Moe Bergeron

Psalm 3 rises out of the ashes of betrayal. David writes it while fleeing from his own son, Absalom. The king is on the run, stripped of his throne, with enemies circling and confidence failing. Yet in the midst of this turmoil, David lifts his head—not in pride, but in trust. He speaks not just as a fallen king but as a foreshadow of the greater King to come.

Here, we begin to hear the voice of Christ. Surrounded by enemies, rejected by His own, abandoned by those closest to Him—He too trusted in the One who lifts up heads. This Psalm gives words to the Savior’s suffering and to His hope. It reminds us that even when all seems lost, God remains our shield, our sustainer, and our glory.

Psalm 3:1–8 (Berean Standard Bible)

O LORD, how my enemies have increased!
How many rise up against me!
Many say of me,
“God will not deliver him.” Selah
But You, O LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, and the One who lifts my head.
I cry aloud to the LORD,
and He answers me from His holy mountain. Selah
I lie down and sleep; I wake again,
for the LORD sustains me.
I will not fear the myriads set against me
on every side.
Arise, O LORD!
Save me, O my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
Salvation belongs to the LORD;
may Your blessing be on Your people. Selah

Christ, Surrounded and Sustained

We must never forget that Jesus walked the path of Psalm 3 in a way no one else ever has. He, too, was surrounded. Judas betrayed Him. His disciples fled. The crowds turned violent. Soldiers arrested Him. And even as He was nailed to the cross, they echoed the line from verse 2: “God will not deliver Him.”

Yet Jesus entrusted Himself to the Father who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23). He prayed. He was sustained. Though He lay down in the sleep of death, He arose because the Lord sustained Him.

David, in his suffering, points us forward to a greater King who would pass through the ultimate valley of humiliation and emerge victorious. Christ’s resurrection is the final answer to the mocking voices. God did deliver Him—and now, He delivers all who take refuge in Him.

The Shield and the Lifter

Notice what David says: “You, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.” This is not just poetic language—it is profound theology.

God is a shield around us, not just in front of us. He protects from what we see and what we never even notice. He is our glory, meaning our worth is not in what others say or what we possess, but in His presence with us. And He is the lifter of our head, gently restoring dignity to the downcast soul.

All of this is seen in Christ. Though He was despised and rejected by men, He was honored by the Father. Though men shamed Him, God glorified Him. And now, through Him, the Father lifts our heads as well.

Reflection

When the voices of opposition rise, when the world mocks your hope, when fear presses in, Psalm 3 is a place to return. It does not promise ease, but it promises presence—a God who is shield, sustainer, and Savior.

This Psalm also calls us to rest. “I lie down and sleep,” David says. What kind of man sleeps while surrounded by enemies? A man who knows that the Lord keeps watch. The same is true for us. We are not kept by our strength but by His.

Prayer

O Lord, You are my shield and my strength. When I am surrounded, You are near. When I am cast down, You lift my head. Thank You for sustaining me through every night, every fear, and every threat. Let me rest in You today. Let me cry out to You, and trust that You hear. Salvation belongs to You alone. Amen.