Psalm 3:3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
Oh Friends, it’s today once again! Yesterday is gone forever, and tomorrow is yet to come, so let’s be up and about and make full use of all we have; today. You know they say that knowledge is power, and it’s true in many cases. However, Herodotus, the Father of History, left us a little teaser that conjures up all sorts of arguments. He claims; This is the bitterest knowledge among men, to have much knowledge but no power.’ Now that’s also a possibility in the knowledge and power sweepstakes, today though, we’re dealing with another variation, one where Bruh David had power but no knowledge of His son, Absalom’s duplicity to wrest the throne of Israel from him. 2 Samuel, Chapters 15-17 tell the story of Absalom working behind the scenes to overthrow his father. I guess there was a rift between them ever since Absalom killed his brother Amnon for sexually assaulting their sister Tamar, then fled to Geshur for three years. But through the scheming of Joab, Bruh David’s lieutenant, Absalom was eventually welcomed back to Jerusalem, whence he began plotting (2 Sam.Chaps.13,14) The Good Book says forty years (2 Sam.15:7) but the scholars claim that’s a miscopy, because all the other versions read four. And forty would seem to be a lot under those circumstances. So for four years Absalom schemed and planned with the help of Bruh David’s adviser Ahithopel, Bathsheba’s grandfather. When Bruh David finally found out that most of Israel was behind Absalom, he fled from Jerusalem with his household. This is when he wrote Psalm 3. ‘A prayer of confidence in God.’ Hn! It’s real sad when we have to run from our children who seek to take our lives and belongings. The story goes: ‘And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. And one told David, saying, Ahithopel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithopel into foolishness.’ (2 Sam.15:30-31) So it seems that only after he fled, Bruh David knew his adviser had turned traitor. And he did get his just desserts, for he eventually hanged himself. No wonder Bruh David lamented: ‘O Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. (Ps.3:1-2) But Friends, they were reckoning without Bruh David’s own perseverance and innate smarts, plus his steadfast and strong faith in the God of his fathers’ Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He hadn’t reached where he was only through his own prowess, but with the certain help of the Lord God of Israel. And had Absalom studied his father’s history carefully, he would have seen the many misfortunes he suffered, but also his many successes. Consequently, at one of the lowest points of his life, Bruh David was still able to dig deep down in his soul and faithfully declare: ‘But thou, O Lord, art a shield for (around) me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.’ Oh my people, when we are in the throes of danger, or some such negative situation, do we have the parts, the wherewithal to acknowledge the Lord’s faithfulness like Bruh David? I know it’s difficult, but if we are to prosper under Jesus’ tutelage, we need to, we must develop that aspect of our personality cause staying in faith is an essential part of our Christian walk, even when there seems to be no way out of our predicament. For remember, like Bruh David did, our omnipotent God will always make a way for His faithful followers. Throughout his writings he repeatedly calls the Lord his shield and protector. ‘For thou Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.’ (Ps.5:12) Here’s another famous instance: ‘The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.’ (Ps.28:7) Oh Friends, one of the reasons Bruh David was always focused on the Lord for help and strength is that he began doing so at an early age, so eventually it just came naturally. It became a habit of his to turn to the God of his fathers when beset by problems, good or bad. It’s a valuable habit we should also try to develop, for as it does in everything, experience also plays a large part in faith. The more often and the longer we practice it, the better we’ll become. That means we also have to teach it to our children right from the start too, so that they will grow up with it naturally. But my people we can only do that if we stay in constant touch with our God; keep our hearts and minds focused on Him and nothing else. That’s the only way to be primed and ready for whatever life brings. Then we know deep down that He’s indeed our shield, our glory, our encourager, the one who lifts us up in honour. Then we can say like Bruh David: ‘I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.’ (Ps.3:4-6) Our circumstance might be dire, but our faith will be rock solid, and our cry to the Most High God will surely be heard. And as for the Lord being ‘the lifter up of mine head,’…oh mih people, we couldn’t ask for a better encourager or grantor of honours. Bruh David also relied on the Lord in those situations, for he often found that man’s encouragement and honours were useless. ‘Have mercy upon me, O Lord, consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death.’ (Ps.9:13) This next example shows his true faith. ‘And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.’ (Ps.27:6) Yes Friends, that’s our reaction when we reach spiritual maturity. Now remember, it didn’t keep Bruh David out of trouble, but it steadied and assured him, where he could confidently say: ‘Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.’ (Ps.3:7-8) And the Lord’s blessing is surely upon those who worship and obey Him. Friends, please let us be counted amongst that godly group. Much LOVE!…like in all walks of life…faith and trust in Jesus…only comes, only grows…with experience and time.
