Psalm 3:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

NIV: I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain.

NASB: I was crying out to the Lord with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah

CSB: I cry aloud to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. Selah

NLT: I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain. Interlude

KJV: I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

NKJV: I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

Psalm 3 was written by David while fleeing from his murderous son, Absalom. In fact, David narrowly escaped being overrun by an army of some 12,000 men (2 Samuel 17:1–3). Hushai's influence spared David from being overrun (2 Samuel 17:15–16). David has likely heard people tell him to abandon hope, but he insists on being faithful to God (Psalm 3:1–3). This is not, after all, the first time David has faced danger in his life.

As a testimonial to the Lord's faithfulness, David proclaims that from His holy hill, Mount Zion, the Lord answered his prayer for deliverance. Psalm 18:3–6 recalls an extremely dangerous time when the Lord delivered David. That was when Saul, the prior king, attempted to kill David. He writes: "I call upon the LORD…The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me…In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears."

God still delivers His people from threatening situations. In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul affirms that the Lord is at hand, and exhorts believers, "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:5–7). David's answered prayer can encourage every Christian to pray, instead of tremble, when adversity strikes.

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.