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Our Bible Reading Plan today brings us to Psalm 3-5. I was struck by this scene-
O LORD, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
many are saying of my soul,
"There is no salvation for him in God." Selah
But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
I cried aloud to the LORD,
and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah
(Psalm 3:1-4)
David is running from Absalom, his son, who wanted to kill David. How heartbreaking when your own child seeks to murder you! Absalom had undermined David and sought to usurp David from the throne and take it over. At a tipping point, David feared for his life and fled Jerusalem. He composed this Psalm.
David was dejected and depressed. He was surrounded by enemies which were Absalom's allies. David couldn't trust anyone. But David had God. David notes that he has God's protection as a shield, His glory, and His tenderness.
God's tenderness?
David has enough of a relationship with Jehovah that David could express it in terms this intimate- God cares for each of His people so much that He veritably lifts our head. He lifts us out of our despondency. God- the lifter of my head.
So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast
What the verse made me think of is when a toddler is upset and crying and sad. You go to them and you wrap them in your arms, and you want to talk to them, but they're looking down or away. You take your hand and cup their chin and you raise their face to yours. We are a lifter of heads to our children,and so, God is lifter of heads to His children- us.
He is tender. Matthew Henry explains how God lifts our head:
O LORD, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
many are saying of my soul,
"There is no salvation for him in God." Selah
But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
I cried aloud to the LORD,
and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah
(Psalm 3:1-4)
David is running from Absalom, his son, who wanted to kill David. How heartbreaking when your own child seeks to murder you! Absalom had undermined David and sought to usurp David from the throne and take it over. At a tipping point, David feared for his life and fled Jerusalem. He composed this Psalm.
David was dejected and depressed. He was surrounded by enemies which were Absalom's allies. David couldn't trust anyone. But David had God. David notes that he has God's protection as a shield, His glory, and His tenderness.
God's tenderness?
David has enough of a relationship with Jehovah that David could express it in terms this intimate- God cares for each of His people so much that He veritably lifts our head. He lifts us out of our despondency. God- the lifter of my head.
the one who lifts up my head: A lifted head signaled confidence and pride (27:6), while a lowered head signaled defeat and disgrace (Judg 8:28). Barry, J. D., Faithlife Study Bible (Ps 3:3).When we're despondent and depressed, our head is down. Our shoulders slump. Our countenance is low. In Genesis 4:5b when God rejected Cain's offering, it says,
So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast
What the verse made me think of is when a toddler is upset and crying and sad. You go to them and you wrap them in your arms, and you want to talk to them, but they're looking down or away. You take your hand and cup their chin and you raise their face to yours. We are a lifter of heads to our children,and so, God is lifter of heads to His children- us.
He is tender. Matthew Henry explains how God lifts our head:
Joy and deliverance: "Thou art the lifter up of my head; thou wilt lift up my head out of my troubles, and restore me to my dignity again, in due time; or, at least, thou wilt lift up my head under my troubles, so that I shall not droop nor be discouraged, nor shall my spirits fail."
If, in the worst of times, God’s people can lift up their heads with joy, knowing that all shall work for good to them, they will own it is God that is the lifter up of their head, that gives them both cause to rejoice and hearts to rejoice. ~Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume.
Beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteWhat I love about the passage regarding Cain, is God's gentle, merciful reasoning with him (Gen 4:6-7), which he unfortunately chose to reject (Gen 4:8).
Yes, God is truly the tender lifter of our heads, and in the Spirit, we can likewise encourage each other, as you have done to us today with this post.
Blessings, sister!
-Carolyn