surrounded

A Blessing in Despair – Psalm 3

/ Anthea Kotlan / 2 Comments

How can I find blessing in the midst of despair?

Amid the Covid 19 pandemic, in the Fall of 2020, discouragement began closing in on me. Numerous cancellations and endless disappointments piled high. My father, a nursing home resident, had been placed in hospice care. For the first time in my life, none of my family in England could visit, nor could I travel there.

The heavy load of grief threatened to capsize me.

Death

Days after he died, I felt desperate to be with my British family. However, none of that was possible. Regular visits to see my family in England were a fixture in my life. For the first time in my life, going home was no longer possible.

Sadness, grief, disappointment, and fear weighed me down. Would I ever be able to see my extended family again? Looking back now, this seems absurd but at the time, so much in my life felt uncertain. As my father’s only surviving child, I longed to sit with his siblings and share stories about his life.

“The Blessing”

About a week later, I scrolled across a video (“The UK Blessing”) of a group of singers from all over the United Kingdom performing a cover of “The Blessing.”  This song, written by Kari Jobe (and others), struck a deep chord inside me.

The Lord bless you

And keep you

Make His face shine upon you

And be gracious to you

The Lord turn His

Face toward you

And give you peace

Amen, amen, amen

Amen, amen, amen

“The Blessing” by Kari Jobe, et al.

I must have watched and listened to this song on repeat for days. Different groups of people from all over the British Isles sang different portions of the song. Hearing the variety of accents felt deeply meaningful as my family of origin represents people from all over the UK. Seeing the name of each church and recognizing the locations brought back so many memories of home.

He is for you

One verse of this song strengthened my weary heart.

In the morning, in the evening
In your coming, and your going
In your weeping, and rejoicing
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you

“He is for you.” This truth I needed to hear on repeat.

Surrounded

In Psalm 3, I read about David being surrounded by his enemies. I picture him on the battlefield dodging an oncoming swarm of invaders. Somehow, they slip around and begin threatening him on every side. He cries out for rescue because he knows the Lord is for him.

I am not, and was not, on a military battlefield.

Were David’s enemies found only on the battlefield?

The enemy of my soul would prefer for me to believe David’s opposition was primarily military. Still, time spent in the Psalms reveals how David struggled with various enemies.

  • Physical
  • Emotional
  • Spiritual

Enemies ambushing my heart can be just as dangerous as a physical threat.

Unseen enemies of my soul can wreak havoc on my spiritual life.

Soul Tending Checkup

Perhaps a soul tending check-up is in order today?

 As I examine my heart, what is troubling me?

In this season of my life, who are my enemies?

What strategies does the enemy of my soul use in my life?

  • The harsh voice of my inner critic speaks loudly in the dark of isolation.
  • Temptations to take shortcuts, try quick fixes, and participate in gossip sneak up.
  • My perceptions or snap judgments (this is not fair, they don’t like me, no one is giving me that opportunity) provide a chorus of discouragement and dissatisfaction.
  • Challenges of daily life: missed calls, unexpected repair bills, medical diagnoses
  • Fear, anxiety, and endless uncertainty in a post-pandemic world.
  • Mushroomed misunderstandings start small and rapidly network into a wall of offense built up brick by brick.

How about you?

When I feel surrounded, Psalm 3 can be a powerful prescriptive prayer to examine my soul. A prayer like this can re-align my heart with God’s truth.

1 O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;
2 many are saying of my soul. “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah
(Psalm 3:1-2 ESV)

When I feel surrounded, I lose sight of God’s abundant provision, especially the precious gift of my salvation.

Prayer

Lord, help me to turn to you when I feel surrounded. Please help me to hear your voice and silence the voices of those who accuse me.  

3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4 I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill.
(Psalm 3:3-4 ESV)

Prayer

Thank you, Heavenly Father, you hear me and protect me. You can lift my head and allow me to gain renewed perspective I don’t have without you. You can always see and hear me from your holy hill.

