Leading to Jesus
Teachers
Lesson Summary
Teacher Jake Collins led the class through a detailed examination of Psalm 3, exploring David's spiritual response during Absalom's rebellion. The teacher began by establishing David's identity as "a man after God's own heart" (Acts 13:22), while acknowledging that David, like all believers, struggled with sin and shortcomings. What distinguished David was his response when confronted—unlike other Israelite kings who became defensive, David humbly sought God's direction. The class then reviewed Absalom's rebellion, wherein David's own son declared himself king and won the hearts of the entire nation of Israel, forcing David to flee Jerusalem with only his mighty men and their families. Collins then conducted a verse-by-verse analysis of Psalm 3, connecting each line to the historical narrative in 2 Samuel. When David cried "O Lord, how many are my foes?" he literally faced a nation united against him. When he wrote "Many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God," this reflected real accusations from people like Shimei, who cursed David as he fled. Despite these overwhelming circumstances, David's psalm reveals his spiritual transformation from despair to confidence, declaring "I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me." The teacher emphasized that believers today will similarly face isolation and opposition, but can find strength through remembering that God alone is our judge, not our earthly enemies.
Key Scriptures
Save me, O my God. A psalm of David when he fled from Absalom, his son. O Lord, how many are my foes? Many are rising against me. Many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Salah. But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory. And the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Salah. I lay down and slept. I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God. For you strike all my enemies, on the cheek. You break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessings be on your people. Salah.
And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.'