Arise, O Lord

Introduction

We will be taking a break from our Series in Jeremiah from now through the end of February.

Hearing Jeremiah preached and preaching it myself has been a great encouragement to me as I hope it has been to you.

But the hope and encouragement of Jeremiah hasn’t always come from the words of Jeremiah directly so much as recognizing that for all the hard-heartedness, foolishness and idolatry, in God’s people, God still preserved His Righteous Remnant.

Our new sermon series will be titled:

Salvation Belongs to the Lord: Faith in Times of Trouble

We will be preaching selected Psalms each week that each encourage our hearts to see that Salvation Belongs to the Lord.

We actually settled on that title for this series because it is a direct quotation from Psalm 3, where we will be studying today.

Our hope is that with this weekly encouragement we can enter back into the book of Jeremiah fueled to see Christ in the midst of failure and tribulation.

Salvation Belongs to the Lord: Faith in Times of Trouble

As you turn your Bibles to Psalm 3 I will begin reading the chapter.

Psalm 3 ESV

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.” Selah

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. Selah

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 on your people! Selah

Pray with me

This is one of the few Psalms that has a direct historical connection. You should see in your bibles before verse 1, it should say something to the nature of: A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN HE FLED FROM ABSALOM HIS SON.

So let’s turn our bibles back to 2 Samuel chapter 15, starting in verse 13.

Keep a finger at Psalm 3, we will be coming back, but for a moment we will look at 2 Samuel 15 starting in verse 13.

2 Samuel 15:13–14 ESV

And a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

So David finds himself in a predicament where his son has taken control of the kingdom and he (Absalom) is attempting to assassinate him (David) to be fully recognized as king.

The comment made here: “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom” Helps us understand David’s concern in Psalm 3:1 ESV

O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;

If we skip ahead to 2 Samuel 16:5-8 we see more context

2 Samuel 16:5–8 ESV

When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera, and as he came he cursed continually. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.

So now we have a descendant of Saul cursing David and claiming that David’s kingship is illegitimate. Shimei is convinced (wrongly) that God desired Saul and Saul’s lineage to be God’s chosen kingly line.

But now consider again Psalm 3:2 ESV

many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah

Now I give you this information in the introduction because I agree with Longman from the Tyndale commentary series who said:

Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary Psalm 3. How Many Are My Foes!

Although the psalm’s content and attitude are perfectly appropriate for the time, at least according to the portrait of David in the historical books, the purpose of the psalm is not to memorialize the event, but to provide a model for those who find themselves in similar, though not necessarily identical, situations.

So keep David and Absalom in mind as your context as we consider Psalm 3 and what it teaches us of Jesus.

Theme: The despairs of this life should cause the Christian to declare God’s promises, and to cry out for deliverance.

To understand our theme this morning we will evaluate 3 exclamations.

Despair! This life will be full of turmoil and shortcomings.

Declare! Speak the truths of God aloud.

Deliver! Our God is faithful to save His people.

First, let’s examine our despair

Despair! This life will be full of turmoil and shortcomings.

Psalm 3:1–2 ESV

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.” Selah

Now as we continue this morning just know that we will be flipping through our bibles.

I will be reading the passages aloud so if you prefer, you may remain here in psalm 3.

Now there are 2 major categories for despair that we will evaluate this morning.

The first is Despair from our failures.

Despair from our failures

How many of us experienced failure this week?

Maybe we did what we shouldn’t do.

Maybe we failed to do what we should have done.

Regardless of the type or size of that failure though, we probably felt some measure of despair.

Some part of us believes that we should have been better than that.

Some part of us believes that we should know better right now.

Some part of us fails to believe that Christ has truly succeeded where I failed and overshadowed my greatest triumphs

How does Paul describe our battle with the flesh?

Romans 7:13–20 ESV

Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Despair will be stalking and prowling around us as long as sin and failure continue. Yet even when I want to do what is right, my sin wells up in my flesh and I do evil.

Yet, due to our fallen world, sometimes we experience despair even if we are doing everything “right”

Despair from our circumstances

But there are other times where we see the broken world around us and fall into despair due to difficult circumstances. Many times these circumstances are outside our control.

Consider Job, who withstood the direct attention of the enemy.

Job 2:4–10 ESV

Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes.

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

But even as he is strong in the face of horrifying adversity, he crumples under that pressure

Job 3:1 ESV

After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.

Even after far less difficult trials I have seen despair take root in my own heart.

I look at my situation and fail to believe that there is any meaning, any good, or any hope.

Can you relate?

Can you relate to David?

Can you relate to me?

Psalm 3:1–2 ESV

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.” Selah

Do not listen to the words of the many saying “There is no salvation for him in God”.

This is a lie from the enemy that your flesh will latch onto and feed upon if you’re not careful.

But what tools do we have to combat these lies?

The despairs of this life should cause the Christian to declare God’s promises, and to cry out for deliverance.

Declare! Speak the truths of God aloud.

So as we relate to David and to one another in experiencing despair, we must encourage one another to follow David’s example.

To declare the truth of God

Psalm 3:3–6 ESV

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. Selah

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.

Know that verses 3-5 are not proclamations of “feelings”

David is not saying that he FEELS God’s presence as a shield

David is not saying that he FEELS God lifting his head

David is not saying that he HEARS God answer from His holy hill.

