Faith to Trust God in Troubles

Faith to Trust God in Troubles
Psalm 3:1-9
September 2-3, 2023

As I mentioned last week, David wrote many of the Psalms and he wrote this one, Psalms 3, and it's interesting to note that David would write the Psalms whenever he was at one of those momentous times of his life. If he was in a place where he wanted to just bring adoration, worship, and glory, he would write beautiful, beautiful words of praise that would be written as a song and worship to the living God. Amazing, but there were other times when David was maybe going through one of those critical, difficult moments of life where he would write a Psalm that would be like a declaration of faith, maybe a prayer for God's help, God's deliverance, calling out to God.

He would write during those critical momentous times to remind himself even of the strength of his faith, that God was the one who would help and he would be writing, he's like he's speaking faith to life as he writes these declarations. Psalms 3 is one of those Psalms that would help anyone who's going through a critical momentous time of trouble. Jesus said that life would be filled with troubles. John 16 He said, "In this world you will have many tribulations, many troubles, but take courage, I've overcome the world."

David's troubles were epic, as we've been reading, of course, in the life of David, but to do well and to be victorious in the trouble, you need faith. You need faith to arise and that's what Psalms 3 would do. It strengthens your faith. You are reminded again, that's why David wrote it. One of those Psalms that you would just turn to, repeat, speak to your own soul, meditate on, stand in, because there are a lot of troubles in life. There are troubles that come because simply we live in a broken, troubled world. There are other troubles that come to us without any fault of our own. They just come to us.

There are other troubles of our own making and the troubles of our own making are often the most difficult to know how to respond to it because I think a lot of people, they say it's very common for them to assign themselves to the trouble. In other words, "I did this. I deserve this and I guess I'll just have to endure this," but here's the thing. I don't believe that's the way God would see that at all. Does God look at the troubles of our lives, especially, let's say, the troubles of our own making and does he say, "Don't come to me for help. You're the one who made this mess. You're on your own on this one, pal." Does God say that?

I submit that he most certainly does not. That's one of the things I have always loved about the Lord. Oh, I've always appreciated this, that he does not leave us in times of trouble, even if that trouble is of our own making. The key to fully trusting God is to call out to him, that he is the one to rescue and to save, even if it's a trouble of your own making. Now, Psalms 3. To really appreciate Psalms 3, we need to understand what was happening in David's life when he wrote it. In most of your Bibles, maybe all of them, there's a little introduction written at the beginning of the Psalm and it reads or it says, "A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom, his son."

Now, what happened in David's life that would culminate in he having to flee from his own son? What culmination of events have conspired to bring David to such a low point of his life that he's got to flee for his own life from his own son? Now, this is a story that is important. It's worth remembering. David made tragic choices that brought epic consequences and all of that culminated in him fleeing from his own son. This is his darkest hour. The backstory, very important, David sinned terribly when he took Bathsheba as his own and then arranged for her husband to die in battle.

Now, first he tried to keep it to himself. God would not have that. He sent Nathan the prophet to confront David. "You are the man," and how David responded to that is another life lesson. David fully trusted that God would forgive him, but also that God would rescue him and save. Notice, for example, Psalms 32:5-7, "I acknowledged my sin to you. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and you forgave the guilt of my sin," but then he trusts God to rescue. He says, "You are my hiding place. You preserve me from trouble. You surround me with songs of deliverance."

Now, the consequences of that epic failure in David's life began to be seen in his family. Now, that is actually a common thing when it comes to sin. It begins to promulgate itself and it begins to be seen in the outcroppings of those who are consequent to it. Tragic drama story. David's son Amnon raped his half-sister, Tamar. That's just tragedy of tragedies inside of a family, but then David, paralyzed by his own sin, took no action. Absalom, here's Absalom now coming into the story, is Tamar's brother. Absalom took matters into his own hands and he arranged for Amnon's death.

