But You, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head. Sermons
I. THE SORROWS OF THE NIGHT. The darkness without images the darkness within. 1. There is the consciousness of danger. Enemies are numerous. Thrice are they called "many." They are also strong and merciless - wild beasts that make the night hideous with their roaring. 2. Worse still, there is the feeling of helplessness. Friends are gone. Solitary and forsaken, all seems lost. There is no star of hope to break the gloom. The piteous cry of onlookers is echoed by our own hearts, "No help!" 3. But worst of all is the sense of sin. If conscience were clear, if we could say that trouble had come upon us without fault of our own, this might help us to be brave and patient. If all were right within, we might dare the rage of our enemies, and defy the babble of an idle world; but alas! it is otherwise. We have been foolish and disobedient. We have obstinately persisted in our own way, and have not set the Lord before us. Hence the heart sinks. At such a time the peril is great. We are on the brink of the gulf. Well for us if in our misery we turn to God. II. THE JOYS OF THE MORNING. As the true light shines, we see things more clearly. We gain more self-control, and better thoughts arise. As from a troubled dream awaking, we look back with shame at our weakness and our fears. If the "many" are against us, "God is for us." This is enough. Therefore we put on the armour of light, and gird ourselves with invigorated strength and hope for the work of a new day. 1. Refreshment. "Slept." Body and soul have been benefited. We feel that virtue has come to us. It is of God. He giveth sleep. 2. Renewed hope. Another night is gone, and we are not only spared, but saved. If there is work to do, we have now the will to take it in hand. If there are difficulties before us, we have now the heart to face them with resolution. Our enemies may shoot at us, but God is our Shield. 3. Anticipated victory. (Vers. 8, 9.) We rise to a better conception of God. So far as we are in sympathy with him, we are in the right. So far as we are on the side of God, and fighting for him, we are strong and must prevail. His honour is concerned for our defence. What he has promised, he will surely perform. Alleluia! But let us take a word of caution. While we seek the destruction of evil, let us work for the salvation of our enemies. Also a word of encouragement. Relief does not always come, or does not come in the way we wish. The grief that saps the mind may be ours, the burden of care and trouble may lie heavy on our souls. The morning, which brings joy to others, may leave us still in gloom. Our very trials may be enhanced by contrast. The light once sweet to the eyes may now be bitter. The music and the flowers and the beautiful things of earth, that once brought us delight, may only aggravate our wee. Our interest in others may falter, and our capability for the duties of life may fail. But still let us hope in God. The morning cometh, and also the night; but for God's people there is the sure hope of the morning that will usher in eternal day. - W. F.
But Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me. These verses show how much a man may have in reality when he seems to have absolutely nothing in appearance. David has described his estate as one of loneliness, amounting almost to utter desolation, so far as social relationships are concerned. He seems to be alone in the very midst of threatening and desperate enemies. His soul is mocked and his prayers are blown aside by the furious opposition of his pursuers. What, then, has David even in the midst of all this loss and peril and fear? He himself seems to give an inventory of his riches.1. He has a sense of security. "Thou art a shield for me." The image of Divine protection under the type of a shield is of frequent occurrence in Scripture. 2. He has a sense of prayer. He describes God as the lifter up of his head: the meaning is, that though sore driven he could still turn his eyes towards heaven, expectant of spiritual deliverance and benediction, and that even when his enemies were most heavily pressing upon him he was lifted up higher than any of them — a target to be shot at; but he knew that no arrow of the enemy could strike the head that was divinely sustained. 3. Then David points out the fact of his own enjoyment of the quietness and refreshment of sleep, — "I laid me down and slept." An eye so critical as this could never be without an object of Divine care upon which to rest. We are too prone to think of God as only at the head of battles, and as leading great hosts in orderly procession; we forget that He giveth His beloved sleep, that He dries the tears of sorrow, and that He does about us the work of a servant, ministering to our life in patience and tenderness, and all bountifulness of love. The warrior who talks about a shield, and who rejoices in the lifting up of his head, recognises in sleep the benediction of God. God will never allow Himself to be excluded from what may be termed the more quiet and domestic spheres of life. (Joseph Parker, D. D.) (J. H. Jowett, M. A.) "Give to the winds thy fears. Hope and be undismayed: God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears; God shall lift up thy head."Returning to the inn, he cheered his wife with the text and the hymn, and they went to bed rejoicing in the confident hope that God would take care of them. They had hardly retired before a thunderous knocking at the door aroused them all. It was a mounted messenger from Duke Christian Meresberg, offering him "Church, people, home, and livelihood." So, adds the Chronicle, the Lord took care of His servant. (W. T. Stead.) The Lifter up of my head This verse is the triumphal shout of David when under peculiarly trying circumstances. Happy is the man who makes God's ordered and sure covenant all his salvation and all his desire. Three things in the passage.I. FAVOUR. For Jehovah to become our "shield." If your religion is not opposed, it is not worth your having. Real godliness, real Christianity, cannot exist without being opposed. Sin is always opposed to grace. We are opposed on our journey heavenwards by ourselves. The Father shields us with His fixed decrees The Son shields us with His imputed righteousness. The Holy Ghost shields us by His operations in the soul. II. OUR ORTHODOXY. "Thou, O Lord, art my glory." Theology may be brought into a very narrow compass; here it is in two words, "my glory." Every doctrine, every privilege, and every practice must glorify Him. The words "my glory" contain the idea of fixedness, in opposition to fickleness. III. THE REVIVAL. The lifter up of my head." In times of experimental depression. From nature's ruin and degradation. This work is carried on by the Comforter's ministration. (Joseph Irons.) People Absalom, David, PsalmistPlaces JerusalemTopics Bestow, Glory, Honour, Lift, Lifter, Lifts, O, Round, Shield, StrengthOutline 1. The security of God's protectionDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 3:3 5157 head 5087 David, reign of Library Table of the Books of Holy Scripture According to Date. HISTORICAL BOOKS. PROPHETIC AND POETICAL BOOKS. B.C. 4004 1689 Genesis 1529 Job Psalm lxxxviii. by Heman, the Ezrahite, (See 1 Chron. ii. 6) 1491 Exodus 1491 Leviticus 1451 Numbers Psalm xc. and (perhaps) xci 1450 Deuteronomy 1451 1427 Joshua 1312 Ruth 1120 Judges 1171 1056 1 Samuel Psalms, certainly vii, xi, xvi, xvii, xxii, xxxi, xxxiv, lvi, liv, lii, cix, xxxv, lvii, lviii, cxliii, cxl, cxli, and many more 1056 1 Chronicles Psalms, certainly ii, vi, ix, xx, 1023 Psalms … Charlotte Mary Yonge—The Chosen People The History of the Psalter Rules to be Observed in Singing of Psalms. The Godly are in Some Sense Already Blessed Of the Necessity of Divine Influences to Produce Regeneration in the Soul. Christ's Kingly Office The Consolation Psalms Links Psalm 3:3 NIVPsalm 3:3 NLT Psalm 3:3 ESV Psalm 3:3 NASB Psalm 3:3 KJV Psalm 3:3 Bible Apps Psalm 3:3 Parallel Psalm 3:3 Biblia Paralela Psalm 3:3 Chinese Bible Psalm 3:3 French Bible Psalm 3:3 German Bible Psalm 3:3 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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