INTRODUCTION
Psalms 3 and 4 are viewed as companion psalms because (according to their titles) both were composed by David and each one falls naturally into 4 stanzas, each composed of 2 verses. Psalm 3 is often said to be a Morning Psalm since 3:5 mentions waking from sleep and Psalm 4 an Evening Psalm since 4:8 speaks of lying down to sleep.
Psalm 3 is classified as an individual lament. Mandolfo (2014, p.115) maintains that ‘there are approximately forty-two psalms of lament in the canonical book of Psalms. About thirty of those are individual psalms of lament; the rest are communal.’ She further explains (2014, pp.115-116) that ‘the following features are typical of most lament psalms:
1. Invocation —the initial cry to God to take notice
2. Complaint —the description (usually general) of the psalmist’s suffering that
includes a complaint either against God or some enemy/ies
3. Request —the psalmist petitions God to act on the psalmist’s behalf
4. Expression of Confidence —often a recital of God’s trustworthy characteristics
5. Vow of Praise —assurance of praise that will follow deliverance (though the verbal tenses in this section are sometimes ambiguous).’
Psalm 3 exhibits the above features identified by Mandolfo.
THE TITLE OF THE PSALM
Psalm 3 is the first of seventy-three in the Psalter to be entitled A Psalm of David and also the first to bear a superscription indicating historical setting. Its context is Absalom’s rebellion and attempted coup against his father King David. Details of this conspiracy occupy 2 Samuel chapters 15-18. Betrayed by family and friends, David was in a precarious situation; having been forced to flee Jerusalem he found himself surrounded by enemies. The titles of several psalms situate them in the life and experience of David, Along with the relevant chapters in the books of Samuel and in probable historical chronological order they are:
Psalm 59 – 1 Samuel 19 – when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.
Psalm 34 – 1 Samuel 21 – when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech. . .
Psalm 56 – 1 Samuel 21 – when the Philistines took him in Gath.
Psalm 142 – 1 Samuel 22 – a prayer when he was in the cave.
Psalm 52 – 1 Samuel 22 – when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul. . .
Psalm 54 – 1 Samuel 23 – when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?
Psalm 57 – 1 Samuel 24 – when he fled from Saul in the cave.
Psalm 63 – 1 Samuel 24 – when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
Psalm 18 – 2 Samuel 22 – in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul
Psalm 51 – 2 Samuel 12 – when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
Psalm 3 – 2 Samuel 15-18 – when he fled from Absalom his son.
The titles of two more psalms situate them in the life of David but, although there have been many suggestions, they cannot easily be placed in the accounts in the books of Samuel, Kings or Chronicles.
Psalm 7 – Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.
Psalm 60 – . . . Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aram-Naharaim and with Aram-Zobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the Valley of Salt twelve thousand.
In spite of the fact that the superscription informs us that Absalom’s revolt was the historical context Psalm 3 itself does not specifically mention either David or Absalom.
STRUCTURE
1-2 David’s Complaint
3-4 David’s Confidence
5-6 David’s Courage
7-8 David’s Conquering
EXPOSITION
David’s Complaint (1-2)
Psalm 3 is the first lament in the Psalter and also the first psalm to directly address the Lord. According to the title it was written by David during a period of crisis in his life. As a result of the revolt led by his son Absalom David had to to flee for his life. No doubt troubled about his son, betrayal by family and friends, about leaving his palace and kingdom and possibly also about his relationship with YHWH (v.2) David addresses this lament – a cry of distress – to the Lord. How wise and honest of him to bring his problems directly to the Lord, rather than blame God for them or deny that they existed! The pressure that he is under is emphasised by the triple repetition of ‘many.’
- Many are they that trouble me – who the ‘many are’ – those that trouble David.
- Many are they that rise up against me – what the ‘many’ are doing – they ‘rise up’ in co-ordinated opposition to David.
- Many there be which say of my soul, there is no help for him in God – what the ‘many’ are saying – God has abandoned David – they taunt him about his faith saying: ‘God has abandoned him, he either will not or cannot deliver him.’
Selah. This word appears at the end of 3 of the 4 stanzas (vv. 2, 4, 8). It could be a musical notation, or perhaps mean something like stop and think, what has been said is true.
