PSALMS THREE COMMENTARY
Contents
I. Introduction. 1
II. Psalms Three Commentary Verses. 1
3:1-3- Thou Jehovah Art a Shield for Me, My Honor, and Lifter Up of My Head. 1
3:4-6- Jehovah Answereth Me from His Holy Hill, Jehovah Sustaineth Me. 1
3:7-8- On Thy People is Thy Blessing Great Jehovah God! 1
III. Illustrations and Tables. 1
Figure 1. I have lain down, and I sleep, I have waked, for Jehovah sustaineth me (Psalms 3:5). 1
Works Cited and References. 1
Footnotes. 1
Jehovah God through the pen of His hard-pressed servant David speaks a word about Resurrection and Salvation in this blessed psalm. But we may as well say that Resurrection is the overarching theme of this psalm, for in the grand, big picture of Scripture, which concerns Jehovah God and His manifest, eternal Relationship with humankind, which is Salvation, which is life eternal in the presence of Jehovah God, which turns on Jesus Christ, Resurrection, is the much-anticipated starting point. Of course, Resurrection, that vital aspect of the grand program of God, has already begun. It began centuries ago with the resurrection of Jesus Christ, He, First Fruits in that program, with many a beloved to follow in due time.
We will follow this format:
Verse of Scripture utilizing the YLT text followed by an NASB mouse over of that verse. Key words in the YLT text will be footnoted with a link to a word study based on the Hebrew text, and/or a general discussion relative to the given word (we are not biblical Greek or Hebrew scholars, please consider our grammatical constructions with a critical eye).
Commentary We shall be commenting on this passage keeping before us at all times the crucial fact that every jot and every tittle comprising these verses came forth under the inspiration of the blessed Holy Spirit. We pray that He, by His grace, helps us along the way.
3:1-3- Thou Jehovah Art a Shield for Me, My Honor, and Lifter Up of My Head
YLT TEXT: A Psalm of David, in his fleeing from the face of Absalom his son. Jehovah, how have my distresses multiplied! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, 'There is no salvation for him in God.' Selah. And Thou, O Jehovah, art a shield for me, My honour, and lifter up of my head. (Psalms 3:1-3, Psalms 3:1-3, NLT)
COMMENTARY: What better way is there to face up to trial than to write a psalm to Jehovah God whilst in the midst of it: “…A Psalm of David, in his fleeing from the face of Absalom his son…”. This is tantamount to prayer; putting prayerful meditations down on paper whilst in the pressure cooker.
It is good to write spiritual things down, especially prayerful things, because it always makes a good personal record to guide other prayers, and it brings about good spiritual focus, because prayers are oftentimes more deliberate, and certainly slower, when writing. This gives the blessed Spirit of God more opportunity (owing to the human side) to bring clarity in the circumstances attending the prayer, be they distresses, or praising God, or fellowshipping and thanking God, or petitions and whatnot. So, David is here writing (for the biblical record, unbeknownst to him), he is of course praying, and all the while he is fleeing. Two practical moves, the former two, attending a third, no less practical move, given his circumstances (the circumstances-2Samuel 15:1ff, also).
It is to the Eternal One, Jehovah, that David writes this psalm. And it is so lovely how David talks to Jehovah as he writes, as talking to a dear Friend: “…Jehovah…” David begins. This is so excellent. And no doubt this personable psalm and many others that David wrote survived in the biblical record not least because this personable manner of address and conversation is acceptable and pleasing to Jehovah God. If we may: ‘ …My mind and my heart are weary Jehovah God. They have beset me all about and seek to lay me waste. See and have mercy, see how I flee before them, even before Absalom my son, my son. I flee, but there are so many arisen against me, fleeing finds but another enemy lusting to betray me. Help me dearest Jehovah, as before, lest I sink deep in this quagmire, never again to rise and sing your praises in the land of the living—O fast stir yourself and rescue your fading servant…’. Thus David laments to Jehovah his God: “…How many have my distresses multiplied! Many are rising up against me…”.
