Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. (David in Psalm 3)

We all have enemies, maybe not always physical ones but mental enemies too, like fears, like dividing forces, like Satan himself.  We all have various ways to deal or not deal, to ignore, to pray away too… There are certainties in life, death, taxes and yes the enemy of sinful ways which we simply cannot avoid because we are human. The last commandment against jealousy will be our downfall in the law. That’s why we needed and need Jesus.  Forgiveness… We need God’s Shield. 

(And what makes people war against us, even if only in their hearts?… Jealousy… yeah… that age old division of evil, we need to shun that in ourselves too.)

Enemies… Psalm 3 is written by King David trying to escape from a big enemy, his own son Absalom. Wow, going back to the books of Kings, Chronicles we learn that keeping enemies at bay (with God giving the victory) fills hundreds of years of history which the Chronicler (likely Ezra) wrote down to give courage to the current population fighting enemies. So that they would look to God. Written down for us too.

From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

God’s Word is written down so we pick IT up and pick UP on it. You will have enemies, but even better: YOU WILL HAVE GOD TO FIGHT YOUR BATTLES. AND God to comfort.  

Psalms 3, 4, 5 of David (God’s annointed son and leader) help us know that even God’s most beloved were fighting enemies. David was, Jesus certainly was. And God Himself was fighting the enemy of sin in the people’s lives, and God won.

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

… let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

God gives us the ability to chose right vs wrong. God looks for us to look to Him and shake off malice, malaise and mistakes. God will be our shield, but we must choose Him as our God. Jesus will be our Savior but we must recognize that we need saving. We must recognize enemies are around us, but God is around it all. And let God work in His Time frame, not yours.  

Be at peace with a God who saves!

…for the Lord sustained me…

…I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety….

Amen!

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The 1st 3 verses of Psalm 5 are a song I would sing in my old band:

“Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

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FYI the Psalms are divided into 5 books – here’s some info: “Except for Psalms 10 and 33, the remaining psalms of Book 1 are psalms of David. Most of them are prayers of distress. Others are statements of confidence in the God who alone can save…”  https://www.esv.org/resources /esv-global-study-bible/chart-19-03/

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PSALMS 3, 4, 5 by David, in KJV

Psalm 3

Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

Psalm 4

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.

But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.

Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Psalm 5

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.