David’s Confidence (3-4)
But – with this word David withdraws his attention from the activities of the ‘many’ and focuses on what God is. Thus the psalm shifts from complaint to confidence. He says that YHWH is:
- a shield for (about, surrounding) me – shield is the only metaphor in Psalm 3 and it stands for protection or defence. The Lord as a shield is not only in front of David but all around him, protecting from his foes who have set themselves around him (v.6).
- my glory – David’s true dignity comes alone from YHWH, the one who chose him and gave him the kingdom.
- the lifter up of mine head – YHWH is the one who reverses humiliation and gives restoration and encouragement.
David expresses his confidence in the Lord as the one who will protect, honour and provide for him in his distress.
In v.4. he goes on to affirm his experience of answered prayer. Until this point in the psalm David has been addressing the Lord directly (note: he never directly addresses his enemies) but now he begins to speak about the Lord to others – I cried. . . he heard. The ‘holy hill’ can refer specifically to the Temple (Isa. 56.7; 65.11; 66.20) or more generally to the city of Jerusalem (Psa. 48.1, Dan. 9.16). Even though he finds himself in exile away from Jerusalem David still recognises it as the place of the Lord’s presence and authority and appreciates the fact that his prayers still reach the Lord there. He can therefore say: I cried. . .he responded.
Selah – Stop and think – God answers prayer!
David’s Courage (5-6)
I lay down – I slept – I woke up – he sustained me.
David reports what had happened on his flight from Jerusalem. He was so confident of the Lord’s protection that he lay down and slept – not fitful sleep or the sleep of exhaustion but that of trust. He attributes the fact that he woke up safe to YHWH’s care. David expresses trust using the image of sleep. Even though he was under threat he had profound faith in the Lord’s protection and was able to rest. This support and protection during the night gave David a further boost in confidence.
If the Lord protects him at night while he sleeps then David can be courageous for he has no need to fear during the day either. Even if myriads (tens of thousands) of troops surround him he will not be afraid. He will not panic in the face of great odds because any fears he has will be overruled by his sense of trust in the Lord. He will sleep at night, then rise in the morning and face what another day brings.
David’s Conquering (7-8)
Verse 7 and 8 counterbalance verses 1 and 2. The first two verses have enemies rising up against David and saying that there is no deliverance for him in God. In the last two verses the Lord rises up to defeat David’s enemies and deliverance belongs to the Lord.
Once more David addresses YHWH directly and using the language of holy war (Num 10:35; Psa 68:1) issues a double imperative calling upon God to enter battle on his behalf – arise. . .deliver. Expressing raw emotion he asks God to intervene immediately.
For thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
David says to the Lord: you struck. . .you smashed. With these perfect tense verbs he may be reminding the Lord that this is something that he has already done in the past and can therefore do again now. More likely, however, these are prophetic perfects. David is so sure that these things will happen that he speaks of them as if they have already taken place.
The Lord would not literally strike the cheek bones of David’s foes or break their teeth. David employs these images of battle – in which faces and teeth would be smashed with weapons – to intimate that with the Lord’s help he will conquer his enemies.
Is it appropriate for Christians to not only express fears, frustrations, and complaints to God but also pray against our enemies, as in the imprecatory psalms? The short answer is ‘No!’ Consider the following New Testament verses:
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matthew 5:38-39
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Matthew 5:43-44
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. Mark 11:25-26
See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 1 Thessalonians 5:15
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9
David ends the psalm with recognition that deliverance is God’s right alone and then moves beyond his personal circumstances to pray for God’s blessing upon his people as a whole, even though many of them had turned against him.
THE ENDURING SIGNIFICANCE OF PSALM 3
Psalm 3 speaks powerfully to those who experience bullying, betrayal, opposition or sadness for it is a model of faith in the midst of crisis. The psalm illustrates how one might navigate distress and process feelings of isolation, worthlessness and betrayal by engaging honestly and prayerfully with God through lament.
Psalm 3 challenges its readers to, like David, place their confidence alone in God who is a shield around them, the one who lifts up their head and is the source of their deliverance. Believers ought not to collapse under pressure but bring their complaints directly to God and move from a desperate cry for help to confidence that God has not left them and that he hears and answers prayer.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS
Flanigan, J. (2001). What the Bible Teaches: Psalms, Ritchie Old Testament Commentary, Kilmarnock.
Mandolfo, C., (2014). ‘Language of Lament in the Psalms’, in William P. Brown (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the Psalms, Oxford Handbooks Oxford University Press,
Written Exposition 