5 I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. (Psalm 3:5-6 ESV)

Prayer

Lord, I can rest and sleep knowing you are watching over and protecting me. It is far too easy to count up the agents of opposition, but even if a thousand come against me, You are always so much more.

7 Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.
(Psalm 3:7 ESV)

Prayer

Lord, thank you for doing battle for and in my place.  I don’t have to figure out how to fight because You do it for me and have such effective battle plans.

8 Salvation belongs to the LORD; your blessing be on your people! Selah
(Psalm 3:8 ESV)

Prayer

Lord, you have given me the gift of salvation. You have put your blessing on me.

In the final two verses of the song, “The Blessing,” says,

May His presence go before you

And behind you, and beside you

All around you, and within you

He is with you, He is with you

In the morning, in the evening

In your coming, and your going

In your weeping, and rejoicing

He is for you

Prayer

While I may feel surrounded by the enemy of my soul, I am surrounded by God’s presence all day and all night, wherever I might go. He goes before me, beside me, and behind me. For this truth, I give thanks today to the Lord. Amen

Here’s the link to listen to the “UK Blessing” on YouTube.

When the Enemy Surrounds Me – Psalm 57

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

Rescuing our teddy bears topped the list of goals for my sister and me when water began to fill our car one Sunday afternoon years ago. We rapidly employed the screaming while holding our bears aloft technique. No doubt my father, the driver, really appreciated his children’s skills. Nevertheless, we were loudly lamenting the peril we had before us.

Gentle rain is a hallmark of the British countryside, but steady and persistent downpours created a flash flood that caught my father by surprise. Somehow, within a very few minutes of encountering the deep water, our car was pulled to safety by a helpful farmer and his tractor. Some very kind Gypsies or Travelers welcomed us into their camp, gave us hot cups of tea, and dried our clothes by open fires. As a five-year-old, I considered this all to be a grand adventure.

David spends a great deal of time trying to outrun the wrath of King Saul. Psalms of lament, like Psalm 57, express honestly and passionately feelings of being persecuted, isolated, and in actual peril.

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness! My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts—the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!  (Psalm 57:1-5 ESV)

When faced with an enemy, what does David do?

  • Asks for mercy and takes refuge in the shadow of God’s wings while the storm of destruction rages.
  • He stands in peace before the God Most High. He acknowledges that God will fulfill his own purposes with David’s life. Even when the outcome seems uncertain, God’s prevails.
  • He speaks confidently about God as one who will send and save, one who will bring justice, and one who will send out steadfast love. He speaks of it before it happens because he knows God’s character.
  • He laments by composing a list of the circumstances coming against him: storms of destruction, lions, fiery beasts, sharp-tongued swords, spears, and arrows.
  • He knows when to rest. Once the lament has been delivered, David lies down amidst the fiery beasts in full confidence of his rescue.
  • Finally, he prays for God to be glorified and exalted all over the earth. It is a prayer of confident surrender.

I have never been chased down by a murderous king. However, I do know about the enemy of my soul, who is described in scripture as a prowling lion (1 Peter 5:8). When the enemy marshals his forces against me, I can feel like David. The storms of destruction surround me, and all I can see are fiery beasts and sharp swords. My first inclination is not always to cry out to God for mercy. I might look a lot more like a child gripped by fear screaming in the backseat of a car.

I long to be like David, declaring faithfulness against the din of my fears. Shouting out the truth of God’s promises. He will rescue me, he will send help, and he will bring justice. There is power in declaring truths aloud so I can hear them. Finally, can I stop striving and pray a prayer of confident surrender. David lies down and so can I. I know God’s efforts and work provide all that I need even when I find myself surrounded by enemies.

Prayer

Lord, I cry out to you because you are the God Most High, and no one is above you. You, God, fulfill your purposes for me. You will send from heaven and save me. You will rescue me into your presence in Heaven or preserve my life on earth. You will put to shame him who tramples on me. God, you will send out your steadfast love and your faithfulness! My soul may be in the midst of lions; I may even lie down amid fiery beasts, but you will be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! Let your will be done here and in Heaven, Amen.