Psalm 3, "Salvation Belongs to the LORD"

I don’t know if you noticed, but the war in Ukraine has taken over the news. So much so that they now have to run stories to explain that not everything else in the news relates to the war in Ukraine, like the high gas prices. I DO NOT want to minimize this horror. All I want to say is that with all this attention being paid to that conflict, it’s easy to forget the other conflicts that are ongoing for our brothers and sisters around the world. The Banyamulenge in eastern DRC, Afghanistan and Iran, North Korea, and so many other places where right now, our brothers and sisters in the faith are literally surrounded by enemies, with no hope of salvation other than a miracle from God.

Psalm 3 is written by someone in the middle of a civil war. Context is in the title, David wrote this when he fled from Absalom his son (2 Samuel 15:13ff). Absalom had become disillusioned by David’s sins and how they affected their family. Let’s just say that David was a pretty good king, but a really bad dad. The results were far from pretty. Rape, revenge, exile, political intrigue. The Jerry Springer Show was mild compared to these guys. David’s enemies are members of his own family.

Maybe we think we’ve experienced this, but it didn’t result in a civil war. This psalm is about something bigger than family squabbles we may have. This psalm is the cry of God’s righteous Messiah for the salvation of His people. As do so many people all around the world today, David cries out to God for salvation.

What we’ll learn today is that, even in the midst of conflict, we can find confidence and rest in the salvation we have in Jesus the Messiah.

The Need for Salvation

1-2 The need for salvation: Surrounded by foes, taunting

Every leader has their detractors who may question their validity. But when the detractors turn into outright foes, there is trouble brewing. In David’s case, the number of active opponents was growing. 2 Samuel 15 tells us that even one of David’s advisor, Ahithophel, had betrayed him and sided with Absalom.

So here’s David’s situation: his son has rebelled against him in a political coup and is raising an army against him, David’s friends are divided, and all of David’s enemies have used it as an opportunity to pile on.

English Standard Version Chapter 16

5 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. 6 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.

Shimei curses David and taunts him, and blames him for every bad thing that has happened to Shimei’s family. When one of David’s generals named Abishai wants to take off Shimei’s head, David’s response is,

English Standard Version Chapter 16

If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ” 11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to. 12 It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing today.” 13 So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust.

This is incredible. David, the anointed king of Israel, being treated like a dog, and his perspective is, maybe the LORD has something to teach me here. I’ll leave this in His hands. And he bore the shame.

For us, it’s important to understand where we fit in this story. Many of us feel surrounded by enemies sometimes. Many of us might pray out of desperation as we see more angry faces around us than friendly ones. But we are not David in this story, surrendering the battle to the LORD. Too many of us are like Abishai and want to take off some heads. So it’s vital we understand who the true enemy is. Our enemies are not flesh and blood. People are not your enemy. Our enemy is Satan, the accuser of the saints of God, and the father of lies. Our enemy is the sin in our own hearts. Our enemies are the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly realm that are deceiving many around you right now and keeping them captive until God grants them repentance.

So once we identify our accuser and his lies, we can pray David’s prayer in Psalm 3:1-2.

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

Look at the lie in these verses. When you feel overwhelmed in the spiritual battle we are in every day. When you feel surrounded and alone, misunderstood and abandoned, Satan would like nothing more than for you to give up hope that there is salvation for you in God. You can use this psalm as your weapon against him. Let’s see how David uses the truth to battle back this taunt.

The Confidence of Salvation

Psalm 3:3 ESV

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

3 - The confidence of salvation: “But You, O LORD”. David turns his attention from the voices in the mob toward the LORD. He meditates on who God is for him.

a shield about me, even though enemies surround David, so does the LORD, but even closer in and stronger

my glory, this word literally means “heaviness”. A person’s glory is the accumulation of their achievements and belongings, everything about you that makes you important or distinct. David’s glory is the LORD. What makes David important and distinct is the LORD is on His side.

the lifter of my head - David had left Jerusalem weeping and barefoot. When he looked up, all he could see is Shimei the Benjamite. But when David turns his attention to the LORD, God lifts David’s head higher still to see the place David has in God. (Colossians 3)

So here is David’s confidence, 4 - The LORD is listening

Psalm 3:4 ESV

I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

from His holy hill, cf. 2:6 - the LORD set Messiah on Zion, the holy hill, but in truth, it is the LORD’s throne. David’s throne was on Zion. Absalom has usurped David’s throne. But when David looks back to Mount Zion, He sees someone else there too. Zion is also the LORD’s throne, and the LORD still sits there, listening and answering. When you feel displaced, the LORD has not gone anywhere. He is listening for you. This brings us peace.

