"The Fortress"

"But Thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the Lifter up of my head." (Psalms 3:3) According to Webster, fortress is simply defined as a stronghold, which means a strong place. Now, if we are talking about a living testimony, and if you want to see what that might look like, then here it is within these first three verses of Psalm 3. And if "Selah" was the pause between two separate worlds, then here is the contrast that David is making perfectly clear. Here we have him surrounded on every front; both physically and emotionally, he is at the brink of what many would consider as the end; but spiritually, he is as secure as he could ever be! The harder he is pushed to the brink of death, the closer he clings to God! And, the funny thing is, the closer he clings to God, the more clearer is his resolve that God is his Fortress in times of need. It's really not that unusual for this to be the case in the life of a Believer; at least it was the case in my own life during the hour of my own travesty. The day was August 12, 2003; which was the day I sat in the waiting room and the Chaplin came in to tell me that my wife had just coded in the recovery room. The strength that I was given through that, as I drew closer to God than I had ever been before, was indescribable. If we look at the words that David uses to describe his spiritual standing with God, through and in the midst of such a trial that he was in, we can get a small glimpse at what it really means to put all of our trust in the Lord. The reason I say 'small glimpse' is because we can never really know what this looks like fully, until it involves us! The very first word that he uses is the word "But", which shows the sharp contrast of what appears to be happening and what is real. Really, this might not seem like such a major thing to some; that is unless, you are the one who is living within such a bitter moment. What this says, is that though there are many that have risen against me, and though there are many that say I am lost, You O Lord are with me, and that is all that matters. And the "Shield" that David is speaking of is more of a Fortress, which surrounds him on all sides, and is actually somewhere that he can take refuge in, in the midst of all that surrounds him. Have you ever hidden for your life from someone, or even dreamed of it happening; there is always the fear that some part of you is still exposed; not the case within this Fortress that David is speaking of!!! After which, he proclaims that God is his glory, which speaks of reputation; something that is being shattered among his people; but that is held intact within God. And then finally, he says, "and the Lifter of my head", which is the most prominent part of this declaration of who he is in God; for the shame which should be present is overshadowed by the forgiveness that he has received; by which, he can lift his head as one who has been set on high, above all that is present and that might seem devastating to all that are witnessing his peril. As we contrast this with what Jesus Christ went through at the cross, we can see the similarity between His suffering and that of which David was going through; and yet, Jesus was only doing that which He was sent to do. And because He was doing the will of the Father, He too could declare this same thing in the midst of His suffering. For, although He was badly beaten and then nailed to the cross, His soul was well intact and doing the Father's will; His glory was being established in the punishment that He was receiving in our place; and He was being exalted far above all other living things, as He hung upon that cross. In other words; He was being made the Fortress for all mankind, in the midst of all His suffering! And as He declared, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do", He was demonstrating what an Advocate that He is, for all of us that are lost...Selah!