Chuck Larsen

In the first two verses, David laments his situation. Absalom, his son, had turned the people’s hearts away from him and raised an army to remove the kingdom from David. David laments his many enemies. He laments that they have risen up to kill him. He laments that they know God will not come to his aid because he sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah. But David, having repented of his sin, refused to cave to their charges. Verses 3 and 4 tell us of his firm faith in the God who has served all his life and in whom he entrusted himself. He knows God will protect and answer his prayers when he cries out to Him. Because of his faith, David sleeps and awakes in the morning, knowing God has preserved him from his enemies for another day. He asserts that he will not be afraid of thousands of those who have gathered themselves against him.  In the following two verses, he makes his plea to God. With a good night’s sleep, the world looks better, and with the energy of the early morning, he finishes his Psalm and writes, “Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.  Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah.”

There is some discussion on what the “slap in the face” might mean in the commentaries. Craigie says, “The words are symbolic; to smite someone on the cheek was to administer a gross insult.”^[1] If that is what David meant in this Psalm, he says that his enemies have cast gross insults at him, rising against him, but God will return the abuse on David’s behalf. “As the psalmist had been insulted by the words of his enemies, so now he prays for an insult to be administered to them.” interestingly, David never sought to take his revenge. When Shimei threw dirt and insults at him, David’s general wanted to kill him. But David refused to retaliate. He did not want to go to war with Absalom. He never struck back at Saul, who tried to kill him several times. Like in this Psalm, David entrusted retaliation to God. Jesus taught his followers not to return insult for insult when he said, “Turn the other cheek.”

There are several Psalms of imprecation. They call for God to “rise” and act on behalf of His people against their enemies. The exciting thing about these Psalms is that it shows David’s commitment to let God bring Justice to those who wronged him. This appears to be the basis of “turning the other cheek.” It might sound like David calls for radical violence when he mentions “breaking the teeth” of his enemies. In Psalm 57:4, the Psalmist calls for God’s intervention on his behalf with his enemies and describes their insults as coming from their teeth. The phrase it uses is “whose teeth are spears and arrows.” Spears and arrows are said to be “hurled,” and when Jesus was on the cross, his enemies “hurled” their words at him. In Psalm 3, David is not retaliating but trusting God to take up his cause. Paul leaves the saints in Rome with sound advice when he says in Romans 12:19, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” This might be what the last verse means when it says, “salvation belongs to the Lord.” Then another “Selah.” Stop for a moment and reflect on this.

^[1] Craigie, Peter C. 1983. Psalms 1–50. Vol. 19. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

At the end of verse 2 in this Psalm, we see the first occurrence of the word “Selah.” I suggest that it is a pause. It’s not just a pause in the music but a pause for reflection on what was just said or sung. There are three “Selahs” in this Psalm. The first one finishes David’s lament about his many enemies who have risen against him and cast doubt on God’s good intentions for David. The “Selah” at the end of this verse suggests we pause and think about that. We all have enough troubles in our lives and perceived enemies to be able to relate to this Selah. The second “Selah” comes at the end of verse 4 after David expresses his confidence in God’s loving protection and care for him even amid his troubles. David asserts his abiding faith and trust in God. Ellsworth calls this the “Selah of faith.” The final “The final “Selah” comes at the end of the Psalm after verse 8.

Verses 5 and 6 contain part of the thought that should be considered when we get to the pause at the end of verse 8. Because David holds firm to his faith in God and his conviction that God will hear his plea and answer him, he can say in verses 5 and 6, “I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.  I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.” Sleep is a gift from God to a heart at peace. Psalm 127 and verse 2 says, “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” Further, David can enjoy sleep amid such extreme opposition because he knows God is not sleeping but remains vigilant. Psalm 121:3-4 says, “He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Selah! Think about that.

David woke from his sleep because God had sustained him. This is an interesting thing to think about because in the story of Absalom’s rebellion, his most trustworthy advisor urged Absalom to go and kill David that very day. He told Absalom not to wait. But David sent another adviser to Absalom that God used to dissuade him from pursuing David that day. God’s intervention lead Absalom to listen to the second advisor and it proved the undoing of Absalom’s rebellion. It was God’s direct intervention in moving Absalom to accept the bad advice that gave David another night’s sleep and preserved his life. But when David wrote, “I woke again, for the Lord sustained me” he was literally correct. He had been given another day of life and the opportunity for his forces to regroup. They did and ultimately destroyed Absalom’s rebellion. Selah! Think about what God might be doing behind the scenes when you sleep. He’s always on guard and working to fulfill his good intentions for our lives.

