Praising Scripture - Dec 19

Introduction...

12/19 Psalm 3:1-8 Praise God Before The Enemy
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 3-4）

1 Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
2 Many are they who say of me,
“There is no help for him in God.” Selah

3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
4 I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

5 I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.
7 Arise, O Lord;
Save me, O my God!
For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone;
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.
8 Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah


[Sharing]
This psalm is a personal lament, an excellent example where the psalmist is able to pray loudly although powerful enemies are still around. From Second Samuel Chapter 15 to Chapter 19, it is recorded that when David fled away from his renegade son Absalom, not only must he endure the shame and misery of the betrayal of his own son, he went barefoot and left Jerusalem, crying as he walked away; but also he must confront the attack and the ridicule of many enemies who took the opportunity to attack him from all places, saying, “There is no help for him in God”. However, he bravely declared in faith, “But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.” And he firmly believed that God had answered his prayer on the holy hill so that he would not fear the attacks around him and the Lord would always bless him whether he was sleeping or awake. When he called God again to save him, he reminded God and also himself that God had defeated the evil enemies, and salvation only belonged to the Lord. Not only that he sought the help of God but he, although in difficulties, remembered the people of God. The heart of a pastoral king is so obvious.

Note that this Psalm uses "Selah” three times (verses 2, 4, and 8) to show that the surging emotions and feelings in this psalm are beyond the simple words. Any singer of this song should carefully understand it.

Have you faced any enemy's attack in your current life? Is there any experience where you cannot ”lift up the head"? Are you afraid? Oh heavenly traveler, we have so many fellow travelers in different ages, so do not be discouraged, do not retreat! Because God is a shield for you, your glory, and the one who lifts up your head. He will bless you, lead you out of the woods, and win the battle, because "salvation belongs to the Lord!”

【簡介】...

12/19
詩篇3:1-8 在仇敵面前讚美 神
〔大衛逃避他兒子押沙龍的時候作的詩〕(背誦3-4節)

1 耶和華啊，我的敵人何其加增！
有許多人起來攻擊我。
2 有許多人議論我說：
「他得不著 神的幫助。」（細拉）

3 但祢耶和華是我四圍的盾牌，是我的榮耀，
又是叫我抬起頭來的。
4 我用我的聲音求告耶和華，
祂就從祂的聖山上應允我。（細拉）

5 我躺下睡覺，我醒著，耶和華都保佑我。
6 雖有成萬的百姓來周圍攻擊我，我也不怕。

7 耶和華啊，求祢起來！
我的 神啊，求祢救我！
因為祢打了我一切仇敵的腮骨，
敲碎了惡人的牙齒。
8 救恩屬乎耶和華，願祢賜福給祢的百姓。（細拉）




【心得分享】
本詩是一首個人的哀歌，是在強敵當前，還能揚聲禱告非常好的範例。撒母耳記下十五~十九章記載大衛在逃避他的兒子押沙龍叛變時，不僅要忍受親生兒子背叛的羞辱和痛苦，蒙頭赤腳離開耶路撒冷，一面走一面哭泣；還得面對許多敵人趁機四面起來攻擊他、譏笑他「得不著 神的幫助」。但他在信心中勇敢地宣告：「祢耶和華是我四圍的盾牌，是我的榮耀，又是叫我抬起頭來的。」而且堅信 神在聖山上已經應允他的禱告，使他不怕周圍的攻擊，無論他是睡覺、醒著，耶和華都保佑他。當他再呼求 神拯救他的時候，他特別提醒 神，也提醒自己， 神已經擊敗兇惡的敵人，救恩唯有出於耶和華，不僅他自己要得著 神的幫助，他還在困苦中記念 神的百姓，牧者君王(Pastoral King)的心腸溢於言表。
注意本篇用了 “細拉” 三次（2, 4, 8節），表明這篇詩裡澎湃起伏的情緒和想要表達的感受超過簡單的文字，吟唱的人要用心體會。
在你目前的生活中，是否也面臨了仇敵的攻擊？有沒有讓你 “抬不起頭來” 的經歷？你害怕嗎？走天路的客旅啊，這條道路上有許多歷代的同路人，不要氣餒、不要後退。因為 神是你四圍的盾牌、是你的榮耀，又是叫你抬起頭來的那位。祂要保佑你，帶領你走出困境、爭戰得勝，因為「救恩屬乎耶和華」！