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Psalm 3 - The Sustaining Power of God

Psalm 3

 The Sustaining Power of God

 Background
This psalm was written by David describing his feelings when he fled from Absalom, his son who tried to usurp his throne and kill him. It speaks of David's feelings and his complete faith in God's sustenance for him.

Summary
V1-2 The hopelessness of David's situation.
V3-4 God is David's sustenance
V5-6 David's confidence in God to sustain him
V7 David's plea for justice
V8 Praise and adoration for God

The hopelessness of David's situation 
David describes his circumstances very bleakly. He wonders at the numbers of his enemies, how many rise up against him. He recalls the advice of the people around him who believe even God cannot save this man who has made himself so many enemies.

God is David's sustenance
David describes God as 3 things.
- God is David's shield. David believes that God will protect him regardless of what may come. A good shield will defend David from all attacks of the enemy.
- God is David's glory. David takes pride in his God, knowing for himself that his God is the Almighty God, having his sense of security in God and not in man.
- God is David's hope (lifter of his head). David understands that God is his one and only hope of salvation in the face of such bleak circumstances. He has no hope except of that in God, and surrenders himself to God

David's confidence in God to sustain him
David gives 2 short statements here which demonstrate both his trust in God and his belief in God's ability to work miracles. He sleeps in these stressful times unafraid, for he knows that God will sustain him and he will awake alive again the next day. He claims also not to fear the armies that surround him from every side.

David's plea to God for justice
David cries out to God to arise, to deliver him by delivering His justice. David knows he himself is not one of the wicked in God's eyes, so eagerly calls out for the display of God's righteous wrath to be displayed.

Praise and adoration
As is a common theme in most Psalms, David writes a short section dedicating glory to God and asking for His blessing upon the people. He acknowledges once more that it is God who delivered him, not man.

So what does this mean for us? 
Psalm 3 describes for us the greatness of the power of God, especially in terms of sustenance for our daily needs. It reminds us that even in the face of impossible odds, we can put full faith in God to deliver us. If God is for us, who can stand against us?

Question to answer
Do we, like David, have full confidence in God to provide for us in our hardest trials, or do we tend to turn to human effort? Why do we trust man more than God? How can we start to put complete faith in Him?
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