In verse 2 of the third Psalm, David laments that he has many foes, many are rising up against him, and many tell him that God has forsaken him. Even though he is struggling horribly with his own son’s rebellion and had to flee Jerusalem for his life, he won’t crumble to their attacks. He says in the next verse, “But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.  I cried aloud to the Lord, /and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah.” David does not fret over his many foes because God is his shield. Even though David had sinned with Bathsheba and was guilty of the murder of Uriah, he did not fold in shame. When Shimei threw dirt at him and reminded him of his sins, he refused to retaliate because he knew God was his glory, not his own righteousness. He didn’t let the opposition destroy his faith and refused to yield to a pity party of depression and anxiety because God was the “lifter of his head.” God was his encourager through all his trials and hardships and even his sins.

He did not let the opposition, the accusations, the guilt, or the insults disparage his faith in God. He cried out to God in it all, and he knew that no matter what happened, God heard him and would answer his pleas for help. Now, stop and think about that. I suggest that is what “Selah” means. He also said it at the end of verse 2 when he pointed out all the opposition he faced. At the end of verse two, the selah has been referred to as “the selah of trouble.” Ellsworth explains the first selah this way, “He was facing the greatest trial of his life. His son had rebelled, and their respective armies were about to join in the battle. Absalom had made it his business to ridicule David’s faith. He and his supporters were saying: ‘There is no help for him in God.’ David’s troubles lead us to think about our own. We also have circumstances that cause us to pause and reflect. Sickness is such a time. So is the death of a loved one. And so are those times when our faith, like David’s of old, is being challenged.”^[1]

But the second selah at the end of verse 4 is the selah of “faith,” according to Ellsworth. “David did not allow the challenge to his faith to cause him to abandon it. He met the challenge to his faith by confessing his faith. He specifically confessed his faith in God as a shield that would protect him. This was not wishful thinking on David’s part. God had protected him many times! He also calls God ‘his glory.’ This is undoubtedly a confession of the majesty and sovereignty of God. Our trials become less trying when we place them in the glare of the greatness of God. Further, he confesses his faith in the tender compassion of God for him. He, the Lord, is the one who lifts the head. When David’s head fell to his chest in dejection and despondency, the Lord was there to encourage him. Finally, he confesses his faith in the readiness of God to answer prayer.” Charles Spurgeon writes: “We need not fear a frowning world while we rejoice in a prayer-hearing God.”

^[1] Ellsworth, Roger. 2006. Opening up Psalms. Opening Up Commentary. Leominster: Day One Publications.

David begins Psalm 3 by lamenting his many enemies. Even his son, Absalom, had raised an army against him. I find it interesting that the name ABSALOM is made of two words. The first word, AB, means father. The second word SHALOM is very familiar and means peace. Some argue it means “a father’s peace.” David’s son, Absalom, was anything but peace for him. He had won the hearts of the people from his father and raised an Army that drove his father from his home. Then Shimei threw dirt at David when he was fleeing Jerusalem for his life and cursed him. David begins his lament, “ O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, ‘There is no salvation for him in God.’ Selah.” Notice the repetition of the word “many.” Many foes, many are rising against David, and many are saying there is no salvation for him. We don’t know how “many” actually, but we know there were a lot of them that opposed David at this time.

David’s enemies are saying pretty much what Jesus’ enemies said while he was hanging on the cross. “If He is the Son of God, Let God save Him.” Insisting that there is no salvation for him from God attacks David’s faith. It’s the argument that God has abandoned him or that there is no God to look to for help. Williams says, “Here is the threat of practical atheism. It bears so many nuances.” The accusation has three affronts. The first attack is that God has abandoned us; the second attack is that we aren’t worth His attention anyway. The third attack concludes that we should give up our faith in Him and turn elsewhere for help.”^[1] God was with David when he slew Goliath and defeated the vast Philistine armies. But here, we see that God is not giving David the victory in this incident. Since God abandoned David, it was reasonable that Jerusalem’s people should also abandon him. After his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, we can see how David would now believe that he is not worthy of being delivered by God. Since David cannot count on God to deliver him from his enemy and he does not deserve to be saved by God, he should abandon his faith in God. So it is with us at times. God is allowing these terrible things to come into our lives and is not acting to deliver us. We, too, know that we are not sinless and can wallow in our sin, knowing that we don’t deserve to be saved anyway. We are tempted to abandon our faith in God. In verse 3, David begins with “But God….”

