If you turn in your copies of God’s Word now to Psalm 3, I believe that’s on page 569 of your few Bibles. So we finished up 2 Thessalonians last week. We’re taking a break now and entering into the Psalms for a Sunday or two. Let’s give attention to the very word of God, Psalm 3. A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom, his son.
O Lord, how many are my foes, many are rising against me, many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord and he answered me from his holy hill. I lay down and slept. I woke again for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God, for you strike all my enemies on the cheek, you break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord, your blessing be upon your people.
Amen. Please be seated. Would you pray with me? Heavenly Father, we ask now that you would probe deeply into our hearts, that you would take your word and uncover Lord God, our sin, our private sin, and remind us of the forgiveness in Christ, and lead us, Lord God, to live in such a way that brings glory and honor to your Son’s name. Help us, Lord. Help us as we think of our faith this morning. Grant us this, we pray. Amen.
How active is your faith? As Jesus hung on the cross, how active was his faith? You read that portion of Luke’s gospel this morning concerning the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we read, at that place called the Skull, they crucified him with criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And immediately, we have the words of Jesus spoken, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. How active was Jesus’s faith that he could say that, not only say that, but mean it, sincerely mean it?
And then we have all the people coming and mocking Christ. And did you notice that three times from three different groups of people, The call went out, save yourself. Rulers scoffed at him, saying he saved others, let him save himself. The soldiers, save yourself. Even the criminal hanging next to him, save yourself. Satan was tempting Christ. Even then, as he hung on the cross, and yet Jesus’ faith was actively repelling Satan’s temptations. How active is your faith?
In one sense, that does bring us to Psalm 3. This is the first psalm that is ascribed to David expressly ascribed to him. And this psalm was penned as he is fleeing, so to speak, from his son Absalom. If you remember, David had sinned against God with Bathsheba and by having her husband killed to cover his sin. And God tells him through the prophet that he is going to suffer This chastisement that his kingship will be removed for a time. And so now we fast forward to this psalm where these events are actually taking place, where his son has now come and taken the city and David is fleeing. David is aware that he has sinned against God, that his sins have been forgiven, and yet he’s being chastised as a son of the most holy God.
And this psalm is the result. We’ve got to see it in that context. That David is on the run, indeed he speaks of it in this passage, how many are my foes? It’s as if no one is with him except the Lord. And in this context, in this event, in David’s life, in David’s heart, his faith is active. That’s what I’d like us to see this morning.
And faith in deliverance by God is actively founded in his nature and is unmoved by the events of the world and rebellion of men. Faith in deliverance by God is actively founded in his nature and is unmoved by the events of the world and rebellion of men. We’ll see that in three points this morning. First, faith is unmoved. by the rebellion of men. Secondly, faith is moved by the nature of God. And finally, faith is founded in the love of God. As we go through this passage this morning, these eight verses, this Psalm 3, I’d like you to be asking yourself that very question, how active is my faith? Well, first, faith is unmoved by the rebellion of men.
Well, as I described it, David is surrounded by those who are against him, even his son. Oh, Lord, how many are my foes? That word many is repeated. How many are my foes? Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, there’s no salvation for him. David is on the run.
And there’s an emphasis here in this passage of the number of people that are against him David, who have amassed themselves together, who have this great throng driving David out of Jerusalem and then seeking to kill him. Now the psalm backs up against Psalm 2 and there seems to be a relationship between them. Why are the nations in an uproar and the people devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed. David was the anointed of the Lord. And it seems as though everyone is against him at this point. There’s a multiplication of those who oppose him.
It seems to be first it’s just Absalom, but then as he gathers more and more people, now it’s not just Absalom. The one who was banished from the kingdom brought back into the kingdom by David himself. Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household. That’s what Nathan the prophet told David. And so now, Absalom has convinced others to join him. The conspiracy has increased, multiplied, such that David can say, many, many, many are against me. The conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom as the writer of 2 Samuel pens in chapter 15.
David’s been driven out, and he’s on the run. And he’s feeling the press of this throng against him. And not only those who were pursuing him, not only those who had taken the throne, who had taken his household, but then even Shimei, as he’s cursing David, as he’s fleeing, Get out, you man of bloodshed and worthless fellow. The Lord has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul and the place whom you have reigned. You are taken in your own evil for you’re a man of bloodshed.” Words that are piled on David as he is fleeing away from his son.
