Psalms 3:4

To the Lord I cried out, ¹  and he answered me from his holy hill. ²  (Selah)

To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah

I was crying to the LORD with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah.

I cried out to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy mountain. Interlude

With all my might I shout up to GOD, His answers thunder from the holy mountain.

I send up a cry to the Lord with my voice, and he gives me an answer from his holy hill. (Selah.)

I cry aloud to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah

I cried to the LORD with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

To the Lord I cried out, ¹  and he answered me from his holy hill. ²  (Selah)

¹ tn The prefixed verbal form could be an imperfect, yielding the translation “I cry out,” but the verb form in the next line (a vav [ו] consecutive with the preterite) suggests this is a brief narrative of what has already happened. Consequently the verb form in v. 4a is better understood as a preterite, “I cried out.” (For another example of the preterite of this same verb form, see Ps 30:8.) Sometime after the crisis arose, the psalmist prayed to the Lord and received an assuring answer. Now he confidently awaits the fulfillment of the divine promise.

² sn His holy hill. That is, Zion (see Pss 2:6; 48:1-2). The psalmist recognizes that the Lord dwells in his sanctuary on Mount Zion.