But O the bile here directed toward David, even at his soul: “….Many are saying of my soul, 'There is no salvation for him in God.'…”. What exactly do David’s enemies mean by this satanic, super-confident claim? These insults are prophetic in nature and look ahead to the perception of Jesus by His (human) enemies. Jesus’ enemies were sure that He was not of God, indeed, not the Son of God as He Jesus claimed. And these insults toward David as those toward Jesus in His day emphasize and magnify the presumed and satanically aggravated disconnect between David and his Father God and between Jesus the Son of God and His Father God (note Psalms 22:7-8, 42:10, 71:10-13, cf. Mat 27:40-43). But there is no way that one who had tasted so often the salvation of his Father God would do anything but trust that blessed Father for his salvation in the Father’s good time: “…And Thou, O Jehovah, art a shield for me, My honour, and lifter up of my head…” (red font added). Here is a Spirit-guided, super-confident response, grounded in David’s salvific experiences and uttered under inspiration (Jehovah God is never mocked, not even a little bit). It is of course the resurrection of Jesus Christ that David sees here besides his own Salvation. Though Jesus bowed His blessed head upon triumphing in His salvific work (John 19:30), His resurrection was the lifting up of that blessed head, and is the hope of myriads, hoping to follow in kind—lifted up, up, up—including David and you and I dearest beloved of God reader (“A Letter of Invitation”).
My voice is unto Jehovah: I call: And He answereth me from his holy hill, Selah. I -- I have lain down, and I sleep, I have waked, for Jehovah sustaineth me. I am not afraid of myriads of people, That round about they have set against me. (Psalms 3:4-6, Psalms 3:4-6, NLT)
COMMENTARY: The O so good resurrection theme continues. It is the newness of Life, eternal life in God’s presence: Salvation, all alike sustained by Jehovah God, that is here proclaimed per a call. A call, calling, called. Jehovah God calls (Isa 55:1, John 6:44, 12:32, “Isaiah Chapter Fifty-Five Commentary”, “A Letter of Invitation”). Humankind calls, best, on God (Psalms 3:4, 34:6), like David here. Yes, a Salvation call unto Jehovah David made in his day: “…My voice is unto Jehovah: I call…”, and he was certainly answered in a big way, near-term (Absalom), and far-term (Salvation, even Messiah in his line): “…And He answereth me from his holy hill, Selah…”. There is as much and more to it than that in our day going forward, because when we call upon Jehovah today—let it be a blessed answer to a blessed calling—He straightaway answers us in David’s Messiah, in our Messiah (John 6:37, 14:13). And though we shall all, sooner or later, near-term, or a little further-term, lay down and sleep as it were, His Called, His Callers, His own, shall wake, shall rise (1Corinthians 15:51-57), for all throughout precisely Jehovah sustains His own, making all this O so good resurrection theme what it in fact is--Possible: “…My voice is unto Jehovah: I call: And He answereth me from his holy hill, Selah. I – have lain down, and I sleep, I have waked, for Jehovah sustaineth me…” (Psalms 16:10-Messiah, 1Corinthians 15:20-23-Callers, upon Him, Messiah). A call, calling, called.
YLT TEXT: Rise, O Jehovah! save me, my God. Because Thou hast smitten All mine enemies on the cheek. The teeth of the wicked Thou hast broken. Of Jehovah is this salvation; On Thy people is Thy blessing! Selah. (Psalms 3:7-8, Psalms 3:7-8, NLT)
COMMENTARY: This is a terrific declarative praise segment. David looks back and recalls Jehovah’s many helps and straightaway begins to steel himself in those sweet memories and like letting the air out of the tension and fear those memories make manageable multiplied distresses just before bitterly bewailed: “…how have my distresses multiplied…” becomes: “…Rise, O Jehovah! Save me, my God [please notice carefully now come the salvific memories flooding into his head and heart] Because Thou hast smitten All mine enemies on the cheek [‘…I remember it well Thou Great Champion mine…’]. The teeth of the wicked Thou hast broken…”. By now the Spirit of God has so steeled David that he cannot stop praising God and victory is a foregone conclusion—with his Savior by his side he is ready to engage the battle and take care of the Messianic business that depended on his victory as he remembers that Savior by his side so often before: “…Of Jehovah is this salvation...”. Of Jehovah is this Yeshua! Is this not terrific to see happening real-time like that in this man’s life? It bodes ever so well for us Yeshua’s people, David’s brethren: “…On Thy people is Thy blessing! Selah…”. David, a man of God, knew firsthand that God’s blessing is on His people, because it was on David. Another great memory that he extrapolates out to you and me dearest Christian friend, in praising-honor of God his Savior whom he loves and in love for the blessed ones, his brethren, of whom he delights to be a part. See how this man of God David thinks? Thank you great savior God, for again and again blessing David, for in those blessings indeed came multiplied blessings to your people.
