Wednesday, September 19, 2012

David and Absalom: 2 Samuel 15 & Psalm 3

The ways God uses M'Cheyne in my life every year continue to amaze me. From the use of a Sunday M'Cheyne passage in that day's worship service to a preparatory reading of Psalm 2 before Men's Bible Study the morning of the meeting, there have been countless providential circumstances through the years.

In my dense, hard-hearted blindness, I have never before noticed that the M'Cheyne plan lines up 2 Samuel 15 and Psalm 3 on this day.

In 2 Samuel 15, we read of Absalom's conspiracy--the consequence of a series of terrible decisions by David [read more]. So David and his men flee Jerusalem and ascend the Mount of Olives in tears, barefoot, with their heads covered--the sign of mourning.

What does David do in his day of distress? He writes a song. Psalm 3 is heartbreakingly titled "A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son."

But before I print Psalm 3 for reading here, consider great David's greater Son, who went to the Mount of Olives after singing a hymn with his disciples. Rather than cry out in response to oppression and persecution, he anticipates his foes rising against him and prays, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" [Matt 26:39]. Praise God he endured the cup for our sake, but also that the Father saw fit to answer his Son, wake him again and sustain him for eternity! Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people!

[Save Me, O My God]
[A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN HE FLED FROM ABSALOM HIS SON.]
[3:1] O LORD, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
[2] many are saying of my soul,
there is no salvation for him in God. Selah
[3] But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
[4] I cried aloud to the LORD,
and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah
[5] I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
[6] I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.
[7] Arise, O LORD!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.
[8] Salvation belongs to the LORD;
your blessing be on your people! Selah




1 comment:

  1. There are some parallels here that I never noticed before. Thank you for calling my attention to them. How often David felt compelled to express his pain and pleasure in poetry and music directed to God. He was such a gifted and passionate man which, ironically, ended up being both his strength and his weakness. Verse 3 is my favorite.

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