PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Psalm 3
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Arise, Lord… strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.” Psalm 3:7)
People read the Psalms for comfort and inspiration… but what about this verse?
Did God’s Spirit inspire these words — they seem so harsh, so NOT like Jesus.
For context, David is being chased by violent thugs working for his rebellious son.
They were attacking those loyal to David – striking their jaws, smashing their teeth!
Here we have the honest prayer of the victim seeking justice from God.
‘May they know the horror of what they are doing, so they will stop’.
If people really knew how their actions hurt others, if they experienced it themselves…
Do we realize how serious sin is, how much pain and sorrow it causes?
I believe God sends Jesus to show us – through the cross – how horrible our sin is.
In a sense, through Jesus, God has His jaw struck, His teeth smashed.
Jesus – a totally innocent man – willingly asccepts the violence of sin, to break it.
Jesus the Lord does “arise”, not through violence but through humility and grace.
He does this for the victims, and the victimizers, to set us all free!
With David, we look to the Lord to “arise” and “deliver us!”, and He does!
PRAYER
Lord, I pray for victims in the world today. Open the eyes of their victimizers, and show us the way to END the cycle of violence. Arise Lord!!!
Like the Psalmist, I have had times when I had wished and prayed that God would act dramatically – a show of strength – yet I came to see and experience that God did – but in His own way. Help me to see daily how He surrounds me with His Love and His Spirit – as He does something!
Talk to God.
Lay it all out before Him.
Share all with Him. David did.
Verse 5 tells us that he laid down and slept God’s power and grace. He hers and fulfills He enables us to find His peace.
And in all of this I need to pray for blessings for those who trouble me. Be a blessing for they do not know what they are doing.
Be GodStrong.
Blessed to be a blessing
Blessed to live your love
Blessed to share with others every blessing from above
Blessed to walk in mercy
Blessed to light the way
Oh, Blessed to be a blessing every day
Verse 1
Oh my Jesus, you have blessed me
You died for me to take my sin away
Now you live your life in me
And the love received is love I give away
Verse 2
Oh my Jesus, make me a blessing
In my work and play, in everything I do
Oh let your blessing flow through me
That in seeing me, may others see you
I cannot think of any physical foe but many are telling me how am I surviving with no husband, child, close relative, alone in my home with health issues–what if I’ll collapse, fall, stroke?
Psalm 3:3 “But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head,” is assuring me now that there is nothing to fear for the Lord is my shield.
My foes are not flesh and blood but I will overcome for the Lord is my shield and He sustains me.