Absalom then fled the country himself. Banished for three years. Again, David took no action, paralyzed, hobbled by his own consequent of sin. Finally, David extended mercy to Absalom and brought him back to Jerusalem, but he would not see him, refused to see his face. This went on for two more years, a bitterness building up in Absalom's heart because David refused to see him. Finally, Absalom appealed to David. David relented and saw his son, and when he saw his son, he fell on him and kissed and reconciled but it's too late.

Absalom had been building up this now for years and he decided to conspire against David. What he did was this. He provided for himself chariots and horses and then 50 men as runners before him wherever he would go about the city. Oh, what an entourage this was, right? 50 men running chariots and horses. It made it look like Absalom was a great warrior, but Absalom had never fought a battle a day in his life. Oh, it gave the impression that he's a great leader and a great warrior. Then he positioned himself at the gate of the city and he began to win the favor of the people.

He's there at the city when people would come in and out and he would greet them and, "Oh, my brother, you have a problem? You have something to say? The king is quite busy. Why don't you tell me your troubles? I'm the one. I listen. I can help people." Now, he's little by little winning the people over. Now, it's important to recognize also that Absalom was very good-looking. He was very nice looking. Now, that is important because if you're going to pull off a political intrigue, it helps a lot if you have the look. Absalom had the look. He had beautiful, long, flowing, dark hair.

He had the look, the hair, and the Scriptures really bring out his beautiful, long, flowing, dark hair. It's like, and the women were like, [gushes] and the guys were like, "Oh, yes, he listens, he cares. you can trust Absalom. He listens," and little by little he started to win the people, and when he had built up enough, then he made his move. He set up headquarters in Hebron shortly to the south and he built this conspiracy ready now to move a coup de Etat. He is fully intending to march upon Jerusalem and overthrow the city and to overthrow David and to make himself the king.

Now, when David got word of just how deep this conspiracy was and that Absalom had won the people. David decided that he must flee Jerusalem in order to spare the city. Oh, David loved Jerusalem and he wanted the city spared from the battle. It's like David was saying, "Let's take this outside the city." David was now fleeing Jerusalem from his own son Absolom. That's when David sat down at some moment and he penned this song facing the greatest trouble of his life in his deepest anguish, he wrote the song.

I. Your Help is Found in God

If you are going through some monumental, troublesome difficult thing, Psalm 3 will strengthen you, encourage you, there's much here for us to receive. Let's read it, Psalm 3:1, "Oh, Lord," now remember, he's crying out and writing the psalm in his deepest anguish. "Oh, Lord, oh, how my adversaries have increased. Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, 'there's no deliverance for him and God.'" God does not help him. God's against him. That's what, "But thou, oh, Lord."

He writes, "Many say manner of things against me. They say, God's against me but you, Lord, now I declare this," David writes, "But you, oh Lord, are a shield about me. You are my glory. You are the one who lifts my head. I was crying to the Lord with my voice and he answered from his holy mountain. I lay down and slept. I awoke for the Lord sustains me." And then verse 6, that declaration, "I will not be afraid of 10,000 who have set themselves against me roundabout. Arise, Lord, save me, oh, my God. Arise in my behalf. Arise, oh Lord, save me, oh, my God, for you has smitten all my enemies on the cheek. I look back and I know that you have done it. I've seen it. God, you have smitten my enemies on the cheek."

What does that mean? To smack someone on the cheek. Again, this is a one-on-one battle thing where one would take his fist and just smash it into his opponent's face and the teeth go flying. I know that's a picture but that's what it is. David says, "I have seen you do it, Lord. You have smitten my enemies under cheek. You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. I've seen you do it. Salvation belongs to the Lord." See how David is writing a declaration in the midst of his epic momentous trouble, "I've seen you do it, Lord, you have smitten my enemies in the face. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon your people."

