Psalm 3 reminds me how every relationship is built on trust. The more experience you have with someone keeping their promises, the more trust you have in them. Over time you know the people you can rely on during difficulty. Much of the time our fears are more imagined than real as we worry about what might happen. Here King David wrote during his time of escape from the son of King Saul. In hiding from the king’s armies, living in caves and fear of certain death if caught, David wrote,” O Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!“. It is important to point out David was innocent. Like many of us, David was surrounded by people saying, “God will not deliver him“. David had already personally experienced God’s hand of protection. He had history to draw upon. David wrote with confidence, “You are a shield around me, O Lord; You bestow glory on me and lift up my head“. While I believe there are foxhole conversions, where people under stress fully receive the salvation of God, I am convinced it is far better to learn of God’s wonderful mercy over time to sustain us during times of struggle. Our faith is built up by trusting God. Maybe you are under stress today? Please notice David’s definition of success, “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me“. David would later rule the nation, but for now, he needed to be sustained. I think of the parable Jesus taught about first being faithful with the little things. “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21).
Psalms 4 relates to God in a similar way. David begins by asking with the confidence of knowing God is able to provide. “Answer me when I call to You, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer“. There is a sense that David cannot understand how people get by without the assurance of God’s presence. “How long, O men… will you love delusions and seek false gods?“In our modern mindset, we chuckle at the idea of idols and false gods. In our sophistication, we think we are far more enlightened than people of David’s time. Sadly, we have many popular false gods today. The “earth first” crowd has elevated mother earth to worship status. Our politicians have chosen money over integrity and regimes all over the world are attempting to entice the masses to look to government rather than God for solutions. And for the “spiritual” the oldest lie of all, is the answers are within our self. David said to all, “Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself“. He adds, “The Lord will hear when I call to Him“. Do you believe that?
Psalm 4 ends with David expressing his own experience as evidence. He begins, “In your anger do not sin“. Far too often we act as if it is our right to react with destructive words or actions. Words spoken in anger cannot be taken back. Instead David says, “When you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent“. With cellphones, personal music players and the internet, we are rarely silent. David frequently spoke of “meditating on God’s Word”. When is the quiet time of your day? David says, “Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord“. What are right sacrifices? I love Hebrews 13:15, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise the fruit of lips that confess his name“. That is a sacrifice anyone can make. The psalm ends with just such a praise, “Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound“. He concludes with the end result, “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety“. If you desire peace in your life, you will find it only when you meditate on God’s Word and call upon His Spirit. Every relationship is built on trust and God alone it trustworthy.