Psalm 3
Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 3
Confidence in Troubled Times
A psalm of David when he fled from his son Absalom.(A)
1 Lord, how my foes increase!
There are many who attack me.(B)
2 Many say about me,
“There is no help for him in God.”(C)Selah
3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,(D)
my glory,(E) and the one who lifts up my head.(F)
4 I cry aloud to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.(G)Selah
Psalm 3
Revised Geneva Translation
3 LORD, how my adversaries are increased? How many rise against me?
2 Many say to my soul, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah.
3 But You, LORD, are a buckler for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4 I called to the LORD with my voice, and He heard me out of His Holy Mountain. Selah.
5 I laid down and slept; and rose up again. For the LORD sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of tens of thousands of people who should beset me all around.
7 O LORD, arise! Help me, my God! For You have struck all my enemies upon the cheekbone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked.
8 Salvation belongs to the LORD. And Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah. To him who excels on Neginoth: A Psalm of David.
Psalm 3
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 3[a]
Threatened but Trusting
1 A psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.[b](A)
I
2 How many are my foes, Lord!
How many rise against me!
3 [c]How many say of me,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”(B)
Selah
4 But you, Lord, are a shield around me;
my glory, you keep my head high.(C)
II
5 With my own voice I will call out to the Lord,
and he will answer me from his holy mountain.
Selah
6 I lie down and I fall asleep,
[and] I will wake up, for the Lord sustains me.(D)
7 I do not fear, then, thousands of people
arrayed against me on every side.
III
8 Arise, Lord! Save me, my God!
For you strike the cheekbone of all my foes;
you break the teeth of the wicked.(E)
9 Salvation is from the Lord!
May your blessing be upon your people!(F)
Selah
Footnotes
- Psalm 3 An individual lament complaining of enemies who deny that God will come to the rescue (Ps 3:2–3). Despite such taunts the psalmist hopes for God’s protection even in sleep (Ps 3:4–7). The Psalm prays for an end to the enemies’ power to speak maliciously (Ps 3:8) and closes peacefully with an expression of trust (Ps 3:9).
- 3:1 The superscription, added later, relates the Psalm to an incident in the life of David.
- 3:3, 3:5, 3:9 Selah: the term is generally considered a direction to the cantor or musicians but its exact meaning is not known. It occurs seventy-one times in thirty-nine Psalms.
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