Psalms 3:1

A psalm of David, written when he fled from his son Absalom. ²  Lord, how ³  numerous are my enemies! Many attack me. ⁴ 

2Sa 15:1-18:33; 2Sa 15:12; 2Sa 16:15; 2Sa 17:11-13; Ps 17:7; Mt 10:21; Mt 27:25

¹ sn Psalm 3. The psalmist acknowledges that he is confronted by many enemies (vv. 1-2). But, alluding to a divine oracle he has received (vv. 4-5), he affirms his confidence in God’s ability to protect him (vv. 3, 6) and requests that God make his promise a reality (vv. 7-8).

² sn According to Jewish tradition, David offered this prayer when he was forced to flee from Jerusalem during his son Absalom’s attempted coup (see 2 Sam 15:13-17).

³ tn The Hebrew term מָה (mah, “how”) is used here as an adverbial exclamation (see BDB 553 s.v.).

⁴ tn Heb “many rise up against me.”