Psalm 3:3

Learning Psalm 3:3 

This weekend I’m in Halifax with my daughter, Grace. She’s attending Mount Saint Vincent University in the fall for a Masters in Gerontology. We reached out to a few local churches to try to find a room for her to rent and one church had five places to offer, so we’ve had a lovely weekend meeting people and checking out accommodations. 

I’m blessed with amazing kids who treat me with kindness, love and respect. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have children who rose up against me. David had to deal with that situation. Absalom rebelled against his father David. He encouraged the people to turn against David and support him for kingship. 

David, truth be told, struggled as a parent, and a lot of that had to do with some poor parenting decisions. I have a paper currently under the peer review process that addresses some of David’s troubling family issues.

Psalm 3 is a poem about David’s lament that his son Absalom had turned a great many of his kingdom’s people away from him. He was surrounded by enemies. People who were once devoted to him now wanted to destroy him. David’s only hope was turning to YHWH for protection:

Psalm 3

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

[David:] YHWH, how my enemies have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah

But You, YHWH, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.

I was crying out to YHWH with my voice, and He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah

I lay down and slept; I awoke, for YHWH sustains me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

Arise, YHWH; save me, my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.

Salvation belongs to YHWH; may Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah

Psalm 3:3 is a good one to learn in Hebrew:

But You, YHWH, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.

וְאַתָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה מָגֵ֣ן בַּעֲדִ֑י כְּ֝בֹודִ֗י וּמֵרִ֥ים רֹאשִֽׁי

W-attah, YHWH, magehn ba’adee, k’vohdee, u-mehrim roshee

Breaking it down literally, YHWH is:

• magehn ba’adee… a shield for me/around me 
• k’vohdee… my glory
• u-mehrim roshee… and lifter/raiser of my head

YHWH is our defender (shield), the Spirit of God, living within us, is our best feature (glory), and Yeshua is our encourager (head-lifter). Whatever you’re struggling with, remember, you are protected, you are good, and (according to Yeshua) you are worthy of His great love. So lift your head high and be strong knowing that God is on your side!

Next week: WALL