“But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.” Psalm 3:3
I am always amazed at the honesty of the non-verbal cues built into our human communication. The next time you have a visit with someone, be sure to not only hear their words, but also to observe their posture, inclination, and gestures. If they are leaning towards you during the talk, they are interested, even rapt in your conversation. If they are, with arms crossed, leaning back away from you, they are pretty much finished with the talk subconsciously. There are many more signs that the student of communication posture can learn, some easy, some more difficult. But there are also some non-verbal signs that are as easy to read as new chalk on a freshly washed blackboard. Crying means something is awry, furrowed brows equal anger or frustration, and of course, slumped shoulders and head hung low is a clear sign of tremendous discouragement and defeat. And it is in the latter posture that we find King David in Psalm 3.
The cool thing about many of the Psalms is that they represent Biblical events, and many times, they are clearly documented in another part of scripture. Psalm 3 is David’s reflection on the successful rebellion led by his son Absalom to take the throne. You can find the full account in 2 Samuel chapters 15-18. As David is forcefully removed from the throne by his own malevolent son, he is on the run, downtrodden, and sees his hope fleeing from him as swiftly as a gazelle from the paws of a predator. And as David processes his situation, he has enough self-awareness to take note of his own posture. As he ponders the great evil placed upon him by his own flesh and blood, his shoulders are slumped, his head is hung low, and his spirit is following the example of his body. Just as a dog with its tail between its legs, the blows of this life can quickly have us succumbing to our subconscious ability to physically display to the world what is happening to us on the inside. But King David is wise enough to go the one place that can handle all woes of this life…to his knees to give them to God.
King David goes to God and hurls his cares and worries upon the very one that created him. He goes to the very One that sees the problems, but more importantly, sees their solutions. In a line that should encourage us all, David addresses Almighty God as “the lifter of my head.” When the issues of this life have you hanging your head in defeat, God can lift your head to a place of great confidence in Him. When the problems of life beat you down and force your shoulders to slump in defeat, God can correct that posture and have you walking upright and straight like the child of God you are. You see, David had problems but among them was not an identity problem, he knew who he was and who he belonged to. He knew that God was bigger, was more powerful, and had a perfect plan for every single event that occurred in his life. And in his identity as a child of God, David kept his mind where it should be…on things above. For in the closing of Psalm 3, we see David, with his head lifted high, utter these words that can and will always put whatever you are facing into proper Godly perspective. “Salvation belongs to the Lord.” Today, dire straits may have your shoulders slumped and your head down, but your Salvation in Jesus Christ has never been more certain and secure. The work of Jesus upon the cross stands today as the most important event in history and the most important event in the life of any redeemed Christ-follower. Today, don’t focus on the problem at hand, but instead pray that God move your mind to live in miracle of your Salvation, an event that should surely lift any head. It worked for David; it will work for you.
“Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3
Comments