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Psalm 3

Psalm 3 in 30 seconds

David is running from his own son Absalom. Enemies everywhere, but he still sleeps like a baby. God has his back.

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Deliver Me, O Yahweh!// 2 Samuel 15:13–29

A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.

¹O Yahweh, how my foes have increased!

How many rise up against me!

PS 3:1[NOTE]THE TITLES. Most psalms start with a short title, like this one. In Hebrew Bibles the title is counted as verse 1, so verse numbers in a Hebrew Bible are often one ahead. See Who Wrote the Psalms?
PS 3:1[NOTE]ABSALOM. David's son led a revolt and drove his father out of Jerusalem, 2 Samuel 15 to 18.

²Many say of me,

“God will not deliver him.”

Selah

PS 3:2[NOTE]SELAH. Nobody knows for sure what it means. See the Big Question What Does Selah Mean?

³But You, O Yahweh, are a shield around me,

my glory, and the One who lifts my head.

⁴To Yahweh I cry aloud,

and He answers me from His holy mountain.

Selah

⁵I lie down and sleep;

I wake again, for Yahweh sustains me.

⁶I will not fear the myriads

set against me on every side.

⁷Arise, O Yahweh!

Save me, O my God!

Strike all my enemies on the jaw;

break the teeth of the wicked.

⁸Salvation belongs to Yahweh;

may Your blessing be on Your people.

Selah

The Big Question · Christians disagree

Seven Names and Many Unnamed

Psalm 3:1 · 72:20 · 90:1 · 2 Samuel 23:1

THE NAMES IN THE TITLES: David 73 psalms. Asaph 12, the sons of Korah 11, Solomon 2, Moses 1, Heman 1, Ethan 1. About 50 have no name.
DAVID THE SINGER: David played the lyre for Saul, 1 Samuel 16:23, and is called the sweet psalmist of Israel, 2 Samuel 23:1. He set up the temple singers, 1 Chronicles 25.
OF DAVID: The Hebrew word le can mean by David, for David, or about David. Most read it as by David.
STORIES IN THE TITLES: Thirteen titles tie the psalm to a scene in David's life, like Psalm 3, when he fled from Absalom, and Psalm 51, after Bathsheba.

Mark 12:36 · Acts 2:25 · Acts 4:25 · Hebrews 4:7

VIEW 1: THE TITLES ARE TRUE: Jews and Christians have long trusted the titles. Jesus said David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, wrote Psalm 110, Mark 12:36. Peter says David wrote Psalm 16, Acts 2:25. The titles are in the Hebrew text and in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
VIEW 2: OLD BUT ADDED: Many scholars think the titles were added later by editors, maybe as a library label, and may not always name the writer.
VIEW 3: LATE PSALMS: Many critical scholars date many psalms after the exile, judging by their language. Some say a psalm of David could mean a psalm in David's style.
THE GREEK ADDS MORE: The Greek Old Testament gives David more titles than the Hebrew, and the New Testament names David for Psalm 2, Acts 4:25, and Psalm 95, Hebrews 4:7, which have no title in Hebrew.
WHAT ALL SIDES AGREE ON: Psalms was written by many people over hundreds of years, and David stands at the center of it.