The multitudes, the kings, the peoples have joined together to oppose David. The anointed of God would not stop with the physical either. Did you see that? Yes, he’s been driven out of Jerusalem. He’s been driven from his throne, from his home, by his son and those who are with him. But did you notice what they are saying? There is no salvation for him in God. You see, one is not truly defeated if he’s not defeated in the whole man. Body is both body and soul. It’s not merely physical. God was not done creating Adam until he breathed life into his nostrils. And so not merely driving David physically out of his household and out of the city, out of Jerusalem, not merely seeking to put him to death, but attacking the root of David standing before God.
There is no salvation for him in God. And salvation here means help or deliverance. That’s the idea. The one whom God has spoken directly to, David, is in danger of dying spiritually. No delivery is possible, no way out, not even for God, for God doesn’t favor you. That’s the message. There’s no hope for David, at least as far as The multitudes were concerned as they’re pushing him out, as if this chorus were coming before David. He was being cried against, there is no salvation for you in God. That’s the backdrop. That’s what David is experiencing. That’s what’s being cast against him. But did you see how he responds?
Verse three, but you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory and the lifter of my head. As the multitudes, as Absalom and his army are seeking to surround him and as their spears are being cast, so to speak, against him, there’s no salvation for you in God. The fleeing king responds, not in agreement. He’s not submitting to their vain plans, their wicked counsel against God and himself, no. He responds by saying, you, oh Lord, are a shield.
Now we can just consider that the battlefield and the arrows flying, the spears being chucked at David’s heart. And there is this massive shield that’s been erected around David, not merely on his front, not merely on the sides, but all around him, knocking down each and every arrow, each and every spear to the ground. Obviously, the word is used metaphorically here. But without a shield, without this protection from the arrows of the enemy, one is open to being pierced. Nothing to stop those spears, nothing to stop those arrows, no defense, no fortification, no safeguard. But that’s not the case for David.
He proclaims a defense. He proclaims this fortification, an impenetrable shield. The Lord is my strength and my shield, Psalm 28. My heart trusts in him. Isn’t that what David is saying? My heart trusts in him. My faith is actively working as I’m remembering that I do have a shield surrounding him. And not only a shield, but did you notice that he also states, but you, O Lord, Are my glory, or splendor, or magnificence, or honor. Isn’t that amazing?
That he’s been removed from the throne. His son is now occupying his residence with his concubines. And from a physical perspective, he has lost all honor. He is fleeing. His royal robes, I think, were left behind. I’m just speculating. But that’s not how David understands it.
Even as he’s fleeing, he knows the Lord is with him, and he’s saying, oh Lord, you’re my glory. Exactly what the many were seeking to remove from David, the pursuers were seeking to strip him of his kingship, his respect, his honor, that the king was due, but God had placed him there in that position, and now God becomes his glory, as David’s faith was active. See, it’s not David himself who’s excluding glory. He’s not saying, well, Lord, I know that my kingship glory is shining forth. No. Heaps partaking of the Lord’s glory, the glory that the Lord has placed upon him, the Lord’s glory. The Lord has lifted up David’s head. Did you see that? If it weren’t enough that he describes the Lord as a shield and his glory, now he describes him as the one who is lifting up his head.
Imagine as Shimei is throwing rocks and stones at him, and then the verbal abuse that he’s casting at David. You’d imagine his head is down. He doesn’t want his eyes to get hit by those rocks. And he’s in shame. Because now he’s remembering, well, the reason that this is happening is because of the sin that I committed against you, God. You’ve pardoned it, and yet I’m suffering chastisement for it. And so he’s fleeing, in a sense, in shame. And yet in that, the Lord is lifting up his head. Metaphorically, his head was low.
But the Lord is able and does change that inner state, even here, even in this event, and raises up his heart. Not so that he would be confident in himself, but that he would be confident in the one who was working powerfully, even against those who were mounting against David. And yet, in his weakness, the Lord is lifting up David’s countenance and his head. How is this possible?
Because David was meditating upon the Lord. It’s hard for us to grasp in affliction and chastisement as the Lord is chastising you. Is that your first reaction? To meditate upon the Lord? To think of how he’s a shield about you, how he’s your glory? How he lifts up your head?
