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In Pastor Ryan’s video this week, he talked about the imagery used in the Psalms. These word pictures make the Scripture alive and very personal. Psalm 3 talks about the Lord being a shield about us, and the lifter of our heads. And while Ryan talked about our heads being lifted above the shield of protection so that we could see, I have a completely different image in my mind when I read these words. Scripture truly IS alive!
The Amplified Bible puts it this way:
But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my Glory (and my honor), and the One who lifts my head.
Who is the one looking down, whose head needs lifting up?
I picture someone who has been laid low, beaten by the difficulties and strains of life, who has been bowed down by grief, sorrow or even shame. Someone who feels overwhelmed, unworthy, invaluable or unseen. When we first come face to face with Jesus Christ – the one who loves us deeply and gave everything for us – our first instinct is to look down, to withdraw. We all have our reasons.
I picture myself in front of Jesus, unable to look up. I know the depths of my own soul – the thoughts I think that are not worthy of Him, the ways that I live selfishly toward others, the many, many ways I fail to live up to what a Jesus follower “should” be.
He gently puts his hand under my chin and lifts my face toward his. There is no condemnation – only love. Only a heart that wants His best for me.
Another Psalm contains a refrain that says this:
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
May we put our hope in God, who lifts our heads because we are His treasured people.