Daejeon Onnuri English Ministry: "Prayer in Times of Suffering"(Psalm 3: 1-8)

Psalm 3: 1-8

King David went through many ups and downs in his life, and the Book of Psalms reflects these high and low points. Psalm 3 was a psalm written during one of King David’s lowest and, perhaps, most trying time. That time was when his third son Absalom had taken over the kingdom was chasing down King David.

In all of these difficult times, King David prays to God and there are three main points we can learn through this psalm.

1. God Never Leaves Us

I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

Psalm 3:4 ESV

King David confesses that God had, has and will always answer his prayers. The verb tense that is used in verse 4 can be used for the past, present and future. King David knows that God is always with us. Even when no one else would admit this to David and most people had abandoned King David.

many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah

Psalm 3:2 ESV

The herd effect is real, and people will follow what the majority of people are doing. In King David's court, most people did not support him. The majority even said that was no chance to take the kingdom and all was lost. God never left King David after this hard trial and others which had come before and after. King David persevered and succeeded with God's help.

King David realized that God never left him, and therefore he could put everything on God's feet.

2. God is Our Salvation

Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah

Psalm 3:8 ESV

King David knew that the only one who could give him salvation was God. He always went to God to rescue him. This salvation is not just personal salvation from sin but also the suffering and difficulties we face in life. God might not remove all the problems in our life, but in the end the final victory will remove all these sorrows.

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

Psalm 3:3 ESV

The shield that is talked about in verse 3 is a large tower shield that covers and protects the whole body. This shield will always be there and protect us completely. The Love of God will always remain even though everything else may change.

3. God fights for us

Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.

Psalm 3:7

King David asked God to defeat the problems. King David still fought and worked at solving the problems, but God was his side. He allowed God to carry on the fight when he could not. Therefore, King David was able to rest because of his faith in God.

I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

Psalm 3:5-6 ESV

King David knew that the victory would be God's and would come about because of God's works and interventions. King David was in the battle, but it was God who achieved the victory.

God is always there to listen to our prayers, and He will fight for us. God fought for us unto death and through death. This was Jesus who suffered and died on the cross to save us from our sins and death. We need to pray and be in the battle, but the battle belongs to Him.