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Psalms 3 (ESV)
1 O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;
2 many are saying of my soul,
“There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah
3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4 I cried aloud to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah
5 I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.
7 Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.
8 Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people! Selah
Reflection
- David was faced with the fact that many who have rebelled against him seemed to think that God had abandoned him. When everything seems to be going wrong, it’s easy for us to wonder if God were still with us or not. Such experiences cause stress, rob us of sleep, and frequently make us so anxious that we become ineffective.
- Yet, David chose to focus his thoughts on God, and to remember who God is. David had known God as a shield (protector), and his glory (greatest value), as one who lifted up his head (source of strength). David remembered who God had proved himself to be in his life, and he was able to pray to God with confidence, even in the face of opposition and stress.
- When faced with frustration, accidents, troubles, try not to go on the path of despair and gloom. Instead, recall the things God has done in your life, count them out one by one. What different results these two ways bring out?
- Read this psalm a couple of more times or sing along with this psalm as a praise and prayer to God: “Thou art a shield for me”