Finding Peace in Panic: How Psalm 3 Calms the Anxious Soul (Psalm 3)

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Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or abandoned?
Psalm 3 was written for moments like this.

David wrote it while fleeing from his own son—betrayed, afraid, and surrounded by enemies. And yet, in the middle of the chaos, he found peace. Not because his problems disappeared, but because his God was near.

💬 “You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.” (Psalm 3:3)

In this episode of Counseling Through the Psalms, we walk through Psalm 3 and discover how to move from panic to peace, from shame to security, and from crisis to confidence in the Lord.

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📖 Let the Psalms counsel your soul.
Because peace is not the absence of problems—it’s the presence of God.

#Psalm3 #CounselingThroughThePsalms #LessonsForLifePodcast #ChristianCounseling #FaithOverFear #BiblicalHope #EmotionalHealth #GodIsMyShield

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Counseling Through the Psalms with James
Long Jr, a special series fromLessons for Life.
I'm James, and in each episodewe will journey into the rich,
honest and healing language ofthe Psalms to find hope and
clarity and comfort for life'sdeepest struggles.
Whether you're wrestling withanxiety, grief, anger or

(00:22):
spiritual dryness, the Psalmsoffer us a path towards
restoration and peace throughGod's Word.
So, wherever you are right now,take a deep breath and let's
enter into the heart ofScripture together.
Well, hello everyone.
Welcome back.
Let's jump into Psalm 3.
Do me a favor grab your BibleI'll be using the ESV version of

(00:43):
the scriptures and also grab ajournal and a pen or a pencil so
that you can jot some notesdown.
We're going to turn to Psalm 3this morning, and Psalm 3 shows
us how to move from panic topeace when surrounded by trouble
.
Written from a place of deepbetrayal and fear, this psalm
teaches how to cry out to God,how to cling to his promises and

(01:05):
how to rest securely even whenlife seems like it's falling
apart, when troubles multiplyand hope feels distant.
Psalm 3 begins with a cry thatmany of our hearts note all too
well.
It says this in verse 1, o Lord, how many are my foes?
Many are rising up against me.

(01:25):
David is not speakingmetaphorically.
He is fleeing for his life,betrayed by his own son, absalom
.
You could read about that in 2Samuel, chapters 15 through 18.
His kingdom is crumbling, hisfriends have deserted him and
the enemies are closing in.
Yet it's not just the threat ofphysical harm that weighs on
him, it's the whisper ofhopelessness.

(01:46):
He says this in verse 2,.
Many are saying of my soul.
There is no salvation for himin God.
These words strike at thedeepest level.
It's one thing to face hardship.
It's another thing to feelabandoned by God.
In it, psalm 3 is a prayer of aman who's drowning in betrayal

(02:07):
by God.
In it, psalm 3 is a prayer of aman who's drowning in betrayal,
shame and fear, yet refusing tolet go of God.
For those of us that arewalking through anxiety or
trauma or relational wounds,this psalm offers a model for
honest prayer and resilientfaith In counseling.
We often meet people in theirPsalm 3 moment, the moment where
their enemies are real and thethreat is near and shameless

(02:27):
loud.
David does not hide his panic.
He actually brings it to theLord.
He brings it to God, the shieldthat surrounds us in our
struggle.
David's situation does notchange between verses 2 and 3,
but his focus does.
In verse 3, the psalm pivots.
He says this but you, o Lord,are a shield about me, my glory,

(02:50):
and the lifter of my head.
Here David shifts fromrehearsing his fears to
remembering his God.
He does not deny his pain.
He defies the lie that God hasabandoned him.
He reaches for three truthsabout who God is.
In the middle of the storm, hesays first, a shield about me.

(03:11):
God is not just a shield infront of us, he surrounds us.
He protects us and hisprotection is comprehensive.
Even when we feel like wecannot see him, he is defending
us and we can trust that he is.
He not only says a shield aboutme, but he says my glory.
In a moment when David has lostthe glory of his crown, he

(03:32):
confesses that God is his truesthonor.
When shame tells us that we'refinished, god reminds us that
our value is not in position orperfection, but in his presence.
And not only is he a shieldabout me, my glory, but he's the
lifter of my head.
God stoops in to lift us up.
When we hang our heads in fearor disgrace.

(03:54):
He gently restores dignity andhope.
Now, this is the kind oftruth-telling that is not
theoretical, it's fiercelypractical.
In times of emotional collapse,we need a voice louder than the
shame.
We need a reminder of who Godis, not just who we are.
Psalm 3 doesn't merely describeGod as a concept.

