Finding Rest in the Middle of the Battle
Imagine this: You’re sipping your morning coffee, the warmth of the cup seeping into your hands as you take a deep breath. The world feels heavy today. Maybe it’s the weight of a broken relationship, the sting of betrayal, or the ache of a burden you never thought you’d carry. Whatever it is, it’s hard. It’s raw. And it’s left you feeling a bit like David did in Psalm 3—overwhelmed, surrounded, and maybe even a little hopeless.
David knew a thing or two about heartache. Psalm 3 was penned during one of the darkest times in his life. His son, Absalom, had turned against him, conspiring to take his throne. Friends who once walked closely with David had abandoned him. And the whispers grew louder: “There is no salvation for him in God” (Psalm 3:2).
Can you feel David’s pain? It wasn’t just the betrayal of a friend or a distant relative—it was his own son. The one he had cradled as a baby, taught to walk, and loved deeply. And now that same son was seeking to destroy him. The sting of that kind of betrayal is something words can barely capture. Yet, even in the midst of such turmoil, David’s response wasn’t to lash out or give up. Instead, he turned to God.
David starts his Psalm with a cry, “O Lord, how many are my foes!” (Psalm 3:1). It’s raw, it’s honest, and it’s a reminder that God can handle our messiest emotions. But David doesn’t stay there in despair. He quickly shifts his focus from the chaos around him to the God who surrounds him.
“But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head”
God as our shield. It’s such a powerful image, isn’t it? When the world feels like it’s crashing down, God is the one who steps in, wrapping us in His protection. He’s not just shielding us from the physical attacks, but from the emotional ones, too. The lies that say, “You’re not good enough,” or “God has forgotten you.” David knew that no matter how fierce the battle, God was bigger. And so, in the middle of his pain, he finds rest.
Rest in the middle of the battle—now, that’s something we all long for, isn’t it? We think that peace will come when the storm passes, but David shows us that true rest comes when we trust God, even when the storm is raging. “I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me” (Psalm 3:5). David was able to sleep, not because his situation had changed, but because his trust in God was unwavering. He knew that God was his sustainer, his protector, and that He would not let him fall.
There’s a lesson here for us, dear friend. When the battles of life threaten to steal our peace, we can find rest by turning to God. It’s in those moments of surrender—when we stop trying to fix everything ourselves and simply cry out to Him—that we find the peace that surpasses all understanding.
“I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me” Psalm 3:5
“I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me” Psalm 3:5
But let’s be honest, it’s not always easy to turn to God when we’re hurting. Our emotions can be so overpowering. The anger, the sadness, the fear—they all scream for our attention. Yet, David shows us that while it’s okay to feel those emotions, they shouldn’t dictate our behavior. Instead of giving in to the temptation to retaliate against his son, David prays. And not just for himself, but for his son and the very people who had turned against him. “Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people. David’s heart in Psalm 3 is a powerful reminder that, even in the darkest of times, our deepest longing should be for God’s glory and His will. It would have been easy for David to focus solely on regaining his throne or silencing his enemies. But instead, David’s prayer reveals a heart that is more concerned with God’s honor than his own vindication.
When David declares, “But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head” (Psalm 3:3), he’s not just making a statement of faith—he’s expressing a profound truth. David understood that God’s glory was more important than any throne, any kingdom, or any earthly honor. His greatest desire was not just to be saved from his circumstances, but for God’s will to be done, even if it meant enduring hardship.
This is where the rubber meets the road in our own lives. It’s one thing to trust God when everything is going well, but what about when everything falls apart? When relationships are shattered, when our dreams seem out of reach, or when life just isn’t going the way we planned—can we still say, “Lord, I want Your will above all else”?
David’s response teaches us that in every circumstance, we should long for God’s glory to be revealed. This doesn’t mean we ignore our pain or pretend that everything is okay. It means that we bring our pain to God, trusting that He is working in ways we can’t see, and that His plans are ultimately for our good and His glory.
As David closes his Psalm, he prays for God’s blessing on the very people who had betrayed him. What a remarkable display of grace and humility! David’s heart was aligned with God’s heart, longing not for revenge, but for redemption. He prayed that God would bless the people who were caught up in Absalom’s rebellion, showing us that true strength lies not in conquering our enemies, but in loving them.
This is the heart of a true king—and the heart of our King, Jesus. Just as David prayed for those who had hurt him, Jesus prayed for those who crucified Him, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). And just as David trusted God to deliver him, we can trust God to work in our lives, no matter how impossible our situations may seem.
So today, let’s take a page from David’s book. Let’s bring our burdens, our hurts, and our fears to God, knowing that He is our shield, our glory, and the lifter of our heads. Let’s find rest in the middle of our battles by trusting in His protection and provision. And above all, let’s long for His glory and His will to be done, even when it costs us something, because we know that His ways are always good.
In the end, it’s not about the battles we face, but about the God who fights for us. It’s not about the thrones we may lose, but about the glory of the One who holds all things in His hands. And it’s not about seeking revenge, but about seeking redemption—both for ourselves and for those who have hurt us.
May we, like David, have the courage to trust God in every circumstance, the grace to forgive those who wrong us, and the faith to believe that His glory is worth more than anything this world can offer.