You can’t miss that David’s being pursued, he’s being attacked, he’s hated, he’s… And even in this estate, he’s dwelling upon the nature of the Lord at that very moment. We should see Christ in this passage as well, on the cross. Yes, David was being afflicted by many, but Christ even more so. As the hosannas that were cried out as Jesus was entering Jerusalem, now those hosannas has turned into a multitude shouting and crying out to Pilate, crucify him. Even his disciples had turned away. He’s being mocked. He’s being tempted.
And yet, in all of that, Jesus was meditating upon his father, communing with him, praying to him, knowing that it’s his father’s nature to forgive, and knowing that he was even there, even at that moment in time, serving his father. And so Jesus is trusting in his father’s will, Jesus is trusting in his father’s goodness, even as he’s suffering on the cross and he’s meditating upon him, in the midst of many, many, many being against him. You see, Jesus, even as he cries out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me, knows that he was being forsaken so that David would not be forsaken.
When affliction comes upon you, when chastisement is poured out by the Lord on you, are you centered upon the Lord? Are you centered upon God? Remind yourself of his nature. Do you meditate upon his character? Our tendency is to go in the opposite direction, isn’t it?
It’s to focus upon our perceived needs, to seek relief from pain of pain, of depression, happiness, of lack of money, more money, or just because you’re being chastised because of sin for it to stop. Seek all kinds of remedies that provide no real balm to the wound. But what if you were to meditate upon the nature of Jesus Christ in your affliction, in your chastisement? Jesus suffered the forsakenness of his father so that you would not.
So you can fix your heart and mind upon the one who made you, upon the one who saved you. That’s how faith works actively. affliction and is unmoved by those who seek to attack you. It’s exactly what David did. He needed protection from the arrows and darts and spears. He needed the glory of God to be shining forth upon him. He needed to know of the glory of God, meditate upon the glory of God, even in his state of despair. so that he would be lifted up from the pit of sin and misery. Psalm is a call for us to do the same, meditate upon the Lord, especially in your days of affliction and chastisement. Secondly, faith is moved by the nature of God to be alive and active In a sense, this psalm is a back and forth, David and God.
David cries out, the Lord answers. David lies down, the Lord sustains. David is unafraid of man, but is fearful of God. He’s displaying his faith here in action. I cried aloud to the Lord and he answered me from his holy hill. That’s what David was doing as he was fleeing Jerusalem. I’m crying out. You can envision David in solemn prayer like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, in the midst of his tribulation, the multitude rising up against him in opposition, physically and spiritually, in the midst of being driven from his throne, from the city of David, from the center of the nation, from the center of worship, from the dwelling place of God. What does David do?
He meditates upon the Lord, upon his attributes. He’s moved to action. You may say, of course, he was running. But that’s not the action I’m talking about. He cries out with his voice. He prays. His faith was not inactive, but active. He was moved to commune, to communicate with his personal God, to the Lord who hears, to the Lord who hears the desires of his children. Because he trusts. Because of his faith in God, he comes before him. He’s pouring out his heart. Note those words, I cried aloud. I cried aloud to the Lord. You see, the faith of David was on display, isn’t it?
Because it’s vain to call out to God if you don’t trust in him. That’s why prayer is a unique form of communication only between God and his people, his children. It can only be done in faith, trusting in him, being remade to the Lord Jesus Christ. And so David pours his heart out. He’s crying to Jehovah with his voice. He’s putting his trust in God on display. David’s faith moved him to action and moved him to commune with his God, his Savior. It is not his fear of man. but his trust in God, which moved him to prayer. And there’s a display of that trust and faith, isn’t there?
I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy head, the certain hope and salvation that David had. And he knew that as he cried out, his prayer would be answered. All things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive, Matthew 21. And again, a reference back to Psalm 2. As for me, I’ve set my king on Zion, my holy hill. And who is David crying out to? He answered me from his holy hill. God has seeded his son. who continually intercedes for his people. And David looks to the Lord and looks to his holy hill, that exact place where the sun is seated. His faith was on display as he poured out his heart, as he cried to the Lord. And now there’s more action. Not only prayer, if I can put it that way, There’s more action. I lay down and slept. Think of that. Absalom is headed to him with an army. Wouldn’t you just want to keep on running? Now I lay down and slept. And it comes immediately after he cries out to the Lord. Immediately after he receives this answer. We don’t actually know exactly what that answer was, but he receives an answer.