Before we look at verse 3, notice how verse 2 ends: “Selah.” Commentators are divided on the meaning of the word “Selah.”  We don’t know what it means, but some suggest it is a Hebrew word that gives musical direction to the singers. Some suggest it’s a blessing meaning “forever.” Others argue that it’s simply the way Hebrew punctuates sentences. But most say, and I agree, that it’s a call for the readers to pause and contemplate the meaning of what was just said. David is overwhelmed by his enemies. They have multiplied against him, and it appears all is lost. He’s being driven from his home, and death has become his imminent future. God is not delivering him; he doesn’t deserve to be delivered, so why have faith in God? Think about that. I’ve been there, haven’t you? Jesus identifies personally with David’s laments. He identifies with ours as well. He cried out from the cross, “Why have you forsaken me.”

^[1] Williams, Donald, and Lloyd J. Ogilvie. 1986. Psalms 1–72. Vol. 13. The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

According to the brief introduction, it was written by “King David on the occasion of his son, Absalom, leading a rebellion to take over the Kingdom.” Some commentators argue that this introduction doesn’t belong here and was added by some later scribe. But I think Williams is right. He says, “Setting this psalm in the context of David’s heartbreak over his son’s civil war lends historical color and concreteness to its interpretation. At the same time, the psalm could easily have been used before any battle by the king or those in command.  Moreover, it is now a psalm for Israel and the church, universalized beyond that fateful day with Absalom. As God’s people, we all have our enemies and battles to fight. So, while we accept the traditional ascription as probable and refer this psalm to David himself, this is our psalm too.”^[1]

In verse one, weary of all the opposition he has faced and is still facing in his life, David says, “O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me.” Absalom had raised an army against David. He had captured the hearts of many of the people in Jerusalem, and many supported his taking over the kingdom from his father. Women were no longer singing songs about the greatness of David, but they were looking at his younger replacement, Absalom. They chase David out of Jerusalem, and a man named Shimei throws dirt at David and calls him “a man of blood.” This might be a reference to his warlike nature or his murder of Uriah. Yes, indeed, there were many in opposition to David at this point in his life.

David was King.  Being King brings opposition and enemies. The more you have, the more people want to take it. But you don’t have to have very much to relate to David’s cry. Boice says, “I am sure that many people can identify with that. Perhaps you are one. You may not be facing an imminent military battle when you wake up most mornings, but you are facing a battle. The climate in the department of the company for which you work may be one of open warfare: Everyone is trying to defeat everyone else. The conditions are cutthroat. The weapons are rumors, lying, gossip, misrepresentation, even violence, bribes, or stealing. A friend told me how he had gone on a vacation, leaving his business in the hands of his partner. When he came back after only two weeks, the partner had managed to steal it away, leaving him with significant debts. How can any honest person survive in such a jungle? Again, you may not be facing thousands of enemies as David was. But how many enemies does it take to make life miserable and possibly lead even to the loss of your job? One will do, if he or she is determined enough. And you probably have more than that! In fact, the more prominent you are, the more enemies you will have and the more vulnerable you will be to them.”^[2]

We should not ignore the prophetic nature of this Psalm. It is pointing to the Messiah, the Son of David.  No one had more enemies than He did. The scribes and Pharisees opposed him at every turn in his ministry. The Sadducees plotted together in the Sanhedrin to have Rome execute Him. The soldiers spat on him and mocked him while they tortured him before hanging him on the cross. Even one of his closest friends, Judas, betrayed him to his enemies. And Peter, the closes of all, denied that he even knew him. People are “against” Jesus 61 times in the Gospels.

^[1] Williams, Donald, and Lloyd J. Ogilvie. 1986. Psalms 1–72. Vol. 13. The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

^[2] Boice, James Montgomery. 2005. Psalms 1–41: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

 Verse 12 ends the second Psalm with a plea for repentance. It begins, “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. It doesn’t sound as emotional as Spurgeon made it in his sermon when he would plea for sinners to repents. He said, “I beseech you, think of your destiny—death, and after death the judgment. The wind, and after the wind the whirlwind, and after the whirlwind the fire, and after the fire nothing—for ever, for ever, for ever lost, cast away, where ray of hope can never come; where eye of mercy can never look upon you, and hand of grace can never reach you. I beseech you, oh, I beseech you by the living God before whom you stand this day, tremble and repent. “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little.”^[1]

