Psalms 3:3—But Thou O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
Oh, my soul, hast then made God thy glory? Others boast in their wealth, beauty, position, achievements: duet thou find in God what they find in these? Thou needest safety from the shocks of time and change: is He thy shield? Thou must have something outside of thee, to complete thy blessedness: is He thine ideal? Thy head is drooping like a flower-cup—it sadly needs the dexterous hand of the Gardener: is it busy with the?
"Nothing resting in its own completeness
Can have worth or beauty: but alone—
Because it leads and lends to further sweetness,
Fuller, higher, deeper than its own—
Life is only bright when it proceedeth
Towards a truer, deeper life above;
Human love is sweetest when it leadeth
To a more divine and perfect love."
God around us as a shield, God above and within us as an ideal, God lifting up the tired and sorrowful face—this was David’s threefold conception of his relation with God. All around men were filled with wrath at him. He heard their harsh voices, and what they said. Nevertheless he comforted, and stayed his heart with the words, But Thou, O Lord. Ah, what an instant change they make!
"We kneel, and all round us seems to lower;
We rise and all, the distant and the near,
Stands forth in sunny outline, brave and clear;
We kneel, how weak—we rise, how full of power!"
Ah, these Buts! What a difference they make in our lives. There is always the hedge of God’s care, always an illimitable reserve of power and help within our reach, of which we may avail ourselves; and we are so sure of it, that we lay ourselves down in peace to sleep, though the foe in thousands encamps around.