PSALM 3 KEEPING YOUR EYES ON GOD

Written by , Rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia
 
¹ O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!
² Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.”
Selah
³ But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
⁴ To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.
Selah
⁵ I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
⁶ I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.
 
⁷ Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.
 
⁸ From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.
Selah

As human beings living in this world we all experience animosity and suffering. Relationships among people are plagued with misunderstanding, selfishness and pain whether they are in the world or the Church. For example, there are over 28,000 Protestant denominations in the United States and as anyone who has witnessed the separation of two groups in a church knows, their formation was not free from name-calling and personal attacks. If you are serious about the church, it is easy to be overcome by depression and despair under such circumstances.

The Psalmist reminds us that although we may be experiencing sin-induced chaos in even our closest relationships, God’s order and will still prevail. As long as we are alive, God wakes us every morning and sustains us throughout the day. The oft overlooked rhythm of the day is a witness to God’s order and to the fact that chaos is not the last word. Like Peter’s attempt to walk on the lake (Matthew 14:28-31), we are saved from sinking into despair by looking at the evidence of God’s order rather than into the chaos.

God is eternal, sovereign and steadfast. Throughout the Bible we read that such is his nature. In our lives we see the sun rise and the sun set in a regular cycle of day and night, regardless of what the “powerful” among humans do. Likewise, the seasons come and go in a regular parade, appropriate for our location on the Earth. In contrast, we are not able to predict today’s weather with absolute accuracy, let alone make it rain or be sunny. As St. Paul wrote in his Letter to the Romans, since creation God’s sovereign power and divine nature have been made known through what he has made (1:20). We may not always remember everything God has said in his Word, but we experience reminders everyday of his providence, if we just look around us. The Lord who can be trusted with the mundane things of this life certainly can be trusted to sustain and deliver us in our “moments” of peril.

Each day when I rise, may I give thanks to you, O Lord, for your steadfast love and kindness in bringing me to yet another day. When I step outside and can determine the time of day by looking at the position of the sun, may I be reminded of your order and authority. As I am able to depend on gravity and friction to safely arrive at my destination, may I acknowledge your provision. And when I am ignored, ridiculed, persecuted or otherwise harmed by those around me, may I remember these things and know that you are sovereign and will sustain me. Amen.