The Lord is my Shield

I am attempting to study in the Psalms, may the Lord bless it. I was reading Psalm 3 and missed some things before when I had read it previously. Did you know Psalm 3 was written by David when he was an old man, fleeing from his son Absalom, who was attempting to steal his kingdom from him?

David did not have this happen to him out of a clear blue sky though. He had laid the seeds for his family's dysfunction when he committed premeditated murder and adultery with Bathsheba many years before. God told him he would pay and he did.
Absalom's rebellion was part of David's discipline. Yet because David fully had repented long before the rebellion (in Psalm 51 we can read about it) the discipline was a suffering for blessing when David wrote Psalm 3.

David's heart was broken when his son attempted to steal the kingdom. He still loved his son Absalom very much. But David
pours out his complaint to God in Psalm 3:1-2


LORD, how they have increased who trouble me!

Many are they who rise up against me.

Many are they who say of me,

"There is no help for him in God." Selah

But as I read along yesterday, my heart was cheered by verse 3, a beautiful chorus that we often sing in church. I wonder if David knows that we sing still his words that he wrote in desperation that day.

Verse 3 continues: "But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts my head."


I was looking up other verses where it talks about the Lord being our shield, and there are many of them. In case you would like to look them up here they are: Gen. 15: 1, II Sam. 22: 3, and 31, Psalm 5: 12, 28: 7, 33: 20, 47: 9, 84: 11, 91: 4, 115: 9 and 11, 119: 114, Proverbs 30: 5, and Ephesians 6: 16.

According to Smith's Bible Dictionary, the shield represents the protection of God, and in Ephesians 6: 16 it represents our faith.

Have you ever been in a place where you needed the Lord to raise your head? Where you needed the Lord to be your shield?
I have, many times. As I walk through the season of midlife- the empty nest, physical challenges, seeing the hurting world around me - well, I for one, need the Lord to be my shield. That is why I love David's Psalms. That is why I loved that one little verse crying out to me yesterday.

If you look at the world today, there are many who would also say to us, just like David's enemies said to him, "There is no help for you in God!" They would mock at us, laugh at us, while we cling to our God. Let me ask you a question, to whom else will you turn? Who else will be a shield for you? David wrote these words after he had failed. Did God turn him away? No He did not!

Do not look at yourself and your ability to keep your promises to God! Do not be surprised at the depths of your sinfulness! Jesus knew all your sins before you even committed them. Just look at Christ and keep looking at Him. He is your help and your shield.

Lamentations 3: 21- 24

"This I recall to mind, Therefore I have hope.
Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
'THE LORD IS MY PORTION,' says my soul,
Therefore I hope in Him!"