All right, let's look through these verses because they are so key to help us. Starting with this. "Your help is found in God," verse 2. Many are saying no, there is not God's against you because look, just the fact that you're going through all of this trouble is a declaration that God is against you. David will not believe this. No, there is help for me in God and this is where all of us must stand on this great truth. No, there is help. David was in such deep trouble. People were saying, "Oh, David was once a great warrior. David is the one who defeated the Philistine giant. Oh, David could put foreign armies to flight. He was saved from his enemies over and over. Oh, that great, David," but no more.

Now God's against him. Look, he's fleeing but David would not believe it. David refused to give up on God. David would not give up. Sometimes when people are going through troubles, they're encountering all manner of difficulties, especially troubles of their own making, they quit. They give up on God. They give up either because they think that God has given up on them or because they're angry with God for even allowing this trouble to come at all, but one of the things you've got to really appreciate about David is that he would not give up.

A. God is a shield about you

David never gave up. "I will not relent," and so he makes and writes out such a declaration, "They say all this about me. God's against me. There's no help for me," but he says, "Oh, you, oh Lord, are a shield. I know it." God is a shield about you. That is a take hold of that great truth. This is David's faith. "Oh, there's no help for him. God's against him," but no, he says, "You're a shield." A shield is protection. A shield is favor to stand between you and the trouble. "God, you are a shield to me. Come and stand between me and the trouble." Psalm 32:7, "You, Lord," as I read it, "You are my hiding place. You preserve me from trouble. You surround me with songs." I love that. What a picture is that? How poetic, "You surround me with songs of deliverance."

Psalm 5, we were just looking at this Wednesday, verses 11-12, "Let all who take refuge in you, be glad. Let them ever sing for joy. For it is you who bless the righteous man. Oh Lord, you surround him with favor like a shield. I know you would do it, Lord, may say all manner of things against me but Lord, you are a shield, surround me now." Now, it is important to know the story that not everyone turned against David. In fact, there was a really interesting scene that unfolds as David was fleeing Jerusalem. He stopped at the last house and he stopped at the last house to just acknowledge all those who had come with him.

As they passed by and beside him, he acknowledged them. Can you just imagine the sadness, the grief, the burden that they're all carrying, having to leave the city and there's David standing there acknowledging them as they come by? Then, he sees a man there coming by. His name is Ittai and he's a Gittite.

The story is 2 Samuel 15:17-21, "The king went out and all the people with him and they stopped at the last house. Now, all the servants passed on before him, all the Cherethites, Pelethites, and Gittites." These are people from the nations that were right around who had come, who had surrounded David. They believed in David's God and David himself but then the king saw this man, Ittai. He says to Ittai the Gittite, "Will you go with us? You came only yesterday. You going to come with us? You just arrived yesterday. Now today I shall make you wander with us. You're going to go with us into all this trouble, you just got here yesterday."

He says, "Go back, return, go back. Take your brothers with you. Mercy and truth be with you." In other words, "I respect you, I honor you but go back. Why would you bring such trouble upon yourself? Go back." Itai answered the king. Oh, you got to love this declaration, "As the Lord lives." Now here, he's a Philistine but he's declaring the God of Israel, Yahweh, Yahava, Jehovah, "As the Lord, Jehovah lives and as the Lord, my king lives. Surely wherever my Lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there your servant also will be."

Oh, such loyalty could only have encouraged David in his darkest hour, "Not everyone's against me. Not everyone says such terrible things about me." Many were saying such terrible things. They were taking the opportunity. As David was leaving, there's another story about a man who was walking alongside of him. His name is Shimei. He was walking alongside just across the gully and he's throwing dirt clods at David, "Get out, blood's on your hand, you deserve it, get out." People were saying all things against David. I'll tell you, it feels terrible when people are saying things about you. When people think terrible things about you especially if you don't deserve it, it feels terrible.

I was thinking of an illustration of something that happened in my life, not anything close to what David experienced. The story is this. Several years ago, it was a Sunday morning and there was a big snowstorm that had come in and so we decided to cancel all the services and so I was here at the church like, "Sorry, there's no church, snow was piling. It's really snowing thick now." The problem was we had boxes and boxes and boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and I thought, "What do we do with the doughnuts?"

