Editor’s note: Welcome to Campfire Scripture. These are Bible verses every week day with a manful devotional (max 400 words). Perfect discussion points or meditations to keep you warm around the campfire.

If you still haven’t cracked the habit of scouring the word of the God on a daily basis, then you’ll love em. Just what a man needs to keep him reading and thinking about the Word of God everyday.

So roll out your swag, kick your boots off and enjoy.

Book Author and Date:

David, the psalmist and greatest King of Israel; founder of the Davidic dynasty, direct ancestor of Jesus Christ. Towards the end of David’s impressive reign ~983-979 B.C.

Tags:

David, Prayer, Battle, Badassery, Deliverance.

Context:

Psalm three is rather indisputably attributed to David. His enemy this time is his own son Absalom. Towards the end of David’s life and reign Absalom has attempted to usurp the throne (already promised to Solomon) and David is once again fleeing for his life.

Manful reflection:

This verse is the faithful appeal of David to God and his confidence in the Lord’s deliverance. The Lord is his merciful saviour who smites the wicked. David demonstrates clearly here that the Lord’s Almighty hand is for sinners to fear, and believers to revere.

John MacArthur says this about verse seven:

“This is a battle cry for God to engage the enemy and defend His soldiers”… awesome.

Whilst it is written in the setting of David’s cry against Absalom, it is just as instructive for men today. David was wise enough to know when he needed to head for the hills, but this did not in any way undermine his faith that the Lord would deliver him from the hands of his enemies. He knew ultimately that everything was in the Lord’s hands. David knew of the Lord’s promise that Solomon was his anointed successor. He trusted in the Lord both for his promises and for his salvation both physically here and spiritually.

As men today we can know that the Lord has all things working for his glory, but not necessarily for our blessing. David was no fool. He knew when to run, and he knew what it meant to have faith. He would fight for his survival knowing the Lord was on his side, but also knew that his time would eventually come, and that the Lord didn’t promise him abundant comfort and peace.

The Lord fights for us, but that does not abrogate our responsibility to fight the good fight. We are not passengers in the Lord’s plan for mankind. We are called to spread the message of the gospel, to defend the faith with courage and to resist evil in all its forms.

References

All Campfire Scripture passages are taken from the New American Standard Bible, unless otherwise stated.

John MacArthur, 2006, The MacArthur Study Bible,  New American Standard Bible (1995 edition).