Psalm 3-1
O Lord, how many have my enemies multiplied!
Many are those who rise up against me.
Psalm 3-2
Many are those who say of my soul:
There is no salvation for him in God. Selah
Psalm 3-3
But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory and the one who lifts up my head.
Psalm 3-4
With my voice I cried out to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy mountain. Selah
Psalm 3-5
I lay down and slept;
and I woke up, because Jehovah sustained me.
Psalm 3-6
I will not fear ten thousand people
who have laid siege against me.
Psalm 3-7
Arise, O Jehovah! Save me, my God!
Because you struck all my enemies on the cheek;
you have broken the teeth of the wicked.
Psalm 3-8
Salvation is the Lord’s;
on your people be your blessing. Selah
Psalm 3 Commentary
The meaning of Psalm 3 is very interesting, it deals entirely with the principles of trust. Confidence despite difficulties. He explains why we should trust in faith, and also ends by saying that the kingdom of heaven will be the reward.
If you have a Bible handy, open it to Psalm 3. According to the overwriting of this psalm, the author of the psalm is David and he wrote it as he fled from Absalom his son.
Before we go into a brief analysis of the content of this psalm, let’s do a quick recount of what happened. The account of the episode is found in 2 Samuel chapters 15 to 18. In essence, what was taking place was what today we would call a coup. To make matters worse, the leader of the coup was nothing more and nothing less than a son of the king, whose name was Absalom.
When David assessed the situation, he was left with no other recourse but to flee into the desert. It was the only way to preserve his life as well as that of his relatives. Absalom was determined to kill David and thus consolidate his rule. Imagine the magnitude of the tragedy. The comfort of the palace was suddenly changed into the discomfort of the desert. The tranquility of the palace was suddenly transformed into anguish of persecution.
Happiness in the palace turned into sadness in loneliness. Harmony in the family turned into deadly division. If anyone was really in trouble, it was David.
The tranquility of the palace was suddenly transformed into anguish of persecution. Happiness in the palace turned into sadness in loneliness. Harmony in the family turned into deadly division. If anyone was really in trouble, it was David. The tranquility of the palace was suddenly transformed into anguish of persecution. Happiness in the palace turned into sadness in loneliness. Harmony in the family turned into deadly division. If anyone was really in trouble, it was David.
This is the framework of what we are going to see in Psalm 3. Perhaps you too, maybe you are in a situation if not the same, at least comparable to David’s. Suddenly an incurable disease has occurred in you or someone in the family, or perhaps a loved one has suddenly gone into eternity. Either an important business has been shattered, or a child has gone astray, or the marriage is on the brink. All this is upon you and imprisons you without mercy. what do in this situation? Let’s learn from David’s example.
Regarding the proof of the psalmist
Psalm 3: 1-2 says: “O Lord, how many have my adversaries multiplied! Many are those who rise up against me. Many are those who say of me: There is no salvation for him in God.”
Well, here we have the testimony of a man overwhelmed by the test. David’s adversaries had multiplied. One would like adversaries or adversity in general to divide, but sometimes adversaries and adversity rather multiply. David faced not only his son Absalom but many more people. Absalom sought support for his cause from many people. David’s situation was so desperate that adversaries thought there was no longer hope for David.
The adversaries even thought that even God had forgotten David. There could not be a more difficult situation. Have you not also felt like David before the multiplication of adversaries and adversities? I have felt that way. It’s okay to be overwhelmed by trials. The downside is being constantly overwhelmed by trials. David was saddened by how difficult his situation was, but he did not stay in that state forever. Let’s see what he did. The downside is being constantly overwhelmed by trials. David was saddened by how difficult his situation was, but he did not stay in that state forever.
Let’s see what he did. The downside is being constantly overwhelmed by trials. David was saddened by how difficult his situation was, but he did not stay in that state forever. Let’s see what he did.
