Psalm 3:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: many are saying of my soul, "There is no salvation for him in God." Selah

NIV: Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him."

NASB: Many are saying of my soul, 'There is no salvation for him in God.' Selah

CSB: Many say about me, "There is no help for him in God." Selah

NLT: So many are saying, 'God will never rescue him!' Interlude

KJV: Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

NKJV: Many are they who say of me, “ There is no help for him in God.” Selah

This psalm was written by David as he fled from his son, Absalom. Absalom attempted to overthrow David and even considered sending 12,000 men to pursue and kill his father (2 Samuel 17:1–3). David avoided that fate only by the influence of his ally, Hushai (2 Samuel 17:15–16). Faced with those odds and the power of the enemy against him, it's not surprising that some would consider David's situation hopeless.

Shimei, most likely a descendant of former king Saul, was one of those who taunted David as he fled from Absalom. He threw stones at David and his servants and said, "Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! The LORD has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood" (2 Samuel 16:7–8).

However, David's flight from Absalom was not the first time he had been mocked. When he was a youth, David was the target of the taunts of the Philistine giant Goliath. As David drew near to fight Goliath, he endured Goliath's insults. Goliath cursed David by his pagan gods and said, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field" (1 Samuel 17:43–44).

Psalm 3:1–6 discloses David's plight, arising from the violent coup being waged by his son, Absalom. David's enemies abounded and mocked him. Those around David said God would not deliver him. Psalm 7 complements this passage by expressing David's concern that his enemies constantly assault him. Despite their opposition, David trusts in the Lord as his shield and deliverer. He anticipates God's judgment on his enemies. The mockery expressed in Psalm 3:2 is similar to that of those who crucified Jesus (Luke 23:35–37).

David cries out to the Lord while being pursued by many enemies. Others are telling him the situation is hopeless, that he cannot be delivered from his trouble. However, David testifies that the Lord is his shield and deliverer. He says the Lord answered him from the site of Mount Zion. This answer to prayer led to a good night's sleep and confidence that he had nothing to fear from his many foes. He closes the psalm by declaring that the Lord had slain his enemies in the past and would do so again. The Lord would strike down David's enemies with crushing blows to the head. He knew the Lord delivers those who trust in Him, so he asks the Lord to bless His people.

Psalm 3 finds its background in David's flight from his rebellious son Absalom (2 Samuel 15—18). David had fled from the palace in Jerusalem and was hiding in the desert. This psalm is closely related to Psalm 4, both of which were written by David when he was a fugitive from Absalom. It is the first psalm in the first division of Psalms (Psalm 1—41) that is specifically ascribed to David. In this division only Psalms 1, 2, 10, and 33 do not bear an ascription. David's expressions of confidence in the Lord to protect him from his enemies are also seen in Psalms such as 25, 27, 28, 31, 35, and 41.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.