From Darkness To Light | Psalm 3

Scripture

• Psalms 3

About this sermon

Sooner or later every believer is faced with foreboding circumstances. A dark time. Problems seem to be multiplying. Strength, support, help, seem to be running away. A time when, from a human perspective, discouragement, depression, fear, hopelessness, seem to make sense. How does God want His people to respond in times like that? How do we respond to the darkest moments in our soul? David is set before us in this Psalm as an example. He needs help. He knows the sadness of a son’s betrayal. He knows the discouragement of being on the run from his own people. He knows the disappointment and the hopelessness of watching enemies increase while friends disappear. And through it all, he hears the talk. “God has abandoned him.” “There’s no hope for David.” Psalm 3 is a first in the Psalms in many ways. Willem VanGemeren — “It is the first psalm included in the collection of psalms ascribed to David (Pss 3–41, excluding Pss 10 and 33). It is also the first of thirteen psalms that bear a superscription relating to an episode in David’s life (Pss 3; 7; 18; 34; 51; 52; 54; 56; 57; 59; 60; 63; 142). It is the first of the lament psalms and contains the first occurrence of the word Selah.” It is a Psalm often referred to as a morning Psalm. Probably meant to be read with Psalm 4, which is often referred to as an evening Psalm. Derek Kidner makes the point that Psalm 3 serves both in the morning AND in the evening. Kidner — “Yet this is also an evening psalm for the ordinary believer, who can reflect that his troubles are nothing beside David’s, and David’s expectation nothing beside his.” David’s problems are not exactly like ours. David’s hope is exactly ours. The Psalm takes us from darkness to light. It takes us from cries for help, to assurances of God’s faithfulness. And it serves as an example for our own response to our darkest moments. Most see 4 or 5 divisions in this Psalm, but for the purpose of declaring it today we will look at it under three headings. (1) David’s Trouble (2) David’s Hope (3) David’s Appeal • DAVID’S TROUBLE (vs.1-2) The superscription gives historical context for what David writes. It was when he fled from his son Absalom. The book of 2 Samuel, the 15th chapter, tells us about this. ESV 2 Samuel 15:1 After this Absalom agot himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside athe way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, "From what city are you?" And when he said, "Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel," 3 Absalom would say to him, "See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you." 4 Then Absalom would say, a"Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice." 5 And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 7 And at the end of four1 years Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron. 8 For your servant avowed a vow bwhile I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, 'If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to1 the LORD.'" 9 The king said to him, a"Go in peace." So he arose and went to Hebron. 10 But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, 'Absalom is king at Hebron!'" 11 With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem awho were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. 12 And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for1 aAhithophel the Gilonite, bDavid's counselor, from his city cGiloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom dkept increasing. 13 And a messenger came to David, saying, a"The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom." 14 Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us aflee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword." • HIS PROBLEMS (vs.1) Though these specific circumstances are the setting for God’s words through David, what David writes has a universal application. This is one of the wonderful truths about the character of God and the grace of God.

Topics

• Bible Study
• Strength in Hard Times