Psalm 3 Jehovah Jawbreaker  © 2015 WF Cobb Truthbase.net DailyTruthbase.Blogspot.com

Psalms 3 A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son. 2Sam 12-19
Mt 19:7...woe to him through whom offenses come.
Ch12 David despises God, commits adultery and murder, is reproved, confesses and is forgiven (spared death); 4x consequences follow
Ch13 Lawbreakers: Amnon rapes Tamar; Absalom hushes it up Ex 22:16 plots murder & kills Amnon 2 yrs later; David angry then sad
Ch14 Joab deceives David; Absalom returned from 3yr exile; house arrest 2 yrs; burns Joab field; give me liberty or death; kiss/kiss
Ch15 Absalom steals Israel's heart and Ahithophel; leads Israel in rebellion; David flees; sends back Ark; prays for Hushai thwarting
Ch16-17 David deceived and abused; Absalom establish himself as king; follows Hushai's counsel' Ahithophel hangs self.
Ch 18-19 Absalom pursues David; Joab et al defend, and kill Absalom; 20k die;  David laments, loving enemies more than friends.

I. When surrounded by lying rebels, David looks above them to his trustworthy God

1  LORD, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Mt 10:21

2  Many are they who say of me, "There is no help/salvation 3:7,8 for him in God"  -Selah

II. Recalling the eternal character and past actions of God gives hope for the future.

3  But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up/exalts my head.

4  I cried impft to the LORD with my voice, and He heard  impft me from His holy hill.  -Selah

Ps 27:2 When the wicked (Ps 51) came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

III. Consciousness of God's sustaining him leads to confidence and peace in the present trouble

5  I lay down pft and slept impft; I awoke, for the LORD sustains/ed impft me. 51:12 spirit 71:6 womb; Isa 26:3 perfect peace

6  I will not be afraid impft  of ten thousands of people 3:1 who have set themselves against me all around.

Ps 119:116 Uphold/sustain me according to Your word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope.

2Cor 12:9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

IV. David prays for God save him, destroy his enemies, and bless His people (thru restoration of kingship)

7  Arise, O LORD; Save hiphil me, O my God!
For You have struck Hiphil pft  all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken Piel the teeth of the ungodly.

8  Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing is upon Your people.  -Selah

Ps 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:
1. Do you think David “deserved” the consequences, or was Absalom responsible for his own actions and sin? What went wrong?
2. What do you suspect motivated Absalom? What motivated Joab? Was Joab a good guy or bad guy?
3. Why was David able to trust God in the midst of terrible circumstances? Why did he flee (cf Ps 11)? Why did he not continue in fear?
4. Why did David “love his enemies and hate his friends”? Why did he pray that God would “break their teeth”? Did God answer?
5. How would/do you respond when your world gets turned upside down? How can you develop the rlshp with God to respond well?

2Sam 13:7 Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I anointed you king over Israel...9 Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon.10 Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'
11 Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.' "
13 So David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die."
Mt 19:7...woe to him through whom offenses come.

2Sam 13:12  "No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! 13 And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you." 14 However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.  15 Then Ammon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, "Arise, be gone!"

13:20 And Absalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart." So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house. 21 But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. 22 And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar 23 And it came to pass, after two full years... Absalom invited all the king's sons...

13:32  Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother,  said, "Let not my lord suppose they have killed all the young men, the king's sons, for only Amnon is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

Ex 22:16  "If a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely pay the bride-price for her to be his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the bride-price of virgins. (Cf Dt 22:22-29)

2Sam 13:36 So it was, as soon as he had finished speaking, that the king's sons indeed came, and they lifted up their voice and wept. Also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly. 37 But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. 38 So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And King David longed to go to Absalom. For he had been comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.

14:1 So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was concerned about Absalom. 2 And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, "Please pretend to be a mourner...
24 And the king said, "Let him return to his own house, but do not let him see my face." So Absalom returned to his own house, but did not see the king's face.  25 Now in all Israel there was no one who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26 And when he cut the hair of his head --- at the end of every year he cut it because it was heavy on him --- when he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels

14:32 And Absalom answered Joab, "Look, I sent to you, saying, 'Come here, so that I may send you to the king, to say, "Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still." ' Now therefore, let me see the king's face; but if there is iniquity in me, let him execute me." 33 So Joab went to the king and told him. And when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king. Then the king kissed Absalom.

18:5 Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom. 6 So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the battle was in the woods of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day. 8 For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

18:17 they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods,  laid a very large heap of stones over him. all Israel fled, everyone to his tent. 18 Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King's Valley...after own name.
33 Then the king was deeply moved,  wept. "O my son Absalom --- my son, my son Absalom --- if only I had died in your place!

19:5 Then Joab came into the house to the king, and said, "Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, 6 in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well