and difficulty. We must allow God to buffet the attacks. Trust God and allow Him to shield you and protect you and you will see your faith grow exponentially.
Confidence in Our Creator: 5-8
Psalms 3:5-8 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. 7 Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah
• Let us look at the last four verses of Ps. 3 as David displays Confidence in Our Creator.
• He shows us that in the midst of the fight for his life we is able to trust God and calmly sleep. The anxiety of what to do next to have his person has slipped away as he awakes refreshed in the Lord who has kept him through the night.
• With insurmountable odds, 10,000 readied warriors chasing after him and circling in, he begins to praise God instead of fretting and call upon his Lord to deliver him.
• Look at verse 7. What strong and powerful words as he calls upon Yahweh to deal his enemies a blow like he has in the past. He cries for him to strike them again in the face. But not to just bloody their nose or blacken their eye, but to hit their Chin. David is calling for God to break the glass jaw of the invading army.
• His cry is not just to punch his enemy to stun them or to fight back. Not at all. David is asking God to strike them in such a might way as to knock their teeth out of their mouth. To destroy their ability to attack him. David heart is that God will disenable them. To take his adversaries out of commission.
Don’t just stop them from hurting me but stop them from being able to hurt me or anyone else again. That is what he is taking about in this verse. David has Confidence in Our Creator and his ability to over power all who oppose Him or His people
What is your Advancing Attack?
Do you have the Surety of Security?
Today you can have Confidence in Our Creator…
And no longer be a Man on the Run.
No comments:
Post a Comment