Lifter of My Head

Have you ever crawled your way through one struggle only to find yourself facing a new one? It can seem like one thing after another. And if that isn’t your life, it is probably true for someone you know. Or maybe things are going great and then wham! A trial overtakes us. We’re flailing our arms and legs to keep our head above water. I am thankful that God designed not just one Psalm in Scripture to encourage us in trials, but He inspired several men to write a whole book of psalms. And although many may be similar in their themes, each Psalm reveals different truths about who God is, what God does, and who we are as His children. They each can speak into our joy and sorrow.

A couple of months ago as I was reading and praying for two of my friends with cancer, I wrote down Psalm 3:3 in my notes. As I thought about the effect of the chemo and cancer on my friends’ bodies, minds, and hearts, the truth of Psalm 3:3 encouraged me to pray with expectation. Recently in relation to some cases of abuse, I have been comforted by this verse as well, praying that each person would know God as their shield, their glory, and the lifter of their head.

But You, O Lord, are a shield about me,

my glory, and the lifter of my head.

But let’s start at the beginning. Please take a minute to read the eight verses of Psalm 3 and while you are at it, write down your “God is” or “God does” truths from Psalm 3.

If we really want to go back to the beginning, we go back to Psalm 1 and 2. Mark Futato highlighted the connection between the three Psalms which I think is helpful (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: The Book of Psalms). Psalm 1 focuses on the blessedness of the righteous. Futato then looks to Psalm 2 which speaks of God’s sovereign reign which secures the blessing of the righteous, the promise to David of a nation, and a divine warrior king pointing to Jesus. In Psalm 3, we go from blessing and a divine warrior king to David fleeing from his own son Absalom.

Although God’s blessings abound in our lives every day (Lamentations 3:22-23), God does not promise His children a life of ease. Trials will come. David’s trial drove him to pray to the generous, gracious, merciful, sovereign Divine Warrior King of Psalm 1 and 2.

Sometimes we read the Psalms and think that we don’t have enemies like David that are hunting us down to kill us, but foes take many forms. Your foe may be a health issue, trouble at work, trouble in your family, trouble at church, trouble with friendships, trouble with finances, or grief. Your trial may come from someone close to you like David’s own son. David’s foes taunted him that God could not or would not save him (vs 2). I think we can echo these taunts in the church when we act as if someone’s sin is more grievous than ours and somehow beyond God’s forgiveness, or that his or her suffering is a result of their own doing, so they deserve what they get. We lack the grace and compassion that God has shown towards us. We essentially taunt that God will not show that same grace and compassion to the other person. Satan, the real enemy, wants us to be deceived and think that there is no salvation from God.

David contradicts this in verse 3 when he says, “But You, O Lord” (my emphasis). He rejects the lie of his enemies that God will not save him. David calls God his shield. God is his protector. Because God is his shield and protector, He is also David’s glory and the lifter of his head. These are both descriptions of one who is victorious because God is their protector. I have not had to endure chemo and radiation, but when I went through multiple surgeries for the melanoma above my eye, there were days the pain was almost unbearable, and I was exhausted. My head probably drooped from it all. There was temptation to be discouraged and feel ashamed of my marred face. Yet, David proclaimed that amid our worst trials, God is our glory and the lifter of our heads.

In verse 4, David says that he cried to the Lord. The imperfect verb tense means that he repeatedly cried to the Lord. In response to David’s cries, God answered him. David does not say how God answered him. We won’t hear an audible voice from heaven, but we can be assured that God does hear our cry, and He does answer. Because God answered David, David was able to lay down and sleep (vs 5). David’s enemies hadn’t stopped pursuing him, but David trusted God and slept.

When David awoke, he recognized that God had sustained him. It is again the imperfect verb tense indicating that God’s sustainment is continuous. Because of this, David declares that he will not be afraid of his enemies.

Whereas verse 3 is a proclamation of who God is, verse 7 is a petition. David calls on God to arise and save him. Contrast this to verse 1 where David’s foes have arisen against him. They are nothing compared to God. In the ESV, the second part of verse 7 reads like a statement, but it is also a petition for God to act and increases in intensity as David’s faith in God grows. Breaking the teeth of someone was punishment for a verbal offense. David is asking God to enact justice not just for the wrong done against him, but ultimately for the wrong done against God Himself.

David ends with another contrast in verse 8. He affirms that salvation belongs to God. David’s foes wanted him to believe there would be no salvation from God (vs 2). David eradicates this lie. Paralleling Psalm 1, David says, “Your blessing be on Your people!” In his suffering and trial, David has not forgotten that God does not change. He is the same God of Psalm 1 and 2. Not only can God save, but He can pour out His blessing.

Salvation and blessing may not come in the way we think. In the garden, Jesus cried out to the Father to remove the cup of suffering and death that was before Him, but Jesus also submitted to God’s will not His own (Luke 22:42). We know that the Father did not remove suffering and death for His Son, He even forsook Jesus on the cross as His wrath was poured out, but Jesus rose from the dead victorious and is glorified at the right hand of God. Salvation and blessing did come. Because Jesus endured suffering, death and being forsaken, we will never be forsaken. We know that suffering is not the final answer. Eternal life is.

Reflection

1. Our trials and suffering can tempt us to feel alone, defeated, dishonored, overwhelmed, anxious or angry. What from Psalm 3 encourages you to stand against those temptations?

2. In verse 3, David remembered truths about who God is. What personal examples of God’s faithfulness, provision and protection can you remember to help you persevere in your current trial? Or how can you encourage someone else?

3. God does speak to us through His written Word. We can find the encouragement, hope, and instruction we need there. As you cry out to God, also read His Word. God gives us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Find at least one other passage in Scripture that reinforces one of the truths in Psalm 3.

4. Often our trials and suffering can affect our sleep or our focus when we are awake. Before bed, or when thoughts of your situation are filling your mind, stop and cry out to God. Trust your situation to Your generous, gracious, sovereign, protector, sustainer, and faithful God (Philippians 4:6-8).