Psalm 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
How many times have we raised a cry for help because it seemed nothing was going right for us? How many times has it seemed that nobody cared about us, and that those people who did care just wanted to hurt us? Every circumstance is negative, every decision a bad one, every relationship failed. The job, the finances, the spouse, the children, and even the church all seemed to plot against us. In times like these, what is a person supposed to do?
When King David wrote this psalm, his son Absalom had led a rebellion against David and had tried to murder him. I can't think of much worse than losing my kingdom and my life because one of my own children tried to kill me. Not only was David facing an enemy in his own son, but Absalom had raised an army to fight against David. He had a lot of support in this temper tantrum and attempted overthrow. David faced more enemies than he could count, and many of them were all saying the same thing - there was no hope, not in David himself, his abilities, or his friends, and certainly not in God. What, then, is a person supposed to do in this circumstance?
Go to sleep.
That's right, just go to sleep. That's what David did. He just went to sleep.
David knew where his protection came from. As hopeless as the situation seemed from a human perspective, David knew that all was not lost. David called Jehovah his shield (protecting him), his glory (giving him his position and place of honor), and the lifter of his head (encouraging him). He also knew exactly how to receive what he neeeded from God. He prayed, and when he prayed, God answered. So David went to sleep.
Sometimes that is all we need to do after we pray. God hears us. God also knows how He is going to take care of us. Sometimes He will give us details, but most of the time he does not. Regardless, we don't have to worry about anything because, as David reminded us, "salvation belongs to the LORD."
So, whatever is going on in your life, pray about it and give it to God. He'll hear and answer. Then, just go to sleep.
Let me know how things work out.