The Peace of Salvation

Psalm 3:5 ESV

I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.

5 - the person who can sleep through a war zone is the one that trusts God is watching over him. If the LORD takes his life, he’s in a better place. And if the LORD has more for him in this life, He will sustain him. Remember Jesus sleeping in a boat through a storm.

Psalm 3:6 ESV

I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

6 - I will not be afraid of people, no matter how many, no matter how aggressive. Can you and I live this way? It’s a very human temptation to fear people. That fear can cripple us from doing the things God has called us to do. And when we are surrounded by naysayers and accusers, it’s easy to fear that God has abandoned us or taken someone else’s side. Maybe I went wrong somewhere. But here is David’s trust in LORD. He has heard me. He sustains me. My life is in his hands. He is my judge. And even if I went wrong, “Let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great” (2 Sa 24:14).

So David is completely assured of his salvation in God. God has made promises to Him. The LORD is his shepherd, he sustains Him. Salvation is not found in having lots of friends. Salvation is not found in everyone thinking well of you. Salvation is not found in circumstances. Salvation belongs to the LORD.

So if David is so sure, why did he go on to write verses 7 and 8?

The Cry for Salvation

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.

Psalm 3:8 ESV

Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah

If David is so confident, why does he cry out here?

We live in a period in between the promises of God and their ultimate fulfillment. The way the Bible talks about salvation, it’s a process. We have been saved, we are being saved, but there are many verses that talk about salvation as something that happens at the very end of time when Messiah comes and sets the world right.

We can sometimes over-individualize the gospel. The gospel is for every individual. God loves you and has provided reconciliation for you through the death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. But God is also saving a people. Look at the way David ends the psalm.

Psalm 3:8 “Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah” - may the people experience salvation. David was not just looking for salvation for himself. His love for His people led him into this prayer, ultimately that all of God’s people would experience the blessing of salvation. You aren’t the central focus of the gospel, but you’re not left out either.

Here is the gospel in this Psalm. We are not David, the righteous Messiah, unjustly afflicted and mistreated by the wicked. That’s Jesus. Jesus is the righteous Messiah. He is so sure of His identity in God that He was willing to face all the forces of evil and the enemies of God at the cross and He surrendered the consequences to God. On the cross, He cried out to the LORD, and the LORD answered Him. Then He lay down and slept. But praise God, He woke again, for the LORD sustained Him.

And now, He sits at the right hand of God the Father praying for us that God will save us and overcome our enemies. The Father answers that prayer every day by saving some, turning their hearts to cry out to Him, and find their salvation from their spiritual enemies in Jesus. And one day, the Father will answer that prayer once and for all by sending Jesus as the judge of the universe to break the teeth of the wicked and welcome His people into the eternal blessing.

So, when you feel surrounded and alone, like all you see around you are people who oppose you and mistreat you, remember this psalm. Your enemy, Satan will lie to you in that moment to rob your hope in God. You answer him by fixing your eyes on Jesus. You find your protection in Jesus, you find your peace in Jesus, you find your salvation and vindication in Jesus. Salvation belongs to the LORD, and He can grant it even to your enemies. So you pray for them, that they will experience that blessing along with you.

Questions for Discussion

What are the ways conflict, either on an international scale or personal conflict, has shaped you in your outlook on people, God, and yourself?

What are some difficulties to our faith when we see an unjust conflict that seems irreconcilable?

What do we learn about God in Psalm 3 that can help us?

What do we learn about ourselves from Psalm 3?

How does Jesus fulfill this psalm for us in His life, death, and resurrection? How should that shape our experience when we pray this psalm?

Is there a conflict you are in right now that you would like us to pray for God’s salvation?