I thought, "Oh, I know what we'll do. I'll take them out to the community around where I live and I'll start giving them to all the neighbors, be a little blessing. I stacked them all in my car and drove through the snow. It's king. It's really thick now. I parked out there and I took the first box of doughnuts, walked down the sidewalk, and up their walk, rang the doorbell, "Merry Christmas, I'm the pastor of the church just down the way. Merry Christmas."

Then I walked to the next one. Sometimes they answered, sometimes they were not. About six doors down, snow's getting really thick. I'm walking down with a box of doughnuts and I see that there's a newspaper, someone delivered it but threw it out in the snow. I thought, "Oh, that's just terrible. I'll pick up the newspaper and bring it up to the door." This is back in the days when newspapers were a thing and the Sunday paper was really thick and special. I picked it up, took it underneath my arm, wrapped in plastic. I put it under my arm, had my doughnuts, walked up to the door, rang the doorbell and I waited, no answer. Rang the doorbell, no answer and I thought, "Okay."

I started to go back and I walked all the way down his walk and down the sidewalk, and I realized, "Oh, I forgot to lean the newspaper. Then I'm going, "Oh, I got to trudge all the way back in the snow and I'm like, "Aah." I looked over and there's the neighbor across the street leaning against his shovel, "What are you doing with that paper?" What do you say? No matter what you say now, it looks terrible, "I was just going to leave it at the door." "You bet you are." What do you say? How do you say anything? "Oh, I'm the pastor of the church down the street. Come visit us sometime. We have integrity and honor at our church. We steal newspapers while we deliver doughnuts."

What do you say? I could not say a thing, I just had to trudge back and leave. I thought, "Lord, you know the truth." I'm sure he's got all manner of thoughts in his mind. "Lord? you know the truth about who I am, and that's enough for me." Amen? What amazing loyalty in Ittai? What commitment? What strength of character? What loyalty of heart as the Lord Jehovah lives and as my Lord the King lives. He knew that David was the Lord's anointed. It was a declaration of faith, wasn't it? God has anointed the King of Israel, and therefore, the favor of God surrounds him like a shield, "I will not leave you." Notice now, there's more to the verse.

B. My glory and the One who lifts my head

"They're saying such things against me, but you, oh Lord, our shield," and then he says, "And you, oh Lord, are my glory and the one who lifts my head." My glory. Do you have glory? Many people don't think in such a way, my glory. It just sounds, "Oh yes, my glory." David is not saying that his glory is his own glory. He says, "You are my glory and the one who lifts my head." Maybe a way to see it would be this, the moon has no light unto itself, yet a full moon lights the night sky with light because it casts forth the light that it receives from the sun. That is the picture of the fact that God's glory is ours. We receive that glory and it bears forth out of our lives. You are my glory.

Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus said, "You are the light of the world." Earlier Jesus said that he was the light of the world but both are true. You are the light of the world because Jesus is the light of the world and you have received it. He has given it to you. You received that. The light of God, the glory is the manifest beauty of God, the beauty of his holiness, the beauty of his presence, the beauty of what he does in your life. The manifest beauty of God is his glory.

The light of God. You are that light. That beauty of God has shined forth in your soul, therefore, you now be that light to the world. Then he adds a city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. You can't hide that light or he says, if anyone has a lamp, nor does anyone light a lamp and they put it under a basket. No, he puts it on a lamp stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. Let your light so shine. Let your glory so bear that they may see your good works in your life and they glorify your Father who is in heaven. Glory is the manifest beauty of the Lord. The word glory can be translated, fame or renowned.

My glory, the fame, what is the renowned of your name? When people think of your name, what is the renowned of your name? Now, the word literally comes from a meaning heavyweight. In other words, glory is the heaviest, grandest, greatest aspect of who you are, your renowned, your name. What is your renowned? What is the heaviest, greatest aspect of who you are?

