Psalm 3: Introduced To David, The Sweet Psalmist Of Israel.

Psalm 3:1-2  A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2  Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. 

Jewish scholars have always taught that the headings to a Psalm are part of the inspired scriptures.

In Psalm three, King David is the Spirit guided author and this Psalm was written at a point of great distress and sorrow for him.

King David was not always a king. He was the youngest son of Jesse who tended their flocks of sheep.

Being a shepherd shaped David into a usable man who served God and wrote the beautiful Shepherd Psalm (Psalm 23).

More than seventy of the 150 Psalms were written by King David.

2 Samuel 23:1-3  Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 2  The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 3  The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 

Samuel was the priest, judge and prophet who anointed David as King over Israel and his second book contains the very last words written by David.

Notice that God's Spirit wanted us to know that He viewed King David as the sweet Psalmist of Israel.

He wanted us to know that it was Jehovah who raised up this humble shepherd boy to be King, and anointed David to serve God by leading Israel.

The King gives us a glimpse into how the scriptures were verbally inspired by the Spirit of God.

The Spirit of the LORD spoke by or through King David.

The Holy Spirit put the exact words He wanted David to speak or write into his tongue.

God wants us to know that King David confessed Him as the Rock of Israel and the anchor of his salvation.

David's last words were given to help his son Solomon who would be the next king.

He wanted Solomon to know that he must learn to fear God with reverence and respect and awe, and that he must judge according to what God says in His Word.

God used the word "sweet" to describe David, and it means being most pleasant, delightful and skillful.

Psalms written by King David have a special quality of tenderness, vulnerability, deep emotion, doctrinal clarity blended with exceptional poetic beauty.

They reflect a man who never forgot that God raised him up from a humble shepherd boy to be Israel's greatest king.

They reflect a tenderhearted man who loved God and sought Him with all his heart.

They reflect the many human experiences of King David, his heartaches, sorrows, fears, feelings of isolation, and cries of desperation to God.

They also reflect David's unshakable faith, his steadfast hope in God, his joy from knowing Jehovah, and his unwavering knowledge of triumph through God.

In the Psalms, David teaches about God’s attributes, covenant faithfulness, holiness, and mercy.

Several of David's Psalms contain prophetic statements that speak about the Messiah who would come, thus they point us to Jesus Christ.

David was also musically gifted and played skilfully (See 1 Samuel 16:14-23).

Psalm 3:1-2  A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2  Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

The first section of Psalm three tells us the source of King David's great distress.

One of his own sons named Absalom sought to usurp the kingdom from his father, and David had to flee from Jerusalem in order to save his life (See 2 Samuel chapters 13-19).

Hear the sadness of a father who was betrayed by his son. David cried out to Jehovah that those who troubled him had increased in numbers, as they followed Absalom and abandoned King David.

2 Samuel 15:1-6  And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2  And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. 3  And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. 4  Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! 5  And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. 6  And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 

This section details how Absalom stole the hearts or allegiance of the men of Israel, to the point that he could take the kingdom from his father.

Therefore, as David became aware of how widespread the conspiracy of his son was, he cried to the LORD that many men rose up against him.

Perhaps the greatest distress of King David was the fact that so many people said God would not help him, and David knew that this was not true.

God would always help him and hear his cries. Selah is a musical pause meant to have the reader stop and reflect upon what was just conveyed.

Psalm 3:3-4  But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4  I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 

How did King David find relief for his troubled spirit?

He declared what he knew to be true of God.

God is his shield and defense. The glory of God is what consumed David's heart.

He knew God alone could lift up his head and give him hope.

He knew that the LORD would always hear him when he cried out in distress. 

Therefore, David never hesitated to cast all his cares upon the LORD because the LORD cared for him (and us, too--See 1 Peter 5:7). 

Psalm 3:5  I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. 6  I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. 

Knowing God's faithfulness as he did, King David laid down to sleep, and committed his soul to God.

Jehovah sustained and refreshed David such that he declared he would not be afraid of tens of thousands of enemies who seek to surround him and do him harm.

David could look back in his life to many times when God helped him conquer enemy kingdoms trying to do harm to Israel.

Psalm 3:7-8  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. 8  Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah. 

David ended his prayer with a plea for Jehovah to rise up on his behalf and bring the king mighty help.

David spoke as if his enemies were already defeated foes because he knew the battle is the Lord's.

Then, the king was filled with hope by remembering that salvation belongs to Jehovah and that He is faithful to keep all His promises.

Thus, He has promised to bless His people and He does, even when they are not faithful to Him.

This Psalm reminds us that when the circumstances of life come crashing down on us, our hope is still in the LORD.

Jehovah never sleeps and His ear is attentive to the prayers and pleas of His people when the cry out.

As each one of us walk through this earthly pilgrimage with our LORD, we must remember the same truths about God that gave David hope.

We must stay on the path of the blessed man marked out in Psalm one, even though we live in a world filled by wicked haters of God.

May the LORD minister these beautiful truths to each of our hearts, to lead us along day by day, until He calls us home to heaven.

Bob