Praised be your Name great savior God, Yeshua. Amen.
Figure 1. I have lain down, and I sleep, I have waked, for Jehovah sustaineth me (Psalms 3:5).
“A Letter of Invitation.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/aletterofinvitation.html >
Blue Letter Bible.
Study Tools, etc.
< http://blueletterbible.org >
“He Who Sent Me.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/hewhosentme.html >
Henry, Matthew.
Commentary on Psalms Three.
< http://blb.sc/004hWm >
“Isaiah chapter Fifty-Five Commentary.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/commentaryisa55.html >
McGee, J.V.
Commentary on Psalms Three.
“Psalms Two Commentary.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/commentarypsa2.html >
“Psalms Twenty-Two Commentary.”
Jesus, Amen.
< http://jesusamen.org/commentarypsa22.html >
“Qal.”
Wikipedia.
< https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qal_(linguistics) >
Young's Literal Translation.
The YLT is in the public domain.
(words under study are highlighted)
A psalm of David. David, the sweet psalmist of Israel (2Samuel 23:1). Not a literary genre from David’s perspective, but an expression of the heart here. A love song, a song of adoration, and praise, and worship, and thanks. Expressions of the heart. A little (but not so little) love letter! FROM: David, TO: my Beloved, RE: all of the above.
[in his] fleeing-Strong’s H1272 [from the face of Absalom his son]. Remove oneself fast, hastily, make haste. Verbal usage is Qal (unmodified, finite verb form, “simple” action in this way), infinitive construct (verbal noun). The sense conveyed is that of urgency.
[from the face of] Absalom-Strong’s H53 [his son]. “Father of Peace,” yet he rebels against his father, bloodily, unjustly, selfishly arrogant, and covetous. “Father of Peace” is perhaps better put. See also.
[in his fleeing from the face of Absalom] his son. Scripture quite communicates Absalom’s relationship to David (“his son”), and it is gripping, not just because of the betrayal and intrigue perpetrated by his son—consider the rest of the story: O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son...(2Sa 18:33). Thus did our Father God by way of His Son die for many an Absalom, to the day, to the making of many sons and daughters, all His. Peace. Jehovah. Prince of Peace. Father God of Peace.
Jehovah [how many have my distresses multiplied]. The Eternal One, the great I AM. What are distresses over against eternity, even your Salvation, great Jehovah God. Even so, you are mindful of them today Eternal One, mindful of them one by one and day by day, thus multiplied and burdensome and grievous (Matthew 11:28-30). Praised be your Name great Jehovah God.
[how many have my] distresses-Strong’s H6862
[multiplied]. The slang would put it as “being between a rock and a hard place.” In the context of Absalom’s rebellion, the rock would be, let’s say, Absalom, and the hard place would be, let’s say, seemingly everybody else in the environs. Thus pinched between this enemy and that; not unlike Judah in Ahaz’s day (735-715 BC), when Israel and Syria to the north and Edom to the south thus sought to miserably squeeze this key player in the Messianic Program, Judah, to her death. See how that unclean thing Satan does things? First, he strikes at the Covenant Nation, then upon failure, he strikes at arguably the most key person from the Covenant Nation besides Jesus. He strikes at you and me, Covenant friend, in the same way—first at the most general level—this is the presumed knock-out punch—and when that fails, come the body and head blows in specific places which by force of attrition are designed to be spiritually, and otherwise in fact, fatal. Of course, this low-plane enemy was defeated at Calvary. Praised be your Name great savior God, amen.
[Many are saying of my] soul—Strong’s H5315 [there is no salvation for him in God]. The precious part of Being, of human, Being. That which animates the flesh. That which returns to God, or not. That which lives on post mortem, lives on into eternity…somewhere. Here is Jesus’ instruction on it: Matthew 10:28.
