Text: Psalm 3:1-8, Title: Peace in the Face of Death, Date/Place: NRBC, 11/30/08, AM
A. Opening illustration: story of Polycarp and his facing death
B. Background to passage: This is the first psalm attributed to David in the Psalter. But more than that, it is one with a circumstance, which gives us some insight to the mind of David while writing it. And also makes the psalm much more real to our lives and many of us face utter betrayal from people that we love, and find ourselves alone, hurt, and in need of deliverance. But by the grace of God, our Deliverer is coming!
C. Main thought: in this text we see how David dealt with suffering at the hands of others.
A. David’s Predicament (v. 1-2)
1. The situation is one of the most painful in David’s life. Explain Absalom’s murder, flight, return, forgiveness, politicking, and treason (even by sleeping with all David’s concubines in public). And so now David is fleeing from Jerusalem with any remaining supporters, Absalom having “stolen the hearts of the people.” He is running in fear of his life from his own flesh and blood. This is one of the most painful back-stabbings in the bible. And so he writes that his troubles and those who trouble him have increased. In fact, the wording in the text describes continuing growth, with the connotation of suffocation. Much of the language in the psalm is military, indicating physical persecution and fighting, but David also shares the shouts of the enemies. And they are spiritual in nature. Their derision is that not even God will deliver David. This is directed at his soul, instead of “me” in verse two. So this is an all out attack on David’s life and spirit.
2. Ps 6:3, 74:10, Job 2:9, 2 Cor 4:8-11, 1:8, 6:4, 7:5, 11:23-28
3. Illustration: Julius Caesar knew such treachery. Among the conspirators who assassinated the Roman leader on March 15, 44 B. C. was Marcus Junius Brutus. Caesar not only trusted Brutus, he had favored him as a son. According to Roman historians, Caesar first resisted the onslaught of the assassins. But when he saw Brutus among them with his dagger drawn, Caesar ceased to struggle and, pulling the top part of his robe over his face, asked the famous question, “You too, Brutus?” reading Dear Abby the other day, and the story about woman who had waited to get married, found a man, set the date, and now sent out the invitations, and the aunt with cancer sending out invitations for a memorial service for herself before she dies for the exact same date, story of the sister who couldn’t get pregnant and the other sister who stole the name Jeremy after the conversation they had about naming a future child that, ask about Erika’s dad,
4. How many of you have ever been attacked by close family members? People that you thought you could trust betray you in the worst of ways. Ever felt like the world was getting smaller? Just can’t breathe, people, pressure, responsibilities, and certain individuals making it worse. Take comfort, you are not alone. The David, Job, Joseph, Moses, Jeremiah, and even Jesus are with you. And know that just about everyone in this room has been there. Some in more pain than others. Some experienced betrayal from spouses, children, siblings, parents, grandparents. God knows the whole situation, knows you, loves you unconditionally! And there are many in this body that need your experience so that they can make it through their own trials. This is partly why we are a body—we need each other. God helps us weather suffering, but one of the ways He does that is by the rest of us sharing the burdens. But know that with God’s help and others around you, you can have peace through ANY suffering inflicted upon you!
B. David’s Peace (v. 3-6)
1. David shifts his view from his problems to the Lord. And there is a very strong “but” here as David’s attitude changes from worry to peaceful confidence. Even so much so that he sleeps well that night. The key is that the Lord sustained him (v. 5), but specifically there are four ways David sees God that brighten his outlook, and cause him not to be afraid of the crushing weight of his multiplying enemies and decreasing space to escape. He saw God as 1) a shield to him. This was the kind of shield that surrounded and completely protected its holder. He saw God as 2) his glory. Some debate. But David surely here means God is his source, his sufficiency, his security, his treasure, his defender, his rock, his help, and his divine right! He is the last thing David has, and He is enough; in fact, more than enough! He sees God as 3) the lifter of his head. Explain the foot on the neck vs. lifting of the head picture. And He says God is his encourager. He is the one that comforts, and turns all things for good. And finally, he sees God as 4) the answerer of his prayers.
