1. Present danger 3:1-2

David began by lamenting his situation. Enemies surrounded him. As David grew older increasingly people in Israel turned away from him believing that God had abandoned him. Absalom had won the hearts and support of many in the kingdom (2 Sam. 15:6).

The word "Selah,"which occurs 71 times in the psalms, was probably a musical notation. Israel's leaders may have added it sometime after David wrote the psalm when they incorporated it into public worship. It evidently indicated when the worshippers were to "lift up"their voices or their hands since "Selah"seems to come from the Hebrew word salah, meaning "to lift up"or "to elevate."