[Many are saying of my soul, there is no] salvation-Strong’s H3444 [for him in God]. Here is Yeshua. A “between a rock and a hard place” fix in this context, a fix unto friendlier, softer environs. In this way is the bigger, more profound picture of Salvation a “between a rock and a hard place” fix, unto life eternal in the presence of Jehovah God…friendlier, softer, longer, lasting, praise God, even Yeshua.
[There is no salvation for him in] God-Strong’s H430. Before in note five David calls on his God Jehovah, the Eternal One, in the Fear of the Lord (as evidenced by the context); in contrast, here David’s stalkers are name-calling Elohim, the very God of Mighty Acts. Why name-calling? Because they presumed to shorten His salvific Arm, which is to Him a Name (Psalms 3:8, 18:35, 62:6, 71:15, 85:7-9, Isaiah 12:2, 33:6, 49:6): “…there is no salvation for him in Elohim…”.
My] voice-Strong’s H7121 [is unto Jehovah]. David is saying ‘…I cried unto Jehovah…’. Verbal usage is Qal, imperfect (ongoing action in past time). Catch the imperfect—David set his face toward Jehovah in prayer prepared to wrestle with Him in prayer for as long as humanly possible.
[I call and He answereth me from his] holy hill. Where exactly is the great Jehovah God’s holy hill? Mount Zion? Mount Church? Mount Heart? Mount Prayer Closet? Mount Fellowship with Jehovah? Mount Not My Will but Thine Father God? Mount__?
[I have lain down, and I sleep, I have waked, forJehovah] sustaineth-Strong’s H5564 [me]. Hardly can anything steal sleep as can distresses, impending, or realized; physical, mental, spiritual; many such distresses, nagging distresses that taunt the eyelids, daring them to stay shut.
The sustenance for which David here praises God is a testament to and a function of the deliverance/s of Jehovah God that David had tasted oft before in the face of distresses. This is declarative praise, which (this communion with God) is “sustenance” in its own right (smart guy this lover of Jehovah God David). Verbal usage is Qal, imperfect! Note the imperfect.
Rise-Strongs H6965 [O Jehovah save me, my God]. As in act, do, perform. Verbal usage is Qal, imperative! Note the imperative (direct address command!)—David is here boldly before the Mercy Seat (1Chronicles 28:11, Hebrews 4:16); anticipating Messiah, his Messiah, who oft spoke through David.
[Rise, O Jehovah! Save me, my] God-Strong’s H430.Elohim, as in note nine—not by accident in this context David calls specifically on the One whom his stalkers slighted.
[The teeth of the] wicked-Strong’s H7563 [Thou hast broken]. There is much wickedness in the world, all summed up by Godlessness—Godlessness is at the root of wickedness, it is quintessential wickedness. Why? Godlessness is the ultimate profaning of God’s Name, which Name stands for Righteousness, which is the stark opposite of wickedness. The Godless are wicked, are self-righteous, they construct a righteousness that suits them, according to their own “standards,” which vary from one Godless wicked one to the next, and which shift from one day to the next. The Name of God, Righteousness, is not fluid like that, it is anchored in Righteousness, and attested by the Word of God. The people of God, His Namesakes, are anchored in this His Fixed Righteousness, which comes from God. And so, it only follows that the people of God are not wicked; certainly not. David’s enemies were wicked, indeed Godless in this sense, in that they sought to kill God’s anointed one, one whom they knew full well was God’s anointed (does this bring to mind any parallels?)—it is a manifestation of that Godless self-righteousness we spoke of, this killing. That is why Satan is the consummate wicked one, consummate antiGod is he, a murderer and a liar from the beginning—expedient “standards” and modus operandi here, thoroughly rooted in Godlessness. Satan sets his own standards, expediently fluid to say the least, and his people, are like their wicked daddy. You can spot them, you know them, by their fruits, over against God’s Name. And it has a certain disgusting stench about it too by the way this wicked family—bad fruit. Hooray that their backstabbing, bitter, brutal teeth have been broken by the One whom they disdain and mock and ever bite; the serpent’s teeth broken here (at Calvary); hooray.
[Of Jehovah is this salvation; on thy people is thy] blessing-Strong’s H1293. Berakah is a lovely word, in the Word, from the Word; salient Word this word, is it not?! Blessing! Or, Salvation, same thing! David tasted it, sweet Berakah, the people of God taste it, sweet Berakah. Praised be your Name great Jehovah God, Blesser! Thank you.
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