INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 3 A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN HE FLED FROM ABSALOM HIS SON. This is the first of the psalms that has a title, and is called a Psalm; the word for which, "mizmor", comes from one which signifies to "cut" or "prune" r, as trees are lopped of their superfluous branches; showing this t... [ Continue Reading ]
LORD, HOW ARE THEY INCREASED THAT TROUBLE ME?.... David's enemies increased in the conspiracy against him, 2 Samuel 15:12; the hearts of the men of Israel were after Absalom, and against him. Christ's enemies increased when Judas with a multitude came to take him; when the body of the common people... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY [THERE BE] WHICH SAY OF MY SOUL,.... Or "to my soul" u, the following cutting words, which touched to the quick, reached his very heart, and like a sword pierced through it: [THERE IS] NO HELP FOR HIM IN GOD; or "no salvation" w: neither in this world, nor in that which is to come, as Kimchi e... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU, O LORD, [ART] A SHIELD FOR ME,.... Or "about me" a protecting and defending me. David was a military man, and often alludes to military affairs; and borrows words from thence, expressive of his great security from the Lord; see Psalms 18:2. So Jehovah the Father was a shield to Christ, in... [ Continue Reading ]
I CRIED UNTO THE LORD WITH MY VOICE,.... The experience which the psalmist had of being heard in prayer, was what gave great encouragement to his faith, as to his interest in God and salvation by him, when his enemies were so increased about him; for crying here is to be understood of prayer, as it... [ Continue Reading ]
I LAID ME DOWN AND SLEPT,.... After the battle was over between Absalom's men and his, says Aben Ezra; but rather this was in the midst of his trouble and distress, since he afterwards prays for salvation: and this sleep was either, as Jarchi observes, through his heart being overwhelmed with grief;... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL NOT BE AFRAID OF TEN THOUSANDS OF THE PEOPLE,.... David was a man of courage from his youth; the instances of his attacking the lion and the bear, when he kept his father's sheep, his engaging with Goliath, and his military exploits, show it; and though there were now many thousands up in arm... [ Continue Reading ]
ARISE, O LORD; SAVE ME, O MY GOD,.... God sometimes, in the apprehension of his people, seems to be as if he was asleep: when he does not appear to them and for them, and does not exert his power on their behalf, then they call to him to awake and arise; see Psalms 44:23; and it may be some respect... [ Continue Reading ]
SALVATION [BELONGETH] UNTO THE LORD,.... As the author of it; temporal salvation is of him; all the deliverances of the saints out of their troubles are from him; and to him is owing their spiritual and eternal salvation; this belongs to Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit: Jehovah the Father resolved... [ Continue Reading ]