Threatened but Trusting

Psalm3*

1: a psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom**

2: How many are my foes, Lord!

How many rise against me!

3:How many say of me.

“There is no salvation for him in god.”

4: But you, Lord, are shield around me;

my glory; you keep my head high.

5: With my own voice I will call out to the

Lord,

and he will answer me from his holy

mountain.

6:I lay down and I fall asleep.

[and] I will wake up, for the lord

sustains me.

7: I do not fear; then, thousands of people

arrayed against me on every side.

8: Arise, Lord! Save me, my God!

For you strike the cheekbone of all my

foes;

you break the teeth of the wicked.

9: Salvation is from the Lord!

May your blessings be upon your people!

Psalm3* 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.

Absalom** The superscription, added later, relates the Psalm to an incident in the life of David.