Today, Sunday October 02
A Prayer of Trust
Psalm 3:1-4
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. Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God." Selah
But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the LORD with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah”
I first want to continue to remind us to pray for the dear people in the state of Florida that have lost family members, lost their homes, businesses and possessions, and are still suffering from the hurricane. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers, and if possible, join in the relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts that will continue for months. I suggest making contributions to organizations that will not only be on the ground sharing material and physical help, but also sharing God’s love through praying with people and sharing the Gospel. A couple that are on the top of my list are Samaritan’s Purse (https://samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/hurricane-ian/), and the Send Relief and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Fund (https://www.sendrelief.org/projects/hurricane-ian/).
David is facing the greatest trial of his life as his son Absalom has raised up an army against him. These are people who at one time honored and adored David as their beloved king. But it is possible that because of his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah, they have lost their respect for him and could easily be persuaded to listen to the lies of Absalom.
In verses 1-2, David faces the reality of his circumstances and admits his trouble and cries out for help in the midst of his trial. If we are to ever really deal with our problems and challenges, we must first acknowledge that we have them. Some people try to ignore their problems as if they didn’t exist. But my friend, they will only get worse if we don’t acknowledge and face them.
“But You, O LORD, are a shield for me.” David wasn't a man easily beaten. Without ignoring his problems, he lifted his eyes from the threatening situation around him and looked by faith to the Lord. David knew he was in danger, but he knew that God was his shield (see Gen. 15:1). David depended on God as his shield to protect him (7:10; 18:2; 47:9; 59:11; 84:11; Deut. 33:29).
“My glory and the One who lifts up my head.” David was in disgrace because of his own sins and his son's treachery, but God was the source of David's glory. Absalom had turned his father's "glory into shame" (Psalm 4:2), but one day that glory would be restored. The situation was discouraging, but the king knew that God would lift up his head and restore him to his throne (27:6; 2 Sam. 15:30). His faith was in the promises God had made to him in the covenant recorded in 2 Samuel 7, and he knew God would not forsake him.
“I cried to the LORD with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill.” The temple had not yet been built on the "holy hill of Zion," but the ark was there (see 2 Sam. 15:25) and that was God's throne (80:1). David may have been forced off his throne, but Jehovah was still on the throne and in control, and Absalom had attacked God's anointed king (2:2). That was a dangerous thing to do. David kept crying out to God in prayer, knowing that God had not forsaken him in the past and would not forsake him now. "This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles" (Ps. 34).
My friend, the devil loves to bring up your old sins from the past to make you think that you can’t pray and trust the Lord for help in your present trials. But remember he is a liar! God’s Word is always true! I remind you of 1 John 1:7&9, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin… If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
God bless!