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AfterThoughts: June 21, 2026

June 21, 2026
Rest For The Fearful Heart
Psalm 3

This week, Dr. David Eldridge continued the series in the book of Psalms, teaching from Psalm 3. In these verses, he expanded on two points:

  • God Does Not Exempt His Followers From The Hardships Of Life
  • God Sustains His Followers Through The Hardships Of Life

GOING DEEPER: 

  • The setting of Psalm 3 is a time in David’s life that can be described as the best of times and the worst of times. He had professional success and, right beside it, deep personal pain. While, to everyone looking on, David’s kingdom appeared to be the strongest, a fracture was forming inside. Have you ever experienced this kind of season in your life? When you read through Psalm 3 for the first time, what do you notice? As you read the Psalm again, what ideas and truths does the Holy Spirit highlight in your heart and mind?
     
  • Pastor David explained that although these were life-and-death circumstances for King David, God’s Word gives us this clarifying reminder: God does not exempt His followers from the hardships of life (Psalm 3:1–2). There were many foes rising against him, taunting him and saying that God had abandoned him. David was facing a literal battlefield and military coup. While we may not face a battlefield like King David, we all face battles. The details may differ, but we face battles in our workplaces, in our families, and even in our own minds (the inner critic in our heads). How can the “what ifs” of life overwhelm you at times? How can you change your schedule this week to make more time for prayer and reflection on God’s reminder in Psalm 3:1–2?
     
  • There is a version of Christianity that teaches we can avoid all these kinds of hardships and difficulties in life if we are prayed up and living right. While adversity can certainly be a sign of sin in our lives, we also must admit that adversity and difficulty are really signs that you are alive. If you follow the Almighty, He has not promised to grant you immunity from adversity. What kind of battles are you facing in this season of life? How do the examples of Job, Paul, and Jesus give you a different perspective on the adversity you face?
     
  • Pastor David pointed out that we have this hope in the hardships of life: God sustains His followers through hardships (Psalm 3:3–8). Notice in Psalm 3:3, David said the Lord is a “shield about me.” This image is of a shield the size of a door—not a small thing for hand-to-hand combat. God didn’t take David out of the battle. The attackers still remained, but David knew that the Lord surrounded him and carried him in the midst of the fight. The shield works when you are moving forward. Our instinct is to be removed from the trial, but instead we move through the trial with God’s shield all around us. How can you rest in the awareness that God never blinks at your adversity, and He never slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121:1–4)?
     
  • Pastor David emphasized that there is a promise for us in this Psalm. As we read Psalm 3 through the lens of Jesus and His cross, we see this promise made true for us in Him. God the Father was Jesus’ glory and the lifter of His head through the resurrection. Jesus was saved by His Father and defeated death itself. Salvation belongs to the Lord, and this is our shield in life. The same God who lifted David’s head lifted Jesus from the grave and will one day lift us up to be with Him forever. How can you live into this promise in the coming week in your relationship with Jesus and in your relationships with others?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: 

  • To view past sermons, please click here.

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24–26

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