‫מִ ז ְ֥מֹור לְדָ ִו֑ד ְּ֜בב ְָר ֗חֹו‬

‫ֽה־רּב֣ ּו‬
ַ ָ‫ׁש ֬לֹום ְּבנֹֽו׃ ֭ י ְהוָה מ‬ ָ ‫מִ ּפ ְֵנ֤י׀ ַא ְב‬
‫צ ָ ָ֑רי ַ֜ר ִּ֗בים ק ִָמ֥ים עָלָ ֽי׃‬
‫ְׁשי ֵ ֤אין‬ ֥ ִ ‫ִים אֹמ ִ ְ֪רים ְל ַ֫נפ‬ ֘ ‫ַרּב‬
‫ְי ֽׁשּו ָ֓עתָ ה ּ֬לֹו בֵ ֽאֹל ִ֬הים ֶסֽלָה׃‬
‫ְאַּתה ֭ י ְהוָה מ ֵָג֣ן ַּבע ִ ֲ֑די‬ ָ֣ ‫ו‬
‫ֹאׁשֽי׃‬ ִ ‫ְּ֜כבֹודִ֗ י ּומ ִ ֵ֥רים ר‬
‫ְהו֣ה ֶאק ָ ְ֑רא‬ ָ ‫֭קֹולִי אֶל־י‬
‫ַו ַּי ֽ ֲע ֵ֙ננִי ֵמ ַ ֖הר קָדְ ׁ֣שֹו ֶסֽלָה׃‬
‫יׁשנָה‬ ֥ ָ ‫אֲ ִנ֥י ׁשָ ַ֗כבְּתִ י וָ ֽ ִ֫א‬
‫ְהו֣ה י ִ ְסמְכֵ ֽנִי׃‬ ָ ‫הֱקִ ֑יצֹותִ י ִ ּ֖כי י‬
‫ירא מ ִֵרבְב֥ ֹות ָ ֑עם‬ ָ ִ‫ֽא־א‬ ֭ ‫ֹל‬
‫אֲׁשר ָ֜ס ִ֗ביב ָ ׁ֣שתּו עָלָ ֽי׃‬ ֶ֥
‫יענִי‬ ֤ ֵ ‫ּומה י ְה ָו֙ה׀ הֹו ִׁ֨ש‬ ֤ ָ ‫֨ק‬
‫ׁש ֵּנ֖י‬
ִ ‫אֱֹל ַ֗הי ּכִ ֽי־ה ִִּכ֣יתָ אֶת־ּכָל־אֹי ַ ְ֣בי ֶ ֑לחִי‬
‫ׁשּבַ ְֽרּתָ ׃‬
ִ ‫ׁשָעים‬ ֣ ִ ‫ְר‬
֖‫ְׁשּועה ַעֽל־ ַעּמְָך‬ ֑ ָ ‫לַיהוָ ֥ה ַהי‬
‫ב ְִרכ ֶ ָ֣תָך ּסֶ ֽלָה׃‬
)Ps 3. WTT(
Translation

Melody of David fled from Absalom, his son.

Yahweh, why so many there are rising against me?

Why many say to my soul that no salvation of God for him?

But Yahweh is my shield, glory, and the lifter of my head.

With voice I called Yahweh and he answered from the hill of holiness above.

I lay down to sleep and awake because Yahweh sustains me.

I am not afraid of multitude of people rounding against me.

Arise Yahweh, save me God that wicked enemies’ cheek and teeth to be broken.

Salvation belongs to Yahweh and may bless your people.

Contents

I. Introduction
II. Many are rising against me. (v.1-2)
A. Distress of David
B. Christological approach

III. I cried aloud to the LORD. (v.3-6)

A. Shield, glory, and the lifter of my head
B. From his holy hill he answered
C. I will not be afraid

IV. Salvation belongs to the LORD. (v.7-8)

A. Arise! Save me!
B. Strike all my enemies: Soteriology

V. Conclusion

I. Introduction

Psalm 3 is orderly the first psalm with the title. It is helpful for better exegesis “to regard

the titles as early reliable tradition concerning the authorship and setting of the psalms.”1 Due to

the given notice of the title, “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son”, readers

could acknowledge that the historical background of the psalm is related to the incident of

Absalom’s rebellion written in 2Sa.15. Absalom’s rebellion was the most severe tragic event

during the regime of David for the one who rebelled against him was David’s beloved son and

many of his people. In 2Sa.15:13, a messenger came to David and reported, “The hearts of the

men of Israel have gone after Absalom.”2 David didn’t fight against his son and escaped from

Jerusalem and fled through the Olive mountain way to the east. Although it is not sure whether

David wrote the psalm while he fled or after, what still obvious is that the contents of Psalm 3

1
Raymond B. Dillard and Tremper Longman III, An Introduction to the Old Testament, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing
House, 1994), 215.

