My Glory and the Lifter of My Head

Psalm 3.
Joel 2:12-17. Return to the LORD Ps 95. Worship Him alone 1 Sam 7:3. And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, [then] put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

Recap

Ps 3.

First psalm in the collection of psalms ascribed to David (3-41). First of thirteen psalms with historical data. First psalm to use the term "selah," a musical notation meaning pause.

The events are recorded in 2 Samuel 15-18, but the heart is recorded in this Psalm. Vs 1-2 David combines fear and anxiety. Fear is for the present, while grief and sorrow is in present continuous. Fear can be healthy, but anxiety leads to grief and sorrow and is debilitating. Vs. 2. No help for him in God. They were insinuating that just like Saul, God has left David. 2 Sam 16:8. Shimei was one of those who believed that for all the adultery, scheming and murder, God has left him and this was a just cause. Lesson: We never doubt if God is able Thats not for our self righteous mind But in sinful arrogance we often babble It aint Gods will, I find. And so we live lives down and out Thinking, the able God is not willing. As we drag ourselves in willful doubt We miss an abundant filling.

For we forget that God is caring And His denials arent refusals And even this our present faring Is merely His gracious easels. Sept 15, 2011

We often fall prey to the feedback or white noise of the world or even to our concocted theology. Someone said, "All the water in the world, however hard it tried, could never, never sink a ship, unless it got inside. So as David we must press on. But Vs 3. Shield: (NIV: Round about me). Not in front of me, beside me but about me. Like a Greek formation, not the hand held shield for combat. The difference between the two is that the success of the formation is depended on the shield, while the hand held is on the skill of the warrior. Shield is required only while heading to combat, not when running away. A picture of God and David going together through it and succeeding. Glory: This is not the same as Isaiah but Davids great boast is LORD Himself. It is beyond the assurance of having seen the LORD in glory, but the confidence that the God of glory is his glory. It is personal. Unfortunately, it is circumstances and trying times and sufferings that makes it clear.

Vs. 4. I cried unto the LORD This is a lament Psalm. There are more lament Psalms than there are other types. Usually they end with the Psalmist recognizing God is able, but not necessarily. Ps 39:12-13, another example: Luke 5:8. Depart from me Examples to provide that we can pray our heart out. God says I know you are saying things you dont mean, for I see the anguish of your heart. When we cry depart from me, the one who was forsaken draws nigh to succor. The truth of emotional cry lies in understanding not the need for emotional outburst but where it is directed to. The Legalist would say bottle up emotion. It is not good to show emotions. The world would say dont bottle it. It is best to get it out. In doing either, we get eaten up with grief and rot, or we are ruled by our emotions and either way we are enslaved. The best place is to the LORD. Lesson: In times of trouble, just like David we must: I Remember the Word. Vs. 3a

Gen 15:1. After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I [am] thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great reward. David may have been thinking of the covenant between God and Abraham. It was God, who took the initiative. Abraham believed and it was counted to him for righteousness. David was willing to be just where Abraham was. Explain the covenant. II Rejoice in the LORD. Vs 3b

Glory and the lifter of my head. It is God who lifts the head. God is not just personal to David but also the encourager. Goes into battle with David, but also stays alongside to strengthen his heart and lift his head. III Realign your World. Vs. 6

Let your glory be the LORD. Look not at the circumstances on your own, but Look past the shadow of the Cross Look at the grace of the LORD. Look towards the glory of the future. 2 Cor 4:17. "If one gazes too long upon the enemy and his might, the enemy grows in the mind's eye to gigantic proportions . . . the hypnotic power of the enemy is broken when one turns one's gaze toward God." Peter Craigie IV Rest in the LORD. Vs. 7-8

Know that in the LORD it is not just comfort, and strength but victory. Salvation belongs only to HIM. He saved, is saving and will save. Hang on. Broken the teeth of the ungodly: This vivid metaphor is also used in Psalm 58:6. It speaks of the total domination and defeat of the enemy. David looked for protection in this Psalm, but more than protection - he looked for victory. Your blessing is upon Your people: This showed Davids heart in a time of personal calamity. He wasnt only concerned for Gods hand upon himself, but upon all Gods people. He didnt pray for preservation and victory in the trial with Absalom just for his own sake, but because it was best for the nation.