Help When There Is No Help

Please take your Bible to Psalm 3…

Read Text: Psalm 3

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. 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.

Title: Help When There is No Help

Introduction: David is the writer of this Psalm. The setting of this Psalm is very important as we consider what is written. David is running for his life from Absolom. Absolom was David’s son, but he turned against him and decided to overthrow him and kill him. David is is a position where those around him are saying, “there is no help for him”. But, David is not content to believe what the world was saying about his situation. He was not content to listen to the whispers of the devil into his ear. The Devil wanted this situation to push David away from God, but God wanted to use this situation to bring David closer to Himself. Matthew Henry commented, “Perils and frights should drive us to God, not drive us from him.”

David, in one of the darkest moments of his life gives us a wonderful lesson in the power of our thought life.

I want you to notice the word “selah” that is used three times in this Psalm. Repetition is important in the Bible. God is trying to emphasize something in our minds. The word “selah” means to “think about” or “to meditate upon, to pause and think”.

Transition: Tonight, I would like to give you three truths to think about that David thought about.

I. His Hurt — vv. 1-2

Have you ever been betrayed? It is not a pleasant feeling. It cuts deeply. For someone to betray us, they must have been close to us which only magnifies the hurt. Can you imagine being betrayed by your own child? That must be the deepest type of hurt. David is experiencing this. And it wasn’t Absolom only, but even David’s closest friends that betrayed him, and there were many of them!

Not only were they against him, but they were mocking him! They were blaspheming God by saying that the danger David is in is too great for God!

II. His Help — vv. 3-4

The world said that David didn’t have help, but He did! God was too good to leave David to fend for himself! God was his shield! God was his encourager!

Notice that David cried and God. (See Psalm 4)

Also notice where God heard him from: “the holy hill”. God is still on the throne and in control!

III. His Hope — vv. 5-8

We can rest because he never sleeps.