Psalms 3

A Call to Yahweh in Distress

A psalm of David at his fleeing from the presence of Absalom, his son.*The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

1 Yahweh, how many are my enemies;

many are rising against me.

2 Many are saying about my soul,

"There is no deliverance for him from*Or "in" God. Selah*Meaning uncertain; probably a musical or liturgical direction

3 But*Or "And" you, Yahweh, are a shield around me,

my glory and the one who lifts up my head.

4 With my voice I call to Yahweh

and he answers me from his holy hill.*Literally "the hill of his holiness"Selah

5 I lay down and slept;

I woke up because Yahweh sustains me.

6 I am not afraid of the ten thousands of people

who all around have set themselves against me.

7 Rise up, O Yahweh; deliver me, O my God;

for you strike all my enemies on the cheek.

The teeth of the wicked you break.

8 To Yahweh belongs deliverance;

may your blessing be over your people. Selah