Psalms Reading – 1.5.2022
Psalms 3 and 4
A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
Psa. 3:1 LORD, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
2 Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”
3 But you, LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
4 I call out to the LORD,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
5 I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
6 I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.
7 Arise, LORD!
Deliver me, my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
8 From the LORD comes deliverance.
May your blessing be on your people.
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
Psa. 4:1 Answer me when I call to you,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 How long will you people turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?
3 Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself;
the LORD hears when I call to him.
4 Tremble and do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
5 Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
and trust in the LORD.
6 Many, LORD, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of your face shine on us.
7 Fill my heart with joy
when their grain and new wine abound.
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, LORD,
make me dwell in safety.
In Psalm 3, David found himself in the worst possible circumstance. His own son was after his throne and his life. David’s life had been filled with running, hiding, and fighting. Now, the trouble was not only survival for his life but a deeply wounded heart as he battled his own son whom he loved but who had turned on him.
David revealed his remarkable trust in God despite his circumstances and lack of inspiration from others. God is David’s shield. God keeps his head held high. God answers David’s prayers. God sustains him as he sleeps. David refused to fear though he faced impossible odds.
In Psalm 4:6-7, David asks in a beautiful and poetic way that the light of God’s face would shine on them. He requests God’s favor to be known. In verse 8, we see that David placed his ultimate faith in God because he could lie down and sleep peacefully. He acknowledged that his confidence is in God for he knows that God alone is the source of his safety.
If you are facing impossible odds and if no one is giving you any encouragement, step into David’s shoes and take on his heart of faith. Make his prayers your own. When we are stressed and distressed, a peaceful night’s sleep may be hard to come by. David gives us an affirmation of faith we can speak each evening before bedtime: “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
May God’s blessing be upon His people!
Memory Verse:
Psalm 1:1-2, Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
Question(s) to Consider:
How will you make these prayers your own? How will you use this affirmation of faith as a way to prepare your heart and mind for sleep?