Psalm 3 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Psalm 3 Short Summary:

In Psalm 3, David wrote about his experience being surrounded by enemies. His enemies mocked the idea that his God would save him, but David had confidence in the Lord. He wrote about how he cried out to God and God heard him. “Salavation belongs to the Lord” (3:8).

Psalm 3 Summary

AUTHOR:

• King David is the author of Psalm 3

NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES:

• No known New Testament references.

THEMES:

• The salvation of God in the midst of enemies.

• God sustains us when we are surrounded by pressures and trials.

DEFINITIONS:

• Selah – This word appears over 70 times in the Psalms. Scholars have tried for years to discover the true meaning of the word, but it remains somewhat of a mystery. Some scholars think it’s a musical pause or a literary pause, calling on the reader to stop and ponder what was just stated.  Other scholars propose its meaning is related to worship, an expression of praise to God. Still others suggest it’s a literary device used by the ancients to mark themes that run through the text. The only other book in the Bible where “Selah” is found is the book of Habakkuk.

OUTLINE:

• *This psalm was written when King David was fleeing from his son Absalom. Absalom started a rebellion in Israel and planned to bring an army to Jerusalem to overthrow his father and take the throne for himself. David fled Jerusalem and went east of the Jordan River, to Mahanaim (see 2 Samuel 15-18).

• DAVID CALLS OUT TO GOD FOR SALVATION WHEN HIS ENEMIES SURROUND HIM (3:1-8):

  • David was grieved that he was surrounded by enemies.

  • These enemies mocked the idea that David’s God would save him.

  • But David’s faith remained intact, he said, “But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head” (3:3).

  • David cried to God for help, and he knew that the Lord heard him.

  • God protected him while he slept, even though his enemies were aggressively pursuing him.

  • Up against thousands of enemies, David trusted God would defeat them all for him.

  • “Salvation belongs to the Lord” (3:8).
    

APPLICATION:

• This psalm is a good one to return to when the pressures of your life start adding up. Even when those pressures are the result of your own bad choices in the past.

• David’s family was cursed due to his sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:10). God told David that there would always be infighting in his family because of David’s mistake.

• This situation with Absalom was, in part, a result of that curse.

• When Absalom rebelled, David couldn’t do anything about his past mistakes, but he could put his trust in God in that moment, which is what we observe in this Psalm.

• When we find ourselves surrounded by mounting pressures, whether those pressures are the result of our past mistakes or not, the right thing to do in the moment is to put our trust in God and cry out to Him for help.

• It’s a beautiful thought that God is still willing to help us even when our troubles are the result of our own stupidity and sinfulness.