Psalm 3
1Lord, how many adversaries I have! *
how many there are who rise up against me!
2How many there are who say of me, *
“There is no help for him in his God.”
3But you, O Lord, are a shield about me; *
you are my glory, the one who lifts up my head.
4I call aloud upon the Lord, *
and he answers me from his holy hill;
5I lie down and go to sleep; *
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
6I do not fear the multitudes of people *
who set themselves against me all around.
7Rise up, O Lord; set me free, O my God; *
surely, you will strike all my enemies across the face,
you will break the teeth of the wicked.
8Deliverance belongs to the Lord. *
Your blessing be upon your people!
A Collect for Peace
O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Image Credit: Model Spear Case, Middle Kingdom, ca. 1981–1802 B.C.
Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Open Access Collection – https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/546271