But before that, let me take a forced parenthesis. You may have noticed a somewhat strange word on the right side, at the end of verse 2. The word selah. This is the first of 71 times it has appeared in the book of Psalms. Unfortunately, there is no precise information as to the actual meaning of this word. So, admitting our ignorance, let me share with you the meaning commonly attached to it by biblical interpreters.
Selah can mean: Raise your voice or the volume of the music. It could also indicate: Stop and meditate. Could also indicate: Enter a musical intermission. Could also indicate the end of a verse. It could also indicate: Repeat the stanza. Finally it could indicate bow in an attitude of reverence. Any of these meanings could be correct. Like I said, it is not known for sure.
As for the peace of the psalmist
Psalm 3: 3-6 says, “But you, Jehovah, are a shield around me; my glory, and the one who lifts my head. With my voice I cried out to Jehovah, And he answered me from his holy mountain. I lay down and I slept, and woke up, because Jehovah sustained me. I will not fear ten thousand people, who lay siege against me “
The previous verse told us that people thought that even God had forgotten David, but there was nothing so far from the truth, because David knew for sure that God was not only close to David, but that God was in favor of David. That is why David says that Jehovah is his shield around him. A shield serves to protect. Jehovah was the one who protected David. The protection was absolute because the shield is around.
Jehovah was also the glory of David. This means that Jehovah was willing to honor David, even though at that moment David was the object of contempt from the adversaries.
Jehovah was also the one who raised David’s head, this means that at the end of the contest the reason will be given to David, as when a judge dictates a sentence in favor of someone. Knowing that David had a God of this caliber, he cried out to Him for help. God was faithful to David’s cry and responded immediately. As she looked to Jehovah and cried out for help, all the sorrow over the trial vanished. It was all a matter of knowing who to look at. If the gaze is on the problems, you will be permanently grieved, but if the gaze is on the Lord who controls the problems, you will.
When David looked at Jehovah, he found so much peace that all he wanted was to sleep. There in the middle of the desert, in the midst of all the problems, David looked for a suitable corner and lay down. Do you know what happened? He slept like a little angel. No insomnia, no counting sheep to sleep, no tranquilizers, no tossing and turning. Nothing of this.
The next thing David remembers was when he woke up and thought that it was Jehovah who had sustained him so that he could sleep so peacefully. How beautiful! What peace in the midst of the storm! The peace of the psalmist.
You too can experience the same as David. You too will be able to sleep like a baby despite the problems. For that, you must take your gaze from the problems and put it on who has the problems under your control. Cry out to Him for help. Put on Him that which brings so much affliction into your life. Tell God: I trust that you are a shield around me, I trust that you are my glory, I trust that you lift my head.
I hand over to you this painful situation that I am facing. I want you to take care of my problem. If you are sincere, God will answer your prayer and you will. you will be able to experience the peace of God. Resist the urge to deal with your problems yourself. David had so much peace, so much security that he said: I don’t care if an enemy army still comes against me alone. That is the security that you too can experience.
Regarding the psalmist’s request
Psalm 3: 7-8 says, “Arise, Jehovah; save me, my God; for you have struck all my enemies on the cheek; you have broken the teeth of the wicked. Salvation is from Jehovah; upon your people be your blessing.”
David’s problem was still not solved, but David had peace in the middle of the problem. David knew it was only a matter of time for God to step in and solve the problem. That is why he is asking God for salvation, but not in the uncertainty of whether God will answer him or not, but in the assurance that God has already responded favorably. That is why he says: you hurt, past tense, all my enemies on the cheek. It’s like David is looking back in time. God had defeated David’s adversaries. The God had broken the teeth of the adversaries to nullify them. God is the supreme author of salvation. The God is the one who blesses the people. The story relates how God preserved David’s life and was able to return to rule in Jerusalem. This is how God rewards those who trust in him.
You too trust God. Don’t despair over how complicated your situation is. God is in control of your problems. Let God fight for you and do like David. Lie down, sleep, and wake up confident. Remember what another beautiful Psalm says. “Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will not let the righteous down forever.”
