Psalm 3

Introduction.—According to the superscription, Ps. 3 was composed by David when he fled from Absalom his son. “Spent with grief and the weariness of his flight, he with his company had tarried beside the Jordan for a few hours’ rest. He was awakened by the summons to immediate flight. In the darkness the passage of the deep and swift-flowing stream must be made by that whole company of men, women, and little children; for hard after them were the forces of the traitor-son” (Ed 164, 165). In the hours of darkest trial, David sang this sublime hymn of trust in God in the face of the enemy (see PP 741, 742). The psalm has been termed A Morning Prayer. It is the cry of the soul in the presence of danger; of trouble relieved by the passing of the night. It is closely related to Ps. 4, An Evening Prayer, which may be considered its sequel. There are four stanzas: (1) the present danger (vs. 1, 2), (2) the recollection of help in the past (vs. 3, 4), (3) the sense of security in the midst of the present danger (vs. 5, 6), and (4) the prayer for triumph over enemies (v. 7). An exclamation of confidence with a prayer for God’s blessing on His people, concludes the poem (v. 8). In the midst of the poem there is a sudden dramatic change from the weariness and depression of the night to the trust and triumphant faith of the new morning. It is said that the Huguenots in Condй’s army during the French religious wars sang this psalm at the time of relieving the sentry.

For the historical narrative see Sam. 15–17. On the superscription see pp. 616, 627.

1. How are they increased! Absalom had a large following. Nearly all Israel had revolted (see 2 Sam. 15–17, especially 15:6, 13; see also PP 727–745).

That rise up against me. Similar to the expression used by the Cushite who brought the tidings to David of the failure of Absalom’s defection (see 2 Sam. 18:31, 32).

2. Soul. Heb. nephesh, here, as frequently in the psalms, an idiom for the personal pronoun. “Which say of my soul” is equivalent to saying “which say of me.”

No help for him. So desperate is David’s condition that his enemies present the situation as beyond the help of God (see Ps. 71:10, 11).

Selah. See p. 629. In this psalm “Selah” appears to mark a division between stanzas.

3. For me. Or, “round about me.” God had assured Abraham that He would be his shield (Gen. 15:1; cf. Deut. 33:29; 2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 28:7; 119:114).

The lifter up. When David fled, he was bowed under his humiliation (2 Sam. 15:30). Now God enables him again to hold up his head. (see Ps. 27:6).

4. I cried. The form of the Hebrew verb thus translated frequently expresses repeated, habitual acts. The verse may thus be understood as observing that whenever David cries to God, God answers. “Prayer changes things.”

His holy hill. Zion (see on Ps. 2:6). David had removed the ark to the sacred city, and it was natural that he should regard that fortress as the peculiar dwelling place of God. The Heb. har, “hill,” should preferably be rendered “mount.” In Ugaritic literature (see p. 618) “holy mount” often designates the heavenly abode of their deity (see Isa. 14:13).

5. I laid me down. The pronoun “I” is emphatic. David represents himself as in danger of attack at any moment during the night, hunted and cursed by his enemies, nevertheless able to lie down in peace and sleep, so great was his trust in God. Since everything was in God’s hands, he had a sense of complete protection. His sleep was not mere weariness or indolence or presumption; it was an act of faith. Internal calm nerved him for the next day’s fight.

The Lord sustained me. The first waking thought is one of recognition that God had honored the trust placed in Him, even as his last thought on going to sleep had been one of complete confidence. The psalmist is strengthened to meet the needs of the day. The last thoughts of the night are often the first thoughts of the day. Note the sudden dramatic change from depression to triumph. Such is the benediction of the night and the promise of the new day (see Lam. 3:22, 23).

6. Ten thousand. With God as his helper, David was undismayed at the numerical advantage of his foes (see Ps. 27:3; cf. Deut. 32:30).

7. Arise. God is called to come to the psalmist’s help. Compare Israel’s watch-word when the camp set forward (Num. 10:35; cf. Ps. 68:1; 132:8).

Thou hast smitten. The Hebrew verb form here may be regarded as a perfect of certainty or a prophetic perfect. In the former, events that are confidently expected are conceived and described as having taken place. The latter describes a future event as having actually happened. The psalmist expresses his confidence that God will crush his enemies; the result is here regarded as an accomplished fact.

8. Unto the Lord. The psalmist makes no claim that he can save himself. To the enemy who mockingly asserts, “There is no help for him in God,” David replies, in effect, “To God alone belongs my help, at all times and under all circumstances.”

Upon thy people. In his magnanimity David turns his thoughts away from himself and his own peril to the condition of his people, his nation, not only those who had remained faithful to him, but those who had revolted. What a sublime ending to a hymn of trust!

Ellen G. White comments

1–8PP 742

4–8Ed 165

8 PK 269