David is declaring what he knows to be true EVEN IF he doesn’t feel it in the moment.

Let us Declare WHO God is by speaking truths of God’s person

Declare the truths of God’s person

David is not just speaking poetically, he is referencing scripture as he declares truth!

David is affirming God as a shield from Genesis 15:1 ESV

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

“Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

Praise God we can proclaim, with our brother David, the truths of who God is.

The God that David declared is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow for in Him there is no variation or shadow due to change according to James 1:17

In addition to WHO God is we can declare those things God has promised us!

Declare the promises of God’s care

V.4 - I cried aloud to the Lord,

and he answered me from his holy hill.

Here, David is repeating his declaration regarding Saul who pursued him in

2 Samuel 22:7 ESV

“In my distress I called upon the Lord;

to my God I called.

From his temple he heard my voice,

and my cry came to his ears.

David is declaring the truth of Leviticus 26:6–7 in v.5 “I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.”

So let's look at Leviticus 26:6–7 ESV

I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will remove harmful beasts from the land, and the sword shall not go through your land. You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

David can declare his faith EVEN THOUGH HE MAY NOT FEEL FAITHFUL because he can rest in the promises and truths of God.

And what great promises we have through Jesus Christ our Lord:

Romans 8:26–30 ESV

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

David declared the truth of who God is and what God has promised his people.

Those truths gave David the strength and boldness to declare: I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around

The Christian must declare God’s truth in despair, and the Christian must also call out for deliverance.

Deliver! Our God is faithful to save His people.

Psalm 3:7–8 ESV

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 on your people! Selah

If you’re like me, this prayer feels uncomfortable.

In some ways it almost feels wrong.

I feel out of character when I try to follow this example.

It feels fake.

Forced.

Awkward.

But my encouragement to you church, from Psalm 3 and from these other Psalms that we will examine in coming weeks, is to cry out for deliverance anyway.

Cry out for deliverance awkwardly UNTIL it feels natural.

Call for deliverance Confidently, and Hopefully.

Call for God’s deliverance confidently

Hebrews 4:16 ESV

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace,

that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Stand tall Christian as you approach the throne of God in prayer.

Stand tall knowing that the woes of your failures were washed away and the worth of Jesus Christ Himself was credited to your account.

Do not shrink back from God in your despair, even if you brought that despair upon yourself.

Psalm 3:7 ESV

Arise, O Lord!

Save me, O my God!

For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;

you break the teeth of the wicked.

David isn’t shy, he demands that God should ARISE!

How can David speak this way before an Almighty God?

Remember, David is not calling for deliverance based on his own authority.

This is not some kingly privilege to speak so boldly.

David has declared truths of God and THOSE TRUTHS are the authority.

David crys “Because you are my Shield God, DEFEND ME”

“Because you are the lifter of my head, LIFT ME OUT OF THIS TROUBLE”

Our declarations of truth give way to calls for deliverance.

So approach the throne of grace boldly, but also approach the throne hopefully

Call for God’s deliverance hopefully

“Salvation belongs to the LORD” is the title of this sermon series through Psalms because of v.8

But what is the Salvation of the Lord?

The people of Jesus’ day thought it was a messiah to deliver them from the Roman empire.

Maybe some of us here are looking for the salvation of the Lord in the coming election.

But the Salvation of the Lord is far greater than momentary political victory. Presidents are elected then they leave office.

Look back at every military or political success of Judah/Israel. It is always followed by the following generation seeking after idols again.

We live in a broken world where even victory eventually gives way to defeat.

But we do not serve a political party, nor do we serve some man or woman that will one day pass on.

We serve the King Jesus Christ who humiliated Himself in putting on flesh, lived the life you and I failed to live, Jesus bore in his body on the cross EVERY DROP of wrath from the Father’s cup, and after shedding His blood on that cross, Jesus was raised on the 3rd day so that you and I might also have new life.

Salvation belongs to the Lord church and His salvation is final, it is total, and it is everlasting. Rejoice again with me as you behold this glorious scene recorded by John the Apostle

Revelation 7:9–12 ESV

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Cedar View call out for deliverance from your despair this morning and call out to God in hope!

Our Deliverer will never fail, He will never Wither, He will never change!

And let your boldness continue,

Call for God’s deliverance, and for His abundant blessing.

As we conclude, let us recall and consider David once more.

Even King David, the greatest king God’s people ever knew, experienced devastating despair over his circumstances.

Even the “man after God’s own heart” experienced devastating despair as a direct result of his own shortcomings.

David was both a greater man than you and a greater failure. I personally take great comfort in biblical characters like David.

I can take comfort in these truths knowing I will never match David’s greatest successes, nor (God willing) will I ever match his greatest failures.

And this comparison to David is important, because the One Man Jesus Christ succeeded in every place that David failed, and far exceeded David's greatest triumphs.

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Despair from our circumstances and despair from our failures find their end in the founder and perfecter of our faith Jesus Christ.

Declare before all people the excellencies of Jesus who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

As we respond, call for the deliverance of God today from the despairs of your life.

Declare the truths of God’s goodness and His promises.

Cry out for deliverance this morning saying “I believe, help my unbelief!”

I will be in the front for any that desire prayer or to talk.

Listen and reflect as I read and cry out for blessings before the God who lavishes redemption upon those who repent and believe in Him.

Ephesians 1:3–10 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.