Unyielding Trust – Psalm 3

This is the first psalm in our psalter to contain a title.  This one tells us it is a psalm either written by or about David, likely the former, and it gives us a historical note about the situation it was written to.  In the Hebrew psalter these titles are seen as the first verse of the psalm and numbered accordingly in their editions.  They see them as Scripture.  Not all Christian interpreters see them that way.

This is also the first psalm in which we see the term “Selah.”  Wikipedia notes it is “used 74 times in the Hebrew Bible—seventy-one times in the Psalms and three times in the Book of Habakkuk. The meaning of the word is not known, though various interpretations are given below. It is probably either a liturgical-musical mark or an instruction on the reading of the text, with the meaning of “stop and listen.” Another proposal is that selah can be used to indicate that there is to be a musical interlude at that point in the Psalm. It can also be interpreted as a form of underlining in preparation for the next paragraph.”

This is a psalm of trust, one of several we see in our psalm book.

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

O LORD, how many are my foes!  Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Selah

But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.  I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.  I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

Arise, O LORD!  Save me, O my God!  For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.

Salvation belongs to the LORD; your blessing be on your people! Selah  (Psalm 3 ESV)

In 2 Samuel 15-16 we read of David’s son Absalom marching on Jerusalem, having been proclaimed king by David’s enemies within his court.  David realizes he cannot defeat Absalom so he and those loyal to him flee Jerusalem.  Throughout this episode David demonstrates that He trusts in Yahweh implicitly.  If Yahweh wants him on the throne He will make it happen, but it may not be Yahweh’s will.  David is totally submissive to the purposes of God.  This psalm reflects that very attitude.

Many foes of David have risen up against him and they believe they have God on their side, that David is not a worthy ruler.  But David knows that he has made Yahweh his shield and is Yahweh’s anointed, so he calls on Him to deliver.  He is not afraid because he knows Yahweh is with him.  Yahweh did deliver him at the cost of Absalom’s life, and restored David to the throne.  This becomes another example of how Yahweh works against the enemies of His righteous ones.  Salvation does indeed belong to Yahweh.  He decides the fate of His people.

Can you imagine living a life of such strong confidence and trust in God?