Many modern preachers make similar pleas to unbelievers. Boice says, “What does this gentle, loving, and tender voice call on these rebellious human beings to do? A number of things: to ‘be wise,’ to ‘be warned,’ to ‘serve the Lord with fear,’ to ‘rejoice with trembling’ (vv. 10–11). But chiefly, they are to ‘kiss the Son’ in grateful, loving submission. That is what these rulers will not do, of course. It is why they are in danger of a final, fierce destruction. Make sure you are not among them. The rulers of the world rage against Christ. But why should you? The hands he holds forth for you to kiss are hands that were pierced by nails when he was crucified in your place. One day he is coming as the great judge of all. On that day the wicked will be punished, but today is the day of his grace. He invites you to come to him. The final verse says, “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” It is a reminder that the only refuge from the wrath of God is God’s mercy unfolded at the cross of Jesus Christ.”^[2]

This final beatitude that ends Psalm 2 serves as a bookend to the opening beatitude of Psalm 1, which says, “Blessed is the one who never walks in the counsel of the wicked.” That’s to say, “blessed is the one who never sins. He never stands with sinners or sits with scoffers.” He’s perfect in his ways. For all humanity, that’s like saying, “blessed is the one who can leap tall buildings in a single bound. Blessed is the one who is faster than a speeding bullet. Blessed is the one who is more powerful than a locomotive.” That man is fictional! But the “one-man” of Psalm one refers to the Messiah who will come into the world according to the prophecies of the Old Testament and fulfill the law on our behalf. The first Adam broke the law, and we all share in that sin. The second Adam obeyed the law on our behalf, and that’s why the second psalm ends with the beatitude, “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”

^[1] Spurgeon, C. H. 1859. “The Chaff Driven Away.” In The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, 5:448. London: Passmore & Alabaster.

^[2] Boice, James Montgomery. 2005. Psalms 1–41: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

God laughs with derision at the kings of the earth who rebel against him. The King of Kings will establish his rule over the entire world through the coronation of his chosen one. Nothing and no one can stand against that, prevent it, delay it or corrupt it, although the entire focus of Satan is on doing just that. But he will lose, and Christ will reign forever. Therefore, the kings of the earth are warned and advised in Psalm 2:10-11. It says, “Now, therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.” Luther said there were two different ways people might “fear” the Lord. He calls them “servile fear” and “filial fear.” Two verses might help us understand the difference between these two ideas. First, Hebrews 10:31 says, “it’s a frightening thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Sproul says, “The servile fear is a kind of fear that a prisoner in a torture chamber has for his tormentor, the jailer, or the executioner. Or it’s the kind of fear that a slave would have at the hands of a malicious master who would come with the whip and torment the slave.” The most important term is “malicious.” We fear someone who intends to do us harm. Because of our sinful nature, we often have this kind of fear of the Lord. We know we have violated the laws of God and deserve punishment, and we fear the one coming to punish us.

Galatians 4:6-7 is the other verse that helps us understand the distinction between servile fear and filial fear. It says, “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” Filial fear, according to Luther, as Sproul describes it, “Refers to the fear that a child has for his father. In this regard, Luther is thinking of a child who has tremendous respect and love for his father or mother and who dearly wants to please them. He has a fear or an anxiety of offending the one he loves, not because he’s afraid of torture or even of punishment, but rather because he’s afraid of displeasing the one who is, in that child’s world, the source of security and love.”

The New Testament tells us that John the Baptist and Jesus came preaching “repentance” for the forgiveness of sins. Repentance is not saying I’m sorry for this sin or for that sin, and it’s not penance as such, saying five Hail Marys and five Our Fathers, as some of us have learned. Repentance is genuinely acknowledging that we are the kind of people that should have servile fear of God. Sproul says, “As sinful people, we have every reason to fear God’s judgment; it is part of our motivation to be reconciled with God.”[1] So, the writer of this Psalm points out the need for repentance and submission to the rightful ruler of the universe. This is the way Calvin understood this Psalm. In his commentary, he says the writer of this Psalm, he says is David, “Having, as a preacher of the judgments of God, set forth the vengeance which God would take upon his enemies, proceeds now, in the character of a prophet and teacher, to exhort the unbelieving to repentance, that they may not, when it is too late, be compelled to acknowledge, from dire experience, that the divine threatenings are neither idle nor ineffectual.”^[2] True repentance does not lead to shame but rejoicing, as the Psalm says. Then, believing in Jesus as the adequate payment for our sins brings us into God’s family. We know and accept God’s expressed love for us on Calvary. As a loving father, “God demonstrates his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

[1] https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/what-does-it-mean-fear-god

^[2] Calvin, John, and James Anderson. 2010. Commentary on the Book of Psalms. Vol. 1. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.