And now he lays down, that’s active. What turmoil there must have been for David in his heart, fleeing home, household, everyone left behind, enemies conspiring, gathering, adding to their numbers, surrounding, Absalom on the way, urgently leaving, the human anxiety rising, emotionally, physically exhausting event, knowing that your sin has brought this on you. Knowing that your sin has brought this on you. And yet he actively lays down. You say, well, he went to sleep. Oh, there was so much action there as he lays aside all that which would cause us to be anxious and worrisome and wondering what’s going to happen and where Absalom is. No, he laid down, actively laid down as he trusted the Lord and sleeps.
At least two things going on here. There’s rejuvenation and transformation. I lay down and slept. There’s this rejuvenation that’s going on within David. I remember that the context of this is his sin. And while he’s been forgiven, there needs to be this reconciliation and rejuvenation within him. It makes us think of Psalm 23, he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. See, that’s exactly what David needed. He needed restoration of his soul. And there’s a sense in which, while his sin had been pardoned, his soul had not yet been restored.
As the Lord is working out that restoration, we see that pictured in this laying down and sleeping. There’s this rejuvenation, this restoration, certainly physical rest going on, but there’s spiritual restoration going on in this scene. Running hard, now laying down.
Waiting on the Lord. Asking for that restoration to be done within his soul. And he wakes and he attributes that waking to the power of the sustaining Lord his God. I woke again for the Lord sustained me. You see David’s faith is actively waiting on and benefiting from the sustaining power of God. The Lord’s his pillar. It’s the one who’s been upholding him, the foundation, the structure of David, providing that support, that strengthening that he might continue to stand so strong as the sustaining of the Lord that David is able to lie down and sleep. To lay aside cares and concerns, tribulations and turmoils, this kingdom treachery that surrounds him so that he could be rejuvenated.
And then it’s transformation. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. How significant is that? Remember how the psalm began just a few verses ago? Many, many, many, many. How many are my foes? How many are rising against me? Many are saying of my soul, there’s no salvation for you. And now in verse 6, I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who set themselves against me all around.
There’s this transformation that’s going on within David, not only rejuvenation, but transformation. This great army pinpointing its efforts against one, David. But because of his faith, his trust in God, He’s able to be courageous and stand in their sight without fear. The whole objective of the multitudes was to strike fear in David and in his men so they would flee. That’s why they said there’s no deliverance, there’s no salvation for you and God. But David’s been transformed. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people. How is that? It’s because David feared the Lord, his God. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true. They are righteous altogether. Psalm 19. And so, You might be thinking, well, how is it that David was fearing God?
Because he was able to sleep in the midst of his enemies. In the midst of fleeing, he lies down and sleeps because he fears God. His fear of the Lord is on display as he submits to him. He’s knowing that this affliction is from the Lord and it’s for his good. It’s chastisement. Perhaps the Lord will look upon my affliction and return good to me instead of evil, instead of cursing this day. Those are David’s words as he’s fleeing and Shimei is still casting thrones upon him and cursing him. You see this fear of the Lord is constantly transforming David. And it’s constantly transforming the minds who trust in him from fearing men to a greater fear of God.
Is that what’s happening to you? Is that what your faith is doing? Is your faith today enabling you to rest in God during times of great trial and tribulation because you’re fearing him, because your mind has been transformed to fear not man, to fear not the future, but to fear God.
It’s easy to say and feel, oh, yes, I’m resting in the Lord. I’m fearing him during times of plenty. But what about when the arrows are flying overhead, when there’s an army that’s pursuing you, so to speak, when Satan is on the run against you, when there’s conflict within the family, when the boss at work is overbearing, when your health is failing, Are you able to lie down and sleep? Are you able to be refreshed in that sleep? Or are you feeling weary?
You see, David’s faith, his active faith, enabled him to rest in God’s strength and God’s wisdom and God’s goodness and trust that After he had put him through this chastising time, this afflicting time, that the Lord would use it to bring about good for David in his perfect time. You see, if you’re weary in your afflictions, in your chastisements, is it because you’re not resting in the sovereignty of the Lord, in the goodness of the Lord, trusting and using your faith actively? to rest in him. Isn’t that what David was doing?