Oh Friends, it’s today once again! Yesterday is gone forever, and tomorrow is yet to come, so let’s be up and about and make full use of all we have; today. You know they say that knowledge is power, and it’s true in many cases. However, Herodotus, the Father of History, left us a little teaser that conjures up all sorts of arguments. He claims; This is the bitterest knowledge among men, to have much knowledge but no power.’ Now that’s also a possibility in the knowledge and power sweepstakes, today though, we’re dealing with another variation, one where Bruh David had power but no knowledge of His son, Absalom’s duplicity to wrest the throne of Israel from him. 2 Samuel, Chapters 15-17 tell the story of Absalom working behind the scenes to overthrow his father. I guess there was a rift between them ever since Absalom killed his brother Amnon for sexually assaulting their sister Tamar, then fled to Geshur for three years. But through the scheming of Joab, Bruh David’s lieutenant, Absalom was eventually welcomed back to Jerusalem, whence he began plotting (2 Sam.Chaps.13,14) The Good Book says forty years (2 Sam.15:7) but the scholars claim that’s a miscopy, because all the other versions read four. And forty would seem to be a lot under those circumstances. So for four years Absalom schemed and planned with the help of Bruh David’s adviser Ahithopel, Bathsheba’s grandfather. When Bruh David finally found out that most of Israel was behind Absalom, he fled from Jerusalem with his household. This is when he wrote Psalm 3. ‘A prayer of confidence in God.’ Hn! It’s real sad when we have to run from our children who seek to take our lives and belongings. The story goes: ‘And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. And one told David, saying, Ahithopel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithopel into foolishness.’ (2 Sam.15:30-31) So it seems that only after he fled, Bruh David knew his adviser had turned traitor. And he did get his just desserts, for he eventually hanged himself. No wonder Bruh David lamented: ‘O Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. (Ps.3:1-2) But Friends, they were reckoning without Bruh David’s own perseverance and innate smarts, plus his steadfast and strong faith in the God of his fathers’ Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He hadn’t reached where he was only through his own prowess, but with the certain help of the Lord God of Israel. And had Absalom studied his father’s history carefully, he would have seen the many misfortunes he suffered, but also his many successes. Consequently, at one of the lowest points of his life, Bruh David was still able to dig deep down in his soul and faithfully declare: ‘But thou, O Lord, art a shield for (around) me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.’ Oh my people, when we are in the throes of danger, or some such negative situation, do we have the parts, the wherewithal to acknowledge the Lord’s faithfulness like Bruh David? I know it’s difficult, but if we are to prosper under Jesus’ tutelage, we need to, we must develop that aspect of our personality cause staying in faith is an essential part of our Christian walk, even when there seems to be no way out of our predicament. For remember, like Bruh David did, our omnipotent God will always make a way for His faithful followers. Throughout his writings he repeatedly calls the Lord his shield and protector. ‘For thou Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.’ (Ps.5:12) Here’s another famous instance: ‘The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.’ (Ps.28:7) Oh Friends, one of the reasons Bruh David was always focused on the Lord for help and strength is that he began doing so at an early age, so eventually it just came naturally. It became a habit of his to turn to the God of his fathers when beset by problems, good or bad. It’s a valuable habit we should also try to develop, for as it does in everything, experience also plays a large part in faith. The more often and the longer we practice it, the better we’ll become. That means we also have to teach it to our children right from the start too, so that they will grow up with it naturally. But my people we can only do that if we stay in constant touch with our God; keep our hearts and minds focused on Him and nothing else. That’s the only way to be primed and ready for whatever life brings. Then we know deep down that He’s indeed our shield, our glory, our encourager, the one who lifts us up in honour. Then we can say like Bruh David: ‘I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.’ (Ps.3:4-6) Our circumstance might be dire, but our faith will be rock solid, and our cry to the Most High God will surely be heard. And as for the Lord being ‘the lifter up of mine head,’…oh mih people, we couldn’t ask for a better encourager or grantor of honours. Bruh David also relied on the Lord in those situations, for he often found that man’s encouragement and honours were useless. ‘Have mercy upon me, O Lord, consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death.’ (Ps.9:13) This next example shows his true faith. ‘And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.’ (Ps.27:6) Yes Friends, that’s our reaction when we reach spiritual maturity. Now remember, it didn’t keep Bruh David out of trouble, but it steadied and assured him, where he could confidently say: ‘Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.’ (Ps.3:7-8) And the Lord’s blessing is surely upon those who worship and obey Him. Friends, please let us be counted amongst that godly group. Much LOVE!…like in all walks of life…faith and trust in Jesus…only comes, only grows…with experience and time.
SCRIP-BITS 