Psalms 3:2 “Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. 3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.”
Faith’s scoffers have always been near by to trouble the souls of the Lord’s people. They constantly cast doubt upon the Word of God, the Truth of God, the Promises of God, and God’s Providential care for His people. They were doing it in king David’s day, they did it to Jesus Christ Himself, and they are still doing it today. As they did to Christ Himself, the Psalmist records that they will constantly plague us. In these practical prophecies of Jesus Christ, it is made clear that the scoffers are always lurking nearby, seeking an opportunity to discourage us: “My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?” (Psalms 42:3), “As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?” (Psalms 42:10), and “Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.” (Psalms 71:11). Mathew records that these prophecies were filled on the day of our Lord’s Crucifixion; they said such things as, “He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. 43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.” (Matthew 27:42-43). They were trying to cast doubt upon Jesus being the Son of God, and truly God incarnate as a Man. They even tried to cover up His Resurrection to dissuade the faithful Children of God (Matthew 28:11-14). It seems that the scoffers, in our day, are having some success. The teachings of God’s Providential care for His people are often neglected and even rejected in our public institutions, schools, in government, and now even in our families. We now have several generations that are schooled to rely upon themselves and upon government versus “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2). The result is corruption, immorality, greed, evil, self-love, self-promotion, and worsening misery. But, let us steadfast stand Faith’s ground and strongly “declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem” and “When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD” (Psalms 102:21-22); that is, let us stand our Holy Ground and “declare the name of the LORD” among our Churches, among our families, among our friends, among our communities, and among our acquaintances. And let us, like the Apostle Paul, openly proclaim “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16) and “I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (II Timothy 1:12)!