David says, "You are my glory. It is the greatest and heaviest aspect of who I am because of you. You are my glory. Because of you, because of your glory, you're the one who lifts my head." Now, lifting his head is not a sense of any arrogance at all, not in a haughty way, no. In a way that says, I know my God and I will walk steadfast in my king.

II. Because of God; Do Not be Afraid

When Moses had opportunity to ask for something for himself, personal, what did he ask for? Glory. Then back to Psalm 3, notice in verse 6, it culminates, he builds and he builds and then he culminates, "I will not be afraid of 10,000 of people who have set themselves against me. If an army arises against me, I will not be afraid."

Because of God, do not be afraid. This is a key to victory in the terrible times of trouble. You need that faith to arise. David is, he's speaking faith to life, "I will not be afraid." He's writing it, declaring it, "If 10,000 of people arose against me, I won't be afraid," because David and God had a long history of walking together through many troubles.

A. Faith is built one trouble at a time

Now, in his deepest trouble of all, now is the time to declare that faith that has been established over all those years. In other words, faith is built one trouble at a time. Notice verse 7, "Arise, oh Lord, save me. For you has smitten all my enemies on the cheek. You have shattered the teeth of the wicked." In other words, over and over and over, David is saying, "God has done it. I have seen. God and I have been through a lot of troubles together and I have seen God do it over and over and over. You have smitten my enemy on the cheek, I have seen it over and over. Salvation belongs to God. I know this because God has proven himself. He's done it."

Notice that declaration, "Salvation belongs to God." David has a part, I submit, that you see here now one of the great keys to faith, that salvation belongs to God but David had a part. What was David's part? David's part was faith, David's part was trust, and David's part was action. I submit that this is a very important part of faith. Your part, God-- David says, "Salvation belongs to God. God will do it. I've seen God do it over and over and over. You have smitten my enemies on the cheek. I've seen it. I know God is the one. Salvation belongs to him." You have a part, your part is the faith. Your part is the trust, and your part is the action.

Here's what I mean, a ship that never leaves the harbor will never be shipwrecked, true, but it will also accomplish nothing. From the very beginning of David's life, from the very beginning of David's story, you see that he is willing to get out into the ring. To face the giant, to face down the troubles. David doesn't say, "Oh, God fights my battles. I guess I'll go back and watch the sheep. I don't engage. I don't like battles and I just let God do my finding for me. I'm going to be with the sheep." David does not say that.

The story that when David was just a teenager, young lad, his father sent him to check on his older brothers who were serving in the army of Israel. When David came into the camp, he heard that Philistine giant, calling out those taunts against Israel that he had been doing for 40 days. The giant would come out, "I defy the armies of Israel. Send out a man to fight if you have one. I defy the armies of Israel." Then he would begin to cast insults against God and taunt them and insult them and cuss, oh, he's just ugly in his words and just cussing violently and insulting them and taunting them, "I defy you. I defy the armies of Israel."

David arises into the army and he hears this. The men are shrinking back in fear and David is incensed, "Will no one go out to fight him? Is there not a God in Israel?" He's incensed at this. Of course, the word comes to Saul about David's words. Saul, you know the story, eventually sends David out. When the Philistine giant sees David, he's just a youth carrying a staff and the Philistine giant, "What? You send out a boy with a stick? What? Am I a dog that you send a stick? Come here." Again, the way they would speak, "Come here, boy, I'll rip your body apart and I'll feed your dead body to the birds of the air." That's the way they speak and more.

That's what the giant said, "What? You come to me with sticks. Come here." David responds. Now, the response of David is so important because he declares his faith. Of all the people there, it was David and David alone that was willing to get out into the field. Then he makes his speech and his speech makes it very clear that this is God's doing. "Know this," David said to the Philistine, "Oh, you come to me with a sword and a spear and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, whom you have just taunted."