(04:16):
It names Him as a counselor, aprotector and a restorer, from
crying out to resting secure.
In verse 4, david says this Icried out loud to the Lord and
he answered me from his holyhill.
David's bold declaration oftrust is not based on an outcome

(04:37):
, but it's based on arelationship.
He remembers the hill whereGod's presence dwells, even
while he's far from the physicaltemple.
This is faith in action prayingwhen everything feels broken,
believing that God still hearsand still sees and still answers
.
Then comes one of the mostremarkable verses in the psalm.

(04:58):
He says in verse 5, I laid downand slept.
I woke again, for the Lordsustained me.
Now, for many people facinganxiety or depression, sleep has
become elusive.
Now David is surrounded by hisenemies.
Yet he slept.
Why?
Because his safety no longerdepended upon his strength, but

(05:19):
upon God's sovereignty.
This is not escapism, it'strust.
He goes to bed knowing that Godis awake.
In Psalm 121, verse 4, it saysthis he who keeps Israel will
neither slumber nor sleep.
The pressure to fix everythingfades when we remember who holds
everything.
David awakes with renewedcourage.

(05:42):
He says in verse 6, I will notbe afraid of many thousands of
people who have set themselvesagainst me all around.
The threats have notdisappeared, but his fear has
diminished.
What changed?
His heart has returned to thereality of God's presence, the
Prayer for Deliverance and thePower to Keep Going.
It says in verse 7, arise, oLord, save me, o my God.

(06:07):
David cries, echo the languageof the Exodus, the God who saves
his people from the enemies andcarries them through the
wilderness.
He's not demanding comfort,he's asking for rescue.
This is a raw intensity inDavid's imagery.
For you strike all my enemieson the cheek, you break the
teeth of the wicked.
This is not personal revenge,it's confidence in God's justice

(06:30):
.
In the ancient world, strikingon the cheek or breaking the
teeth symbolized publichumiliation and disarmament.
David is declaring that Godwill ultimately silence the lies
and dismantle the threats.
But verse 8 is the heartbeat ofthe psalm.
It says this Salvation belongsto the Lord.

(06:51):
Your blessing be on your people.
David's deliverance is notisolated.
It's part of God's bigredemptive plan.
He prays not only for personalrescue but for corporate
blessing.
Even in crisis he rememberscommunity.
In counseling terms, the psalmmoves from crisis to calling,
from despair to intercession.

(07:14):
Now let's look at the doctoralinsights that we learn from this
psalm.
Sovereign protection is thefirst one.
God is a shield, sovereignlyand compassionately surrounding
his people Psalm 3.3.
Then we see God's imminence.
He hears, he answers, hesustains his children personally

(07:35):
.
We saw that in verses 4 and 5.
Then we see a just judgment.
God acts against the evil andwill vindicate his people Verse
7.
And then we see salvation bygrace alone.
Deliverance does not come fromour strength but from the Lord
alone Verse 8.
Let's look at practicaltheology.
Let's see if we can make thispractical.

(07:57):
Psalm 3 speaks into the mostintimate struggles of the soul.
For those who feel abandoned,it assures God hears.
For those who are anxious, itoffers peace rooted not in the
changed circumstances but in theunchanging character of God.
For those who are battlingshame, it reminds you that your
worth is not in your own successbut in your Savior.

(08:19):
For those who are fearful, itmodels both prayer and
courageous rest.
And for the counselor.
It offers a road map.
It helps your counseling movefrom panic to proclamation by
anchoring in god's promises.
Now this psalm also reshapes howthe church should respond to
suffering.
We do not need to have polishedprayers, but we need honest

(08:42):
ones.
Psalm 3 reminds us of truespirituality and that it's not
the absence of distress, butit's a presence of trust in the
midst of it.
Now let's reflect and respond.
Here's six questions I want youto consider.
Remember, grab your journal andconsider answering these
questions.
Number one what many foes orinner fears are you facing today

(09:05):
and how can you bring themhonestly before the Lord?
Number two in what ways hasshame or fear distorted your
view of God's presence?
Number three what does it meanto you that God is a shield
about you, not just in front ofyou, but surrounding you?

(09:26):
4.
How can you practice resting inGod even when the outcome seems
uncertain?
5.
Who do you know that needs helpremembering the truths of Psalm
3, and how can you encouragethem this week?
6.
Have you asked the Lord to liftyour head, and what would it

(09:48):
look like to let him restoreyour hope and honor?
Well, let's pray, father, whenfears multiply around me and
hope feels far.
Please be my shield.
I know you already are and whenshame whispers lies, remind me
that you are my glory.
Lift my head when I hang it low, lord, and help me cry out, not

(10:11):
collapse to sleep, not tostrive to believe.
Even when I don't see theanswer yet, I take refuge in you
, my Redeemer and my sustainer.
Thank you for the fact that yousurround me, even in the chaos,

(10:39):
in your son shield, and we'rehere to walk with you as well.
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(11:02):
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Your peace does not depend onyour power but on God's presence
, and he's with you right now ifyou trust Him.
Blessings everyone.