“Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people!
Selah”— Psalm 3:8
David is in danger.
Both in this passage, as well as in Florence, Italy today.
By which I, of course, mean the statue. It was recently found that the great work by Michelangelo is severely compromised, and it is largely because of the statue itself. The ankles have held an enormous weight over the centuries, but that weight has become hard to bear.1 As a result, serious work has been taking place over the past decade to save him from himself.
Christopher Ash recently described this passage, saying, “Psalm 3 plunges us into the world of the Messiah, surrounded by the wicked of Psalm 1 and threatened by the rebels of Psalm 2.2” That’s a helpful reminder of the severity of David’s plight, but we also need to remember one important thing. David is severely compromised because of the weight of his own sin. Later on in the year we’ll read all about that, but for now suffice it to say that David has caused himself, and his kingdom great harm. Psalm 3 is written after he has repented, turning back to God. No doubt the enemy, however, is whispering in his ears all the while that he is beyond saving, that his kingdom is over.
God had other plans.
In Psalm 10 we read:
“The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.” Psalm 10:16-183
David is a man of the earth, destined for heaven. His kingdom wouldn’t, because it was never his anyway. His desire in this passage is to cry out, “Salvation was never mine to bestow!4 Salvation belongs to the Lord!” He wants his nation, his people, the people of God, to be blessed, but not by his own doing.
He needs God. We need God. When we first came to him, we came offering only our sin. It was all our fault, and it was all forgiven in that moment.
Salvation belongs to the Lord.
His blessing is on his people.
Praying through the Bible
Lord, thank you that our salvation does not rest on our own heads,
or those of earthly kings and leaders.
We thank you for good leaders you have set over us,
and we pray for those who stand against you.
May they repent, for their kingdom will end,
but your kingdom will reign forever.
You have given salvation to your church.
Paid with a price, a sacrifice for all time, for all your people.
Bless your people today.
Bless my own church.
Bless the church around the world.
Bless those who have yet to come to you.
May they come quickly.
Amen
Thanks for joining me for today’s dusk devotional.
I’ll see you again tomorrow at dawn.
Today’s Readings
These readings are the same as those found in this morning’s newsletter. Different people find different times more fruitful than others. Arising early to read one’s Bible is a great goal, but taking time in the evening after all other tasks have been completed might free your mental capacity more. Whatever you choose, make sure to reserve a portion of each day to spend in God’s word.
2 John 1:4-8
Psalm 3
Psalm 4
The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.
The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.Cush fathered Nimrod. He was the first on earth to be a mighty man.
1 Chronicles 1:6-105
Recommended Media to End Your Day
As you will probably know if you’ve read my work over at
, I love Jane Austen. shared an audiobook version of Pride & Prejudice today, narrated in a ‘Merican Southern accent, and it is equal parts hilarious and delightful. I shudder to think about the mispronunciations contained within, but the bits and pieces I did listen to were excellent. If you like Austen, check this out.A friend of mine,
, recently spoke at the C.S. Lewis symposium in Northern Ireland. His talk was called, ‘Lest You Cease to be Talking Beasts’: Speech, Silence, and Language in C.S. Lewis’s The Last Battle' It is a beautiful exploration of who we are, how we communicate, and the enduring capability of fiction to deliver truth.Gavin Ortlund helps us to answer the question, “how can we be sure we have the right books in our Bible?
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/21/magazine/davids-ankles-how-imperfections-could-bring-down-the-worlds-most-perfect-statue.html
The Psalms: A Christ-Centered Commentary Vol II Psalms 1-50, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2024 Crossway)
(https://www.crossway.org/books/the-psalms-hcj-4/)
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 10:16–18
My interpretation and words
1-2 Chronicles are two of the most overlooked books of the Bible, despite covering great swathes of history, and God’s faithfulness throughout. Each day I’ll share a short portion of these books, so by the end of the year, you’ll have read through them in their entirety.
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