There is an important progression to notice in Psalm 3. The first two verses take us back to the narrative in 2nd Samuel chapters 15 and 16 where David and those loyal to him are evacuating Jerusalem before David’s son Absalom enters the city with stronger forces.
David leaves Jerusalem weeping and in a low condition. In Psalm 3:1-2, he lays out his dismal situation before the Lord. His many enemies would rejoice if they could overtake David and bury him in disgrace. In the story, David is weary by the time he reaches the Jordon River. But there, we read in 2nd Samuel 16, he refreshes himself.
We saw the result of this refreshment in verse 3 last week. David’s enemies were certainly able and willing to destroy him, but the Lord would not allow it. So, David refreshes himself in the Lord, who is his shield, his glory, and the lifter of his head. In his low condition, the Spirit of the Lord moves in David to lift him up and assure him of the Lord’s favor. If ever you want to truly refresh your spirit, then look to what is the highest good, having the favor of the Lord.
The result of this we see in verse 4: “I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill.” The Lord’s holy hill was the place he promised to put his anointed King (Psalm 2:6). David, at the present time, was the Lord’s anointed king, so David is convinced that it will not be Absalom and his army that decides the battle, but rather the Lord’s decree. When the humble soul calls upon the Lord, he is often comforted by being convinced of God’s sovereignty.
The Lord answering from his holy hill looks ahead to the reign of Christ in the gospel age. David’s words in verse 3 anticipate the fulfilment of the petition of the Lord’s prayer, “thy kingdom come,” where Christians pray that the Lord may destroy the kingdom of sin and the devil and that Christ may rule in our hearts here on earth. It is great comfort when our faith is tried to know that the Lord is on our side.
In verses 5-6, we see a great difference in David, who saw multitudes against him in verses 1-2. We can see here the work of the Holy Spirit in David. David leaves Jerusalem downcast and weeping but when he prays, the Lord fully persuades David that he will sustain him. Now, David is able to lay down and sleep in peace. If the Lord is for you, who can be against you?
David had much to keep him awake, but more to give him peaceful sleep. A Spirit induced sleep is the best sleep. If we lie defenseless in ourselves, it is comforting to know that the Lord watches over his people as a rich man watches over his treasure. David’s enemies said that he had no help in God, but David slept like a little child confident in his Father’s care.
In verse 6, David now seems completely unconcerned with the multitudes seeking his life: “I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.” David slept well, but he wakes up to the same reality of a great army seeking to destroy him. What is different is that in facing death, his confidence in the Lord has gotten even stronger. It is a great comfort in facing death to know that we have hallowed God’s name and trusted in his word.
In verse 7, David calls on the Lord to make his enemies eat their words with respect to their taunting that the Lord had forsaken David: “Arise O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.” Breaking the teeth of the wicked points to rendering them harmless, like teeth being removed from a lion.
However severe language the psalmist may use, imprecatory warnings can never approach the actual judgment of God. How dismal is the lot of those that are confident that they will prevail over the Lord’s people, when they have actually engaged the Lord in battle.
“Salvation belongs to the Lord” are perhaps the most vital words in our language. The Lord saves and sustains those who know their complete need of him. If your salvation is not in the Lord, it is sadly misplaced. “Your blessing be upon your people,” is as exclusive as it is certain.