2
2Sa.15:13, ESV
are surly concerned with his escape. Hence readers might sympathize more to the psalm of David

who had to escape from his son.

II. Many are rising against me. (v.1-2)

A. Distress of David

The opening of the psalm showed the desperate situation of the singer through the

Hebrew term ‫(‌ ָמה‬how), which is used here as an urgent petition to Yahweh. Furthermore, the

singer emphasizes his isolated status three times with the expression, “many are”. Even though it

is unusual for us to harmonize the book of praising with the expressions of distress, as Johnston

mentioned, “distress is ubiquitous in the psalms… is always recounted in an appeal to Yahweh,

and the sufferer nearly always moves on to some expression of hope.”3 The fact that the distress

is shown constantly among various psalms informs that human beings are essentially under the

necessity of salvation. The more remarkable thing we have to focus on is that David did not

merely grumble his hardships but appealed to God presenting his inner reason of distress: for

many are saying that there is no salvation for him in God. David suffered not by just Absalom’s

rebellion but by also Shimei’s curse on him. David heard God’s voice of wrathful judgment

within the curse of him, and felt miserable for he was abandoned from God because of his sin.

However, David appealed to the LORD once again for help and salvation.

B. Christological approach

When Jesus, the real antitype of King David, was hung on the cross chief priests and the

scribes mocked him saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.”4 The expression is quite

3
Philip S. Johnston, Interpreting the Psalms: Issues and Approaches, ed. Philip S. Johnston and David G. Firth, (Downers Grove:
IVP, 2005), 84.

4
Mk.15:31, ESV.
similar to verse 2 of Psalm 3. Jesus also laid down his life on the hand of God the Father just like

David who was asking God’s salvation. While David suffered for his own sins and

transgressions, Jesus died for the sins of others: his people. The foes of Jesus were not only the

mockers and the persecutors, but also his chosen people, we, because Bible said, “while we were

enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son”5, and declared, “Jesus Christ of

Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead”6. The concept of enmity existed

between holy God and sinful men before the crucifixion of Jesus is clearly expressed in Psalm 3.

Moreover, David found that God allowed him to be suffered and mocked. When he

heard curses from Shimei he confessed, “the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing

today.”7 The concept of payment is essential to the principle of redemption. God recovers when

the deserved suffering ends. God moved our sufferings to Jesus and he was cursed on the tree

alternately. The core principle of redemptive work of Jesus clings to the justice of repayment.

God allowed David to be suffered not only for him edified but also for us to know the truth of

redemption.

III. I cried aloud to the LORD. (v.3-6)

A. Shield, glory, and the lifter of my head

The singer uses three kinds of expression related to the LORD. First of all, he mentions

the LORD as his ‫( מָ גֵן‬shield) because he is now attacked and mocked by many enemies. And next,
5
Ro.5:10, ESV.

6
Ac.4:10, ESV.

7
2Sa.16:12, ESV
he calls God his glory because now he loses his glory of kingship and is escaping out of his

capital city. Lastly, he expresses that the LORD is the lifter of his head. The head symbolizes the

honor, so that David covered his head when he escaped and went up the Mount of Olive for

showing his dishonor. Through the confessions he reaffirms his belief onto God’s faithfulness

and prepares to pray. To know God truly by the revelation and one’s life experience is essential to

sound relationship with God.

B. From his holy hill he answered

After confessing the faith in Yahweh, the singer “cried aloud to the LORD” who

answered from his holy hill (v.4). Whether the “holy hill” designated the Zion or the Olive

Mount is not clear. Scripture mentioned in Psalm 2, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my

holy hill.”8 However in the context of the singer, 2 Sa.15 illustrated the situation, “David went up

the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went…While David was coming to the summit,

where God was worshiped…”9 Bullock related that, “when the New Testament circumstances fit

those described in the psalm, permitting prophetic inferences from it, messianic associations may

be suspected.”10 If the “holy hill” stands for the Mount of Olives, Psalm 3 could be interpreted as

Messianic Psalm as well because the crying prayer of the singer closely resembles that of Jesus

in Gethsemane, the western garden of the Mount of Olive, which is written in Luke, “he came

out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives… being in an agony he prayed more

earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” 11 Two

prayers in agonies are quite similar although there is the main difference between the prayer of

8
Ps.2:6, ESV

9
2 Sa. 15:30, 32, ESV

10
C. Hassell Bullock, An introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books, (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1988), 163.

11
Luke 22:39, 45, ESV
David and of Jesus that whereas David, the betrayed father, merely prayed for his own salvation

and acknowledged God’s providence afterward, Jesus prayed with obedience to the Father for his

mission which was the salvation of others.