Again, David is out there. He is not bragging about himself like, "Oh yes, I am a great--" No. "You come to me with sword, spear, javelin. I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, whom you have just taunted. This day the Lord will do it. The Lord will deliver you into my hand. God will do it so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. That all this assembly may know." Here I think he turns to the army of Israel, "So that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear. For the battle is the Lord's and he will do it. He will give you into our hands."

You see, David, his part is faith. His part is trust and his part is action. Men and women of faith are men and women of action. That's how you and God build your story, your history of God's rescuing and saving over and over and over one trouble at a time. Faith like this is faith that is built. People are not born with faith like that. It's built brick by brick, stone by stone, trouble by trouble. David and God had a long history together, and now in his darkest hour, he can recount all of those victories and know that God will do it again.

"Arise, oh Lord, see me. Oh, my God. You have smitten my enemies on the cheek. I've seen you do it over and over and over. You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. I say to you, Lord, do it again. Salvation belongs to God. Do it again, Lord. Here we are now. We've been through so many troubles, Lord, and now we face the darkest, do it again. I've seen you do it over and over.” David and God have a long history. They built now a story of faith, trouble by trouble, brick by brick, stone by stone. The faith is arising that David can say, "I've seen it. I know it. You've done it over and over. Do it again, God, and you will build that story. God will rescue and save and deliver when you call out to him when you trust him when you believe that salvation belongs to God, God will do it again. Your part is faith. Your part is trust. Your part is the action to believe that God is with you in the midst of it. I will not be afraid of 10,000 of people who have arisen against me roundabout. I've seen you do it over and over and over. You've smitten my enemy in the cheek. Do it again."

B. Let the peace of God guard your heart

I'll tell you from my own life, I've seen God prove himself to me over and over and over and over and over again. God and I, we have a story together and God's not finished yet. How many would add your own testimony? Oh, we have a story. Yes, amen. Let's give the Lord praise. Exactly right. Do it again, but then notice the peace. Let God be the peace that guards your heart.

"I cried out to the Lord and He answered me from His holy mountain. I know my God." This is David, "I know my God. I know how he moves. I have seen him do it over and over and over. When I cry out to God, I know that he moves. I know that he hears. I know that he will answer for his holy mountain. I will call out to God and I know my God." That's why he says, "I lay down and I slept. I awoke. For the Lord sustains me." That's peace. That's peace in the midst of it, that's faith that has arisen to believe. That's peace.

There is help for you in God. Interestingly, when David was fleeing Jerusalem, he ascended the Mount of Olives. If you've ever been to Jerusalem, you know that when you ascend the Mount of Olives, you can turn around and there is the city laid out before you. It is the same mountain that Jesus descended on the same path in order to enter into the city and to offer himself as the sacrifice for sin, that you and I would have our sins paid and paid in full, that we would be reconciled to God, that we would call God our Father, and know with every confidence that he is a shield about us.

That he pours forth his favor like a shield, that he is our glory and the one who lifts our head. That we can declare it, God, I know that you'll walk with me on the journey of this life and that you will do it over and over and over. You have proven yourself to me. You have smitten my enemy on the cheek. Do it again. Jesus won that for us. He won for us the privilege and right to be called children of the living God, that you would know that you can trust him in the midst of all of the turbulence and trouble of this broken life. God will walk with you and he will prove himself to you over and over and over and he'll do it again. Lord, we love you and thank you.

It's amazing, but you have shown us in your word. We truly are blessed. Church, how many would say to the Lord today, I believe, God, you have proven yourself to me over and over and over and I know that you will do it again. Lord, here I am. I call out to you. I declare it to you, I know my God, I've seen you move. I know that you will do it again, how many would say that to the Lord today? Lord, I need you this very hour. Do it again. Do it again Lord, move in my behalf. Arise, oh Lord, save. Do it again.

Lord, thank you for everyone. Steward of the Lord, we are so thankful to you. Oh Lord, move, reveal yourself. We are truly thankful to you in Jesus' powerful name, and everyone said, Amen. Let's give the Lord praising glory and honor. Can we do that? Amen.