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The Ministry of Consolation.
#36. Lift up your heads.
"My glory and the lifter up of mine head" (Psa. 3: 3).
pp. 79, 80
We often hear it said, especially with reference to someone in distress or trouble, that
a "lift up" is needed. Christians will speak in the same way about a helpful meeting, as
"quite an uplift". Prayer, too, is spoken of as "lifting up the hands", and in many other
ways the expression does service. There are few of God's children who do not at times
feel the need of such an "uplift", and for such this ministry of consolation is planned.
One of the titles of the Lord, invented by gratitude, is that found in Psa. 3::--
"But Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of mine head"
(Psa. 3: 3).
The writer of these words is David, and the occasion was "when he fled from
Absalom his son". And there can be few blows that strike more deeply than those aimed
by one's own children:--
"And the King kissed Absalom. And it came to pass after this . . . . . Absalom stole
the hearts of the men of Israel . . . . . There came a messenger to David, saying, The
hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. And David said unto all his servants that
were with him at Jerusalem, Arise and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from
Absalom" (II Sam. 14: 33 - 15: 14).
Absalom's rebellion was not limited to Absalom himself, for the bulk of the nation
rebelled with him. The word "increased" is rabab, and "many", rabim. "Many" had
risen against David, and "many" had adopted an attitude against him as against one who
had lost favour with God. It was in this hour of deep distress that David uttered the
words already quoted--"But Thou, O Lord, art a Shield for me."
How many times the Psalmist speaks of the Lord as a Shield: "My defence (shield) is
of God" (Psa. 7: 10). So sang David when suffering at the hands of Cush the
Benjamite:--
"As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: He is a Buckler
(Shield) to all those that trust in Him" (Psa. 18: 30).
So sang David in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies,
and from the hand of Saul.
Others beside David had learned to hide beneath this Shield, for to Abraham long
before had come the words: "Fear not, Abram: I am thy Shield" (Gen. 15: 1).