VICTORY OVER MY ADVERSARIES
PSALM 3
Background: to understand this psalm, you must understand the beginning of David’s problems he has been facing. They go all the way back to his affair with Bathsheba, the murder of her husband, and the taking of her for his wife. Years later, David’s mixed family has huge problems. David’s son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar. David was too weak to deal with Amnon appropriately, so Tamar’s brother, Absalom, killed Amnon. Still, David is so morally weak at this point that he also failed to deal with Absalom appropriately, instead he merely banished him from the kingdom.
The problem is that Absalom was very popular with the people and he later raised up an army to attack David and take his throne. He was successful in running David out of Jerusalem and pressing the attack against him. In the end, Absalom was killed in a freak accident during a battle and the revolt was over.
This psalm covers the initial attacks and the eventual deliverance and victory through the Lord God.
1. THE ENEMY OF MY SOUL. (Ps 3:1-2)
1 O Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. 2 Many are saying of my soul,
“There is no deliverance for him in God.”
David mentions 3 groups that are against him.
(1) His adversaries- there had always been a group that hated him and wanted to destroy him, but they were never strong enough to do anything about it. Some had been loyal to Saul, some hated God.
(2) New Opposition- new opposition has arisen for 2 reasons. They see David as morally and politically weak. Also, many began to oppose David because of their love for Absalom.
(3) His Skeptics- They were condemning David because of his moral failures and are saying that God has abandoned him and he is doomed.
** All of this is David’s fault. He sinned and now is paying the consequences of sin. Yes, David had already repented and was forgiven, but he must still live with the consequences.
Have you ever messed up really bad? Sinned in some great way? Maybe today you feel that you’re being punished because of it.
Truth is, you may be right. But, does that mean that God quit loving you? NO. But, Has He abandoned you? Possibly, but that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way.
** Just as David had many adversaries (enemies) that hated him, we also have an enemy of our soul, Satan.
David’s enemy gained strength over him because of David’s sins.
The Devil gains authority over believers when we sin.
* Sin is going over the line in God’s Law. Cartoon of Cat and Bulldog when I was a kid. Dog was on a chain and the cat drew a line around the dog’s area that measured the greatest distance the dog could go. As long as he stayed outside the line, he was safe. But, if he crossed the line, he gave that dog the ability to hurt him really bad.
** Satan is like that chained bulldog. When you choose to sin, you go past the line and give Satan the ability to treat you badly.
2. PROTECTION FROM THE LORD. (Ps 3:3-4)
3 But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. 4 I was crying to the Lord with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain.
God has been protecting David all thru this. What did God do?
(1) He shielded David. God’s protective hand kept David from total destruction. He faced difficulty and danger from his enemies, but God didn’t allow them to destroy him. God is our shield also.
(2) He gave David confidence.
“My Glory”- God is majestic and powerful. As David kept his eyes on the Lord, his faith remained strong.
“Lift my head”- expression for giving confidence.
When a child of God is in trouble, God already knows it. Sometimes, though, God allows us go thru difficulty in order to strengthen us and to grow us.
(3) He heard David’s prayers. David’s confidence grew because he knew God loved him and had always been there for him.
God is our Protector also. He is waiting for us to call upon Him.
3. THE PEACE OF GOD. (Ps 3:5-6)
5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me round about.
David is at peace because of his relationship with God.
(1) He lays down and sleeps- the hardest thing to do when under attack is to sleep. We tend to worry and fret unable to fall asleep. When you turn it over to God, peace and sleep can come.
Phi 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
(2) David is refreshed. God sustains David so that he is ready to face the new challenges of the day. When attacked, your will either control your problems or your problems will control you.
(3) David is confident in the Lord. David may thousands of enemies, but if you are “with God” there is reason to be confident. No matter the number or greatness of the enemy, God is always the majority.
He is El Elyon, the God Most High.
4. VICTORY IN THE LORD. (Ps 3:7-8)
7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. 8 Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be upon Your people!
David closes the song with absolute assurance of victory in the Lord.
A few statements in these verses point back to the first 2 verses.
(1) David asks God to Deliver him. His skeptics have said that God has abandoned him, but David asks for God’s deliverance.
* Notice, David doesn’t use the term “Lord” here, but uses his enemies term “God”. It’s surely purposeful play on words. They call Him God, but David calls Him Lord. David here uses their word, but adds to it the word “my”. IOW, to them “God is just a God”, but to David, God is “My God.” Big difference.
(2) God has and is defeating David’s enemies.
“Shattered the teeth”- Primarily, a predator’s main strength comes in their teeth/jaws. IOW, God destroyed their strength and power to hurt David. Second, it’s harder to slander and put down someone when you mouth is all busted up.
(3) David praises the God of our Salvation.
David praises God. God delivers. David praises God some more.
We could all learn from David.
When you find yourself in trouble and you pray to God for deliverance, don’t let it end there.
When God saves you, when God delivers you, when God heals you, when God renews you....... it is not the time to be solemn and quiet.
IT’S TIME TO GET YOUR PRAISE ON!!!