2. Acts 12:6, Heb 12:2, Micah 7:7, Isa 45:22, Philip 4:6-7, Luk 21:13-19, Rom 8:28, Ps 62:7, 121:1-8, 46:1-2, 6, 27:1-3, Isa 41:10, 43:1-3, 2 Cor 12:9,
3. Illustration: Most of the verses written about praise in God’s Word were penned by men and women who faced crushing heartaches, injustice, treachery, slander, and scores of other intolerable situations. Joni Eareckson Tada. “When a believer gazes too long at his enemies, the force arrayed against him seems to grow in size until it appears to be overwhelming. But when he turns his thoughts to God, God is seen in his true, great stature, and the enemies shrink to manageable proportions,” –Boice, I am (and should be) a shield to my wife when I come home, doing my best to pitch in, and guard her from stresses that assail her, as those fires came, people in CA gathered the most precious things to them and left, and now David flees from Jerusalem by night with his greatest treasure as his trust, the kids shouting until they get our attention, and then we may have to deny their request, the swimming pool,
4. You are responsible for your thought life. Fix your mind’s eye on the reality of God in the midst of suffering (by the way, the same thing applies for temptation). Are you overwhelmed by problems? Set your eyes upon the Lifter of Your Head! To believers, God has promised protection. This doesn’t mean that He will always spare us from harm or pain, but that we will be preserved through it. God is deflecting attacks against you right now. You are perfectly within the protection of God. If God is all you have, then you have more than enough. He is utterly sufficient for any circumstance. He satisfies when nothing else can. He defends when no one else can. He is our encourager! Practically this happens through prayer, the word, and fellowship with the brethren. It is only in suffering that you can learn to trust God more, and whether or not you really trust Him. It is only in those situations where only God can work, do we find out where our faith really is. It may not seem like God is listening, but know that He is. He may not be willing to grant your petition, but know that he hears. O God be the shield for Your hurting people; be their glory and treasure; be the lifter of their heads; and be the One how thunders from heaven answers to their prayers, or whispers in a still, small voice, “peace, be still.”
C. David’s Prayer (v. 7-8)
1. David’s heart now uplifted with thoughts of the Lord, he prays. But this prayer is no sheepish grocery list of the things that he wants. This is a desperate cry for deliverance as well as a battle cry. “Arise” was used to call soldiers together to fight. Along with the other military language in this psalm, David now calls on God for deliverance and justice. He asks God to save him (Hebrew word for save yeshua, used 3X in the psalm). Then he speaks either in the past tense, or more likely, confident in the future past, says that God has struck the enemies in the face, which was not only painful but socially disgracing. Then he says break their teeth out. Probably in reference to a lion’s teeth being broken, and prey being freed. Then finally with a sense of trusting resolution, he says that salvation and blessing is from the Lord.
2. Ps 17:7, 5:11, 10:12, 58:6, Pro 21:31,
3. Illustration: The battle cry during that war was “Remember the Alamo!” But there is a side to the story that many don’t know. The men of the Alamo know they were fighting against the odds. Their leader, Colonel William Barrett Travis, gathered them together and told them they had a choice. They could leave the fort while there was still time, or they could stay and meet certain death. Then Travis unsheathed his sword, drew a line on the ground, and said these words: “Those prepared to give their lives in freedom’s cause, come over to me.” Without hesitation, every man except one – which is how we know the story – crossed the line. Colonel James Bowie, inventor of the bowie knife, was ill with typhoid pneumonia and couldn’t walk across the line, but he asked for his bed to be carried over. GIVE ME LIBERTY March 23, 1775. A man with his eternal perspective addressed the House of representatives and said, “…but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” –Patrick Henry, Church growth expert, George Barna found that prayer was the foundational ministry of rapidly growing churches in America. He wrote: “The call to prayer [in these churches] was the battle cry of the congregation: it rallied the troops. These people understood the power of prayer. They actively and consistently included prayer in their services, in their events, their meetings and their personal ministries.”
4. Do you approach the throne of God with boldness and hell with a squirt gun? The kind of confidence that David exhibits compels this sort of prayer. Ever ask God to fight for you? Christ fights for us. He is our defender. He has given us the word and the Spirit to renew our minds and anoint our lives that we may serve faithfully with inexpressible joy right in the middle of suffering. So get right with God, and be bold asking Him to show Himself mighty in your life. So how do we reconcile “turn the other cheek also” with “smack ‘em in the face, and break out their teeth.” The difference is justice versus revenge. And even though the results might be the same, the motivations are quite different. If we want the teeth smashed out of our enemies mouth so that they will get what they deserved as a punishment for offending me, we are much like the world. This is a natural emotion and motivation. But if we want the teeth smashed out of our enemies because God’s holiness has been breached, and His glory is primary in our desire, then it’s OK. Now this doesn’t need to equip us to be better hypocrites, but just know that David’s motivations and our motivations do matter. So be careful why you pray imprecatory psalms.
A. Closing illustration: tell about the message the night that I got saved, and invite people deal with the barrier of sin before they seek deliverance from suffering.
B. Recap
C. Invitation to commitment
Additional Notes
• Is Christ Exalted, Magnified, Honored, and Glorified?