Resting in Christ as he slept. And as he was able to say, I will not be afraid of many thousands of people. The Shorter Catechism defines Faith this way, faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation. Is your active faith resting in Jesus alone? That brings us to our third point. A faith is founded in the love of God.
David knows the present salvation of the Lord, doesn’t he? The enemies were trying to say, well, wait a minute, David, there’s no salvation for you. But he knows. He knows that he will be delivered. He knows it. God has revealed it to him. He trusts that the Lord will bring about that which he has promised, such that he speaks as though he’s already been delivered. Look at verse 7. Rise, O Lord, save me, O my God, for you strike all my enemies on the cheek. You break the teeth of the wicked.
He doesn’t say you will strike. He doesn’t say you will break. No, it’s this present tense. You’re doing it now. And I know it. I know I’m going to be delivered because you’re working it out this way now. He’s confident. He’s confident of the future victory and thus he can live today in the confidence of that future victory which has been promised. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Do you live in confidence of that? That as Christ returns there’s going to be no condemnation for you if you’re in Christ.
See, David was. You break the teeth of the wicked. You strike all my enemies on the cheek. David knows of his future salvation, even in the midst of what he’s experiencing that very moment. Paul knew it. He preached it. God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, much more than having now been justified by his blood, present tense. We shall be saved from the wrath of God through him. We shall be saved by his life. Paul knew it, was confident of it, and he preached it. We’ve been justified and we shall be saved. He was looking forward to the day when Jesus would return, having defeated sin and death, and bringing that victory to all those who trust in him. What was David’s confidence in?
Did you see it in verse seven? Excuse me, verse eight. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Isn’t that a strange way to put it? He’s saying the Lord owns salvation, the Lord possesses salvation. Remember, this begins by those who are against David by saying there’s no deliverance, there’s no salvation for you and God, and he ends with this. Salvation belongs to the Lord.
He possesses it and he gives it to whomever he pleases. So David knew that there was deliverance for him. He knew that there was salvation for him because the Lord owns salvation. He possesses salvation. And he was pouring it out even through this chastisement on David. Salvation belongs to the Lord. It flows out of the Lord. He grants it to whomever he desires. How could it emanate from any other? Salvation is not in the hands of wicked men. They never had it. And they can’t say to David, you can’t have it either because it’s only from the Lord.
He’s the judge and he’s the fountain of life. He will ensure that his Justice is satisfied and he has ensured that his justice has been satisfied in his son, the Lord Jesus. And as a result, he pours out this fountain of salvation. He determines all things with regard to salvation. Who will be saved? Who will be passed over? How will people be saved? For what purposes people are being saved.
And so if you’re here this morning and you’re trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, Is your faith actively knowing and trusting and saying to yourself, reminding yourself, salvation belongs to the Lord. I praise you. You have delivered me. I’ve experienced deliverance and I know that I will when Jesus returns.
That’s an active faith that’s constantly reminding you that the Lord owns and possesses salvation, and he’s determined to pour it out upon you. And so while things may be difficult today, the sin and misery of this life is hard, and yet you know that he owns salvation, and he’s granted it to you. That’s an act of faith, isn’t it? That’s exactly what David proclaims in this psalm.
Father, Heavenly Father, Lord God Almighty, my trust is fixed in you because you own and possess salvation, and you’ve granted it to me.” His faith in deliverance by God is actively founded in his nature, and is unmoved by the events of the world and certainly the rebellion of man.
Jesus’ faith, so active throughout his ministry, but we see it especially on the cross. As he was tempted to come off of the cross and save himself, and if he had, there would have been no salvation for the people of God. But he didn’t, because his faith was active. And he stayed on the cross so that you can be saved. He has given all you salvation in his perfect, precious blood as you trust in him. call this morning is for your faith to be active in that salvation that he has granted you.
Amen. Our Father and our God, we thank you for this psalm. We thank you, Lord God, that you have given it to us and you’ve reminded us, first, of the active nature of Jesus’s faith. But you’ve called us, Lord God, not to take our faith and set it on a shelf, but to use it, constantly use it. It’s a gift that you’ve given to us. And so we ask even now, Holy Spirit, that you’d work in us this pursuit of active faith in our prayers, in our remembrance of your nature, and in being reminded That you are the Lord of salvation and you have gifted all of your children with it. We praise you. We thank you. We ask all this in Jesus’s name. Amen.