Fear Not; God Is With You.
O LORD, I have so many enemies;
So many are against me.
So many are saying, "God will never rescue him!"
But you, O LORD, are a shield around me;
You are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy mountain.
I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the LORD was watching over me.
I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side.
Arise, O LORD!
Rescue me, my God!
Slap all my enemies in the face!
Shatter the teeth of the wicked!
Victory comes from you, O LORD.
May you bless your people. (Psalm 3:1-8 NLT).
So many are against me.
So many are saying, "God will never rescue him!"
But you, O LORD, are a shield around me;
You are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy mountain.
I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the LORD was watching over me.
I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side.
Arise, O LORD!
Rescue me, my God!
Slap all my enemies in the face!
Shatter the teeth of the wicked!
Victory comes from you, O LORD.
May you bless your people. (Psalm 3:1-8 NLT).
What would you do if you were king and your own son rose up against you, seeking your very life?
That is the background of this Psalm. King David had to flee into exile because Absalom, his son, rose up with others to destroy his life and seize the throne.
The enemies of David were taunting him that his God would never rescue him. In their eyes, David was finished. But David found solace in God.
There are some valuable lessons in how David handled the situation.
First, David reminded himself that God was a shield and protection around him.
He reminded himself that God had the power to lift his head up high above his enemies and circumstances. So, he cried out for God to rescue him. He then went to bed and woke up safely the next day because he was confident that God was watching over him.
Second: Even though David was surrounded by enemy forces, he did not give in to fear. He depended on God to rescue him, and God did not disappoint him.
Third: David called on God to deal with his enemies. He asked God to shatter the teeth of the wicked.
It is inevitable that there are times in life when wicked individuals will come against us. Sometimes, they threaten our very lives or even our destiny. Their goal is to prevent us from accomplishing our life assignments. But we can take some cues from David.
When faced with attacks from wicked foes, it is important to encourage yourself in the Lord and rest in His protection. Remind yourself of God's ability to keep you safe and do not deprive yourself of sleep. Call on God and simply trust in His protective power.
But how about the wicked foes who attack you? How do you deal with them? David simply asked God to shatter their teeth so that they could not bite any longer. It is equally important to pray that the wicked would be rendered ineffective against the righteous. When left unchecked, the works of the wicked can have devastating consequences. David asked God to deal with the wicked. We must call on God to deal with the wicked as well.
That is the background of this Psalm. King David had to flee into exile because Absalom, his son, rose up with others to destroy his life and seize the throne.
The enemies of David were taunting him that his God would never rescue him. In their eyes, David was finished. But David found solace in God.
There are some valuable lessons in how David handled the situation.
First, David reminded himself that God was a shield and protection around him.
He reminded himself that God had the power to lift his head up high above his enemies and circumstances. So, he cried out for God to rescue him. He then went to bed and woke up safely the next day because he was confident that God was watching over him.
Second: Even though David was surrounded by enemy forces, he did not give in to fear. He depended on God to rescue him, and God did not disappoint him.
Third: David called on God to deal with his enemies. He asked God to shatter the teeth of the wicked.
It is inevitable that there are times in life when wicked individuals will come against us. Sometimes, they threaten our very lives or even our destiny. Their goal is to prevent us from accomplishing our life assignments. But we can take some cues from David.
When faced with attacks from wicked foes, it is important to encourage yourself in the Lord and rest in His protection. Remind yourself of God's ability to keep you safe and do not deprive yourself of sleep. Call on God and simply trust in His protective power.
But how about the wicked foes who attack you? How do you deal with them? David simply asked God to shatter their teeth so that they could not bite any longer. It is equally important to pray that the wicked would be rendered ineffective against the righteous. When left unchecked, the works of the wicked can have devastating consequences. David asked God to deal with the wicked. We must call on God to deal with the wicked as well.
Prayer: Lord, you see and know what I might not be privy to. You know what enemies there might be against me. My trust is completely in you. Amen.