Psalm 3 is the third psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Lord, how are they increased that trouble me!". In Latin, it is known as "Domine quid multiplicati sunt".[1] The psalm is a personal thanksgiving to God, who answered the prayer of an afflicted soul. It is attributed to David and relates in particular to the time when he fled from his son Absalom.
The following table shows the Hebrew text[2][3] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).
Salvation belongeth unto the LORD; Thy blessing be upon Thy people. Selah
King James Version
Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: Thy blessing is upon Thy people. Selah.
Septuagint
The Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation, has "my enemies without cause" (τοὺς ἐχθραίνοντάς μοι ματαίως)[4] instead of "my enemies upon the cheek" in verse 7, thus reading "For you have struck all who are enemies to me without cause." Origen notes that "some Jews say that the ancient copies were different."[5]
Context
Psalm 3 is the first psalm with a title in the original and it concerns a specific time of crisis in David's life. David fled Absalom because of a series of events that followed from David being under discipline for his own sins regarding Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel, chapter 11).[6] In that light, the prayer is a model for looking to God for help even in the midst of God's chastisement. Even so, David prays, "Thy blessing is upon Thy people".[7]
An evening and a morning are seen (verse 5) as David lays down to sleep and wakes up protected and sustained by providence. Absalom's advisor Ahitophel is personified as the mouth who David asks God to "break the teeth of", and in the account, Ahitophel's counsel is frustrated and Ahitophel faces his demise.[8] David fleeing his son at the start of Psalm 3 is in direct contrast with taking refuge in "the Son" at the end of Psalm 2.[9]
This is also the first psalm which has the word or instruction selah, which appears after verses 2, 4 and 8.[10] The final selah possibly indicates that Psalm 3 and Psalm 4 are tied together somehow.[citation needed]
David spent more years fleeing Saul as a young man than he spent fleeing his son Absalom. David wrote many psalms that we find later in the book of psalms regarding situations where he was being pursued by Saul. But here is one of the opening songs in the Book of Psalms, and it is about the painful experience of fleeing from his own son.
Commentary
Matthew Henry
According to Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary written in 1706, verses 1-3 represent David complaining to God of his enemies, and confiding in God. Verses 4-8 represent his triumphs over his fears, and "give God the glory", while "taking to himself the comfort".[11]
Martin Luther
Martin Luther felt that, overall, the goal in this psalm is to impart the confidence of those who consider themselves followers of YHWH to call on him. "But you, Yahweh, are a shield around me, my glory, and uplifts my head." (verse 3; Hebrew: v 4): This is the emphatic prayer of the oppressed who turn aside to YHWH.[12]
Although written in the mouth of David (Hebrew title; Hebrew: verse 1)[13] the reader is encouraged to consider how God rescues someone like David, who was at that time very in distress, saved and later raised to be king over all Israel.
In the Old Testament, the prayer of Jonah in the "fish" starts with Psalm 3 and he also ends his prayer drawing on Psalm 3.[14] Jonah also draws on other psalms, namely Psalms 16, 18, 31, 42, 50, 88, 116, 118, 119 and 120.[15]
Verses 2-9 are part of the prayers of the Bedtime Shema[16] and occasional sunrise Shema.
Psalm 3 is the first of "The Six Psalms" which are read as part of every Orthros (Matins) service. During the reading of the Six Psalms, movement and noise are strongly discouraged, as it is regarded as one of the most holy moments of the Orthros service.[19]
Catholic Church
About 530 in the Rule of St. Benedict, Benedict of Nursia chose Psalm 3 for the beginning of the office of matins, namely as the first psalm in the liturgy of the Benedictine during the year.[20] In the abbeys that preserve the tradition, it is currently the first Psalm Sunday for the office of vigils.[21]
In the current Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 3 is sung or recited the first Office of Readings on Sunday of the week, after the first two psalms.[22]
Book of Common Prayer
In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, Psalm 3 is appointed to be read on the morning of the first day of the month.[23]
Musical settings
Psalm 3 has been set to music by many composers. Heinrich Schütz wrote a setting of a paraphrase in German, "Ach wie groß ist der Feinde Rott", SWV 099, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628. Marc-Antoine Charpentier composed around 1676 one "Domine quid multiplicati sunt", for 3 voices, 2 treble instruments and continuo, H.172. Michel-Richard Delalande composed his grand motet Domine quid sunt Multiplicati (S.37) for the offices of the Chapel of Versailles, and Henry Purcell set a variant version of the Latin text, "Jehova, quam multi sunt hostes mei," for five voices and continuo. There are also Byron Cage's "Thou Art A Shield For Me",[24] and "Christian Karaoke Praise Song Psalm 3 worship" by Andrew Bain.