C. I will not be afraid

The singer confessed after the prayer that he will not be afraid for the Lord sustained

him during the dark night time from laying down to waking up again. (v.5) The imperfect verbal

form in this phrase expresses the continuing crises he is facing. However, he became bold and

said not just that he is not afraid, but he will not even if the worse situation comes. Scripture

promised, “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made

known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hears

and your minds in Christ Jesus.”12 The biggest change given from God by answering the prayer

is not the change of circumstances but of our own minds because the LORD of all events wants

fear and trust of God. The same singer, David, confessed in another psalm, “Behold, you delight

in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret hear.” 13 The Hebrew noun ‫‌עָם‬

('am) for “many people” in ESV translation sometimes refers to a military contingent or troops,

and it may infer the threat of Absalom’s military forces. While he was chased by the threatening

rebellions, David refused Zadok, bearing the Ark of the Covenant which symbolized the

presence of God, following saying, “If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me

back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’

behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.” 14 This is not different from the

prayer of Jesus at Gethsemane.

12
Phil. 4:6-7, ESV

13
Ps. 51:6, ESV

14
2 Sa. 15:25-26, ESV
 IV. Salvation belongs to the LORD. (v.7-8)

A. Arise! Save me!

The singer’s request of salvation to the LORD in this verse strongly resists to enemies

mock and reverses it in verse 2, “there is no salvation for him in God.” John Goldingay stated,

“Perhaps they do not think that God is active in the world, but more likely (like Job’s friends)

they do believe that God is real but think they have reason to conclude that God will certainly not

deliver the likes of this person.”15 It is interesting that when he asked the salvation he used two

appellations, Yahweh and Elohyim, together onto God. For preaching out the divine nature of

Jesus, Jesus himself and his disciples quoted from Psalm several times, “The LORD says to my

Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” 16 Salvation is the ministry

of Triune God: Holy Father planned, Holy Son accomplished, and Holy Spirit applied. David

asked Yahweh to arise for him and Elohyim God to save him from enemies. “When the

imperative ‘arise’ is used here and elsewhere in the Psalms”, Allan Harman stated, “it points to a

confident expectation of victory.”17

B. Strike all my enemies: Soteriology

The concept of struggling with enemies and asking God for revenge is prevalent

especially among Davidic psalms. Biblical Soteriology contains not only the redemption of sins

but also the triumph against the evil enemies, deliverance. Scripture declared, “The reason the

Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” 18 Surely, there is an enmity between

15
John Goldingay, Psalms Vol.1, ed. Tremper Longman III, (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006), 115.

16
Ps. 110:1, ESV (The very verse was cited in Matt. 22:44, Ac.2:35, Heb.1:13 as well.)

17
Allen Harman, Psalms: A Mentor Commentary Vol.1, (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2011), 112.

18
1 Jn.3:8, ESV
the offspring of woman and of serpent after the fall so that to his disciples Jesus said, “If the

world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” 19 Bible doesn’t teach the

unconditional love for the accuser, Satan, is always hatred by God and his people. And moreover,

there are certain groups of people following satanic assertions; in the context of Psalm 3,

rebellions. To break the teeth of the wicked thus is deserved to those who mocked God’s

anointed one.

God’s salvation through his anointed one reaches from an individual to the community

which is dwelling in it. When the singer proclaimed, “salvation belongs to the LORD”, it means

that God exclusively has the authority to save or not to do. Absalom’s rebellion led many

Israelites to stand against David. There are many common traits between anti-Christ in NT and

Absalom in OT: both came out from the covenantal line, rebelled against the anointed one, and

temporarily being victorious, so that Scripture articulated, “Let no one deceive you in any way.

For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is

revealed, the son of destruction”20. Those who didn’t believe truth but delighted the wickedness

would be perished under the regime of anti-Christ who called himself the LORD. Therefore,

Scripture commanded, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”.21

V. Conclusion

In the early time of Israel there were three kings which symbolize important figures in

the redemptive history. Saul of Benjamin tribe, which was almost ruined in the era of Judges,

was chosen by God and anointed as the first king, but became arrogant. His fallen glory

19
Jn.15:18, ESV

20
2 Thess. 2:3, ESV

21
Phil. 2:12, ESV
resembles the archangel Lucifer. The next king David, however, had no form or majesty that

people should look at him. He rejoiced Yahweh’s glory and offered devotion throughout his

whole life. As we know, his name David meant, “beloved one”. The third one, the illegal

successor of David, was Absalom. He came out from David but rebelled against him by tempting

and robbing Israelites’ hearts like anti-Christ in the very end age. Therefore, Psalm 3 might be

interpreted that the victorious Christ against anti-Christ.

Bibliography

Dillard, Ramond B., and Temper Longman III. An Introduction to the Old Testament. Grand

Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994.

Johnston, Philip S. and David G. Firth ed. Interpreting the Psalms: Issue and Approaches.

Downers Grove: IVP, 2005.

Bullock, C. Hassell. An Introduction to the Old Testament. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1988.

Goldingay, John. Psalms Vol.1. Grand Rapids: Baker Academics, 2006.

Harman, Allen. Psalms: A Mentor Commentary Vol.1. Great Britain: Christian Focus

Publications, 2011.