Psalms3
English Standard Version
1A of , when he his . O Lord, are my ! Many are against me;
2 are of my , there is no for him in .
3But you, O Lord, are a about me, my , and the of my .
4I aloud to the Lord, and he me from his .
5I down and ; I again, for the Lord me.
6I will not be of many of who have themselves against me all .
7 , O Lord! me, O my ! For you my on the ; you the of the .
8 belongs to the Lord; your be on your !
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Psalms 3.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: David complains to God of his enemies, and confides in God. (1–3). He triumphs over his fears, and gives God the glory, and takes to himself the comfort. (4–8).
vv1-3
An active believer, the more he is beaten off from God, either by the rebukes of providence, or the reproaches of enemies, the faster hold he will take, and the closer will he cleave to him. A child of God startles at the very thought of despairing of help in God. See what God is to his people, what he will be, what they have found him, what David found in him. 1. Safety; a shield for me; which denotes the advantage of that protection. 2. Honour; those whom God owns for his, have true honour put upon them. 3. Joy and deliverance. If, in the worst of times, God's people can lift up their heads with joy, knowing that all shall work for good to them, they will own God as giving them both cause and hearts to rejoice.
vv4-8
Care and grief do us good, when they engage us to pray to God, as in earnest. David had always found God ready to answer his prayers. Nothing can fix a gulf between the communications of God's grace towards us, and the working of his grace in us; between his favour and our faith. He had always been very safe under the Divine protection. This is applicable to the common mercies of every night, for which we ought to give thanks every morning. Many lie down, and cannot sleep, through pain of body, or anguish of mind, or the continual alarms of fear in the night. But it seems here rather to be meant of the calmness of David's spirit, in the midst of his dangers. The Lord, by his grace and the consolations of his Spirit, made him easy. It is a great mercy, when we are in trouble, to have our minds stayed upon God. Behold the Son of David composing himself to his rest upon the cross, that bed of sorrows; commending his Spirit into the Father's hands in full confidence of a joyful resurrection. Behold this, O Christian: let faith teach thee how to sleep, and how to die; while it assures thee that as sleep is a short death, so death is only a longer sleep; the same God watches over thee, in thy bed and in thy grave. David's faith became triumphant. He began the psalm with complaints of the strength and malice of his enemies; but concludes with rejoicing in the power and grace of his God, and now sees more with him than against him. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord; he has power to save, be the danger ever so great. All that have the Lord for their God, are sure of salvation; for he who is their God, is the God of Salvation.
Key Words
מִזְמוֹר: properly, instrumental music; by implication, a poem set to notes
דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse
בָּרַח: to bolt, i.e. figuratively, to flee suddenly
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
אֲבִישָׁלוֹם: Abshalom, a son of David; also (the fuller form) a later Israelite
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
רָבַב: properly, to cast together , i.e. increase, especially in number; to multiply by the myriad
רַב: abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
צַר: narrow; (as a noun) a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble ; (transitive) an opponent (as crowding)
קוּם: to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)
Cross References
Psalms 3The historical occasion of David fleeing from Absalom's conspiracy, where his enemies greatly increased.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Shimei's cursing of David directly reflects the taunts that God has rejected and will not help him.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Identifies the 'holy hill' of Zion as God's designated earthly and kingly residence.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The mockers' taunt of Jesus on the cross mirrors the enemies saying 'no help for him in God'.
Supported by Matthew Henry
God as a protective 'shield' (magen), echoing the foundational promise made to Abraham.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
David's parallel expression of laying down, sleeping, and dwelling in safety through divine preservation.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Confidence in God despite host armies or ten thousands of people rising up in battle.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Smiting on the cheek bone or jaw represents a contemptuous blow of defeat and humiliation.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Breaking the teeth of the ungodly compares violent enemies to dangerous, disarmed wild beasts.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
David's cry of distress when learning of Ahithophel's betrayal among the conspirators.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Promise of sweet, undisturbed sleep to those who walk in wisdom and trust God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Confesses that 'salvation belongeth unto the Lord' alone, rather than human strength.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Messianic mockers similarly laugh at the righteous, saying God will not deliver him.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The ultimate lifting up of the head of the triumphant Messiah after suffering.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Peter sleeping peacefully in prison before his execution, demonstrating perfect trust in God.
Supported by Matthew Henry