Thoughts on the Third Psalm.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
THIS psalm is said to be "a psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son." There is no reason to suppose that this inscription is not correct. Whether it was written during the flight, or was written afterwards, as expressing the feelings which he had on that occasion, is immaterial. Knowing the circumstances which called forth this psalm, we can enter more fully into the feelings of the psalmist. Those circumstances we find recorded in detail in 2 Sam. 15, 16, 17. With the incidents therein related fresh in our minds, let us examine the psalm, and see what there is in it which is profitable for us. See 2 Tim. 3:16, 17. Verse 1. "Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me." The same language may be used by every one who professes to follow Christ. To every one the warning is given, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 1 Pet. 5:8. He is at the head of a host, so that we have, as the apostle says, to contend "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places." Eph. 6:12. Moreover, Christians are informed that in the world they shall have tribulation; Satan is the "god of this world," and since he is the enemy of all righteousness we would naturally expect that the world would not be friendly to the Christian. So we read, "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." John 15:19. It is often said that the world is now becoming friendly to Christians and Christianity. To this we would simply repeat the text above quoted, and others of a similar nature. The world persecuted Christ, and he says: "The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. . . . But all these things will they do unto you for my377name's sake, because they know not him that sent me." John 15:20, 21. James wrote, as a truth for all times, that "the friendship of the world is enmity with God, whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4. When, therefore, we hear men speak of Christians whom the world loves, we must conclude that their Christianity is worldliness; that instead of being followers of God, they are enemies. Besides the devil and the world, each one has his own self, the worst enemy of all, to contend against. "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." Surely we may well say, as did David, "Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me." Verse 2. "Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God." David's enemies thought that his overthrow was complete. One of them said, tauntingly, "The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief because thou art a bloody man." 2 Sam. 16:8. Even so the world, looking at the faults of Christians, will say, "They are no better than others; they do things that are just as bad as the things that we do; there is no more hope for them than for us." And the Christian himself, who, more than any one else, has a vivid sense of his own shortcomings, too often gives way to the same desponding thoughts. How often people say: "I have so many sins to overcome, and am so weak, that it doesn't seem of much use for me to try." What is this but saying of one's own soul, "There is no help for him in God"? Notice the use of the word "soul," in this verse. Some imagine that the term soul invariably refers to an "immaterial substance," to something which has unending existence, yet which is not an entity. But David, speaking of foes who were seeking his life, said, "Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God." Verses 3, 4. "But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill." No portion of the Scriptures was written without a purpose. "Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Rom. 15:4. When we read in the Old Testament, how wonderfully God delivered his people in time of battle, it is that we may take courage. Not that we are to engage in physical warfare, in which God will fight for us, but that we may know God's power to help all who are in trouble. In the 20th chapter of 2 Chronicles we find an interesting account of the deliverance of the Jews from their enemies, who greatly outnumbered them. This was done because the people believed and trusted in the Lord. The case of Gideon and his army (Judges 6 and 7) is a similar case. These were visible proofs of God's power to deliver, and serve to give us confidence in such promises as the following:— "The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him." Nahum 1:7. "But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Cor. 10:13. The fifth verse shows God's continual care for his people: "I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me." How many of us are there who remember as they arise in the morning that "it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not" (Lam. 3:22), and that "they are new every morning"? The adversary of souls would destroy us. As a roaring lion he walks about, seeking whom he may devour, and this he would do with us physically as well as spiritually; for if he could cut short our lives, while we are unprepared for the Judgment, he would thereby most effectually devour us, and bring us to eternal ruin. That he does not do this, is because of the continual watchfulness of God. "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." Ps. 121:4. It is remarkable that when driven from his throne by traitors, who cared for nothing but to take his life, David could peacefully lie down and sleep. The source of this peace is found in Isa. 26:3, 4: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." Having one's mind stayed on God is equivalent to delighting in and obeying his law (Ps. 1:1-3), as we read, "O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea." Isa. 48:18. The Bible abounds in statements concerning the peace and blessedness of those who obey God. But it will be objected that David had not kept the law, and that his present distress was the direct consequence of his sins. That is true, and this is why many said of his soul that there was no help for him in God. We are often tempted, as before stated, to say the same thing of ourselves, when for some cause we are brought to a vivid sense of our sinfulness. In such times we forget, what David remembered, that although no man could stand before God if he were held to answer for his conduct, there is forgiveness with God, that he may be feared. Ps. 130:3, 4. David had sinned, but he had repented, and believing God's promise (see Isa. 55:7), he could rest as peacefully as though he had never committed a sin. Why should we not thus rise above the temptations of the enemy? Paul says: "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth." Rom. 8:31-33. With these facts before us, we need not wonder at David's boldness, as indicated in verse 6: "I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about." There are two reasons why people may not fear an invading army: 1. Because they are in league with the enemy, or intend to yield without resistance. 2. Because they are strongly fortified and protected, and are confident that with the help which they have they can make a successful resistance. David's boldness was of the second class. Many persons think it an indication of virtue to invite temptation, that they may show how they can resist it. In the case before us we see that boldness is not always inconsistent with right. David was fleeing from his pursuers, yet he felt fearless in the Lord. So we, while we are to resist the devil, that he may flee from us, are not to seek opportunities to resist him. Our prayer is to be, "Lead us not into temptation;" we are to shun the place of evil, but when the enemy comes to us, we are to vigorously resist him. We may be sure that he will not allow us to lack opportunities to put forth all the strength we can muster. In the 7th verse David states as already accomplished, what the Lord will do for all his people. He will save them, and discomfit their enemies. Comparing the enemies to ravenous beasts, who would be disabled by having their teeth broken, he says: "Thou hast smitten all mine enemies on the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly." The psalm then appropriately closes with an acknowledgment of God as the author of both present and future, complete salvation. "Salvation belongeth unto [or, is of] the Lord; thy blessing is upon thy people." E. J. W.