Psalms 3:1

Psalm 3 ¹ 

A psalm of David, written when he fled from his son Absalom. ² 

3:1 Lord, how ³  numerous are my enemies!

Many attack me. ⁴ 

Psalms 25:19

25:19 Watch my enemies, for they outnumber me;

they hate me and want to harm me. ⁵ 

Psalms 56:1-2

Psalm 56 ⁶ 

For the music director; according to the yonath-elem-rechovim style; ⁷  a prayer ⁸  of David, written when the Philistines captured him in Gath. ⁹ 

56:1 Have mercy on me, O God, for men are attacking me! ¹⁰ 

All day long hostile enemies ¹¹  are tormenting me. ¹² 

56:2 Those who anticipate my defeat ¹³  attack me all day long.

Indeed, ¹⁴  many are fighting against me, O Exalted One. ¹⁵ 

Psalms 59:1-3

Psalm 59 ¹⁶ 

For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; ¹⁷  a prayer ¹⁸  of David, written when Saul sent men to surround his house and murder him. ¹⁹ 

59:1 Deliver me from my enemies, my God!

Protect me ²⁰  from those who attack me! ²¹ 

59:2 Deliver me from evildoers! ²² 

Rescue me from violent men! ²³ 

59:3 For look, they wait to ambush me; ²⁴ 

powerful men stalk ²⁵  me,

but not because I have rebelled or sinned, O Lord. ²⁶ 

[3:1]  ¹ sn Psalm 3. The psalmist acknowledges that he is confronted by many enemies (vv. 1-2). But, alluding to a divine oracle he has received (vv. 4-5), he affirms his confidence in God’s ability to protect him (vv. 3, 6) and requests that God make his promise a reality (vv. 7-8).

[3:1]  ² sn According to Jewish tradition, David offered this prayer when he was forced to flee from Jerusalem during his son Absalom’s attempted coup (see 2 Sam 15:13-17).

[3:1]  ³ tn The Hebrew term מָה (mah, “how”) is used here as an adverbial exclamation (see BDB 553 s.v.).

[3:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “many rise up against me.”

[25:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “see my enemies for they are numerous, and [with] violent hatred they hate me.”

[56:1]  ⁶ sn Psalm 56. Despite the threats of his enemies, the psalmist is confident the Lord will keep his promise to protect and deliver him.

[56:1]  ⁷ tn The literal meaning of this phrase is “silent dove, distant ones.” Perhaps it refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a type of musical instrument.

[56:1]  ⁸ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam), which also appears in the heading to Pss 16 and 57-60 is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”

[56:1]  ⁹ sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm when the Philistines seized him and took him to King Achish of Gath (see 1 Sam 21:11-15).

[56:1]  ¹⁰ tn According to BDB 983 s.v. II שָׁאַף, the verb is derived from שָׁאַף (sha’af, “to trample, crush”) rather than the homonymic verb “pant after.”

[56:1]  ¹¹ tn Heb “a fighter.” The singular is collective for his enemies (see vv. 5-6). The Qal of לָחַם (lakham, “fight”) also occurs in Ps 35:1.

[56:1]  ¹² tn The imperfect verbal form draws attention to the continuing nature of the enemies’ attacks.

[56:2]  ¹³ tn Heb “to those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 54:5; 59:10.

[56:2]  ¹⁴ tn Or “for.”

[56:2]  ¹⁵ tn Some take the Hebrew term מָרוֹם (marom, “on high; above”) as an adverb modifying the preceding participle and translate, “proudly” (cf. NASB; NIV “in their pride”). The present translation assumes the term is a divine title here. The Lord is pictured as enthroned “on high” in Ps 92:8. (Note the substantival use of the term in Isa 24:4 and see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs (Psalms [ICC], 2:34), who prefer to place the term at the beginning of the next verse.)

[59:1]  ¹⁶ sn Psalm 59. The psalmist calls down judgment on his foreign enemies, whom he compares to ravenous wild dogs.

[59:1]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “do not destroy.” Perhaps this refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. These words also appear in the superscription to Pss 57-58, 75.

[59:1]  ¹⁸ tn The precise meaning of the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם (miktam), which also appears in the heading to Pss 16, 56-58, 60 is uncertain. HALOT 582-83 s.v. defines it as “inscription.”

[59:1]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “when Saul sent and they watched his house in order to kill him.”

[59:1]  ²⁰ tn Or “make me secure”; Heb “set me on high.”

[59:1]  ²¹ tn Heb “from those who raise themselves up [against] me.”

[59:2]  ²² tn Heb “from the workers of wickedness.”

[59:2]  ²³ tn Heb “from men of bloodshed.”

[59:3]  ²⁴ tn Heb “my life.”

[59:3]  ²⁵ tn The Hebrew verb is from the root גּוּר (gur), which means “to challenge, attack” in Isa 54:15 and “to stalk” (with hostile intent) in Ps 56:8.

[59:3]  ²⁶ sn The point is that the psalmist’s enemies have no justifiable reason for attacking him. He has neither rebelled or sinned against the Lord.