January 4, 2017
SAVE ME, O MY GOD
Psalm 3
Jordan Lewis
Central Truth
If we confess Him as Lord and believe in His power, then, when we call upon His name, we will be saved.
Key Verse | Psalm 3:4
I cried aloud to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy hill.
(Psalm 3:4)
Psalm 3
Save Me, O My God
A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.
1
O LORD, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
2
many are saying of my soul,
“There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah
1
3:2
The meaning of the Hebrew word Selah, used frequently in the Psalms, is uncertain. It may be a musical or liturgical direction
3
But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4
I cried aloud to the LORD,
and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah
5
I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
6
I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.
7
Arise, O LORD!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.
8
Salvation belongs to the LORD;
your blessing be on your people! Selah
Footnotes
[1] 3:2 The meaning of the Hebrew word Selah, used frequently in the Psalms, is uncertain. It may be a musical or liturgical directionDive Deeper | Psalm 3
David wrote Psalm 3 while fleeing from his son, Absalom, who had declared himself king over Israel. Yet, the first step in David’s escape from Jerusalem (2 Samuel 15) is rather unexpected: he went barefoot, head covered, weeping, up the Mount of Olives, to the place where God was worshipped.
He asks God to turn the counsel of Absalom’s wisest adviser, Ahithophel, into foolishness. When David reaches the summit, God has already begun to save him. David finds Hushai the Archite there, who returns to Jerusalem to discredit Ahithophel and lead Absalom to defeat. David descends eastward, enjoying blessing and provision (2 Samuel 16-17). David declares, “I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill.” (Psalm 3:4)
God was David’s emergency contact. When trouble came, David reverently sought God first. It likely cost him a quicker escape, but David put his life in God’s hands because he knew where salvation would be found.
Are we surprised God was faithful? David was not. David trusted God. He called upon the name of the Lord, certain he would be saved.
Why did God save David? David set a low bar as a righteous man. He did many awful things and was often in trouble as a result.
But God has promised throughout Scripture that those who trust in the Lord by faith will be saved. (Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4b, Joel 2:32a) In Romans, Paul explains that when one relies upon God’s promise, he receives “righteousness based on faith” (Romans 10:6). By believing that His salvation was found in the Lord, David was justified.
Psalm 3 concludes with confidence: “Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people!” Similarly, you must be confident in the promise of Christ Jesus: that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) This promise is much greater in scope, a promise of eternal salvation rather than rescue from mere momentary distress.
David knew where his salvation would be found. Follow this example: rely upon the promises of God for your salvation!
Discussion Questions
1. Read Psalm 3 and 2 Samuel 15 again, and think about the last time you experienced great trouble or distress. What was the first step you took to deal with the situation? At what point did you rely on God? How was the situation resolved?
2. What do you think is the difference between hoping God will help and "calling upon the name of the Lord"? (See Romans 10 and Hebrews 11.)
3. Do you have an emergency preparedness plan? Whether or not you do, consider how that plan might look if the first step incorporated relying on God's promise of salvation. What should be your first step in times of need?