A.	1 O Lord, how many are my foes!

Many are rising against me;

B.	2 many are saying to me,

"There is no help for you in God." S

C.	3 But you, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory,
and the one who lifts up my head.

A.	4 I cry aloud to the Lord,

and he answers me from his holy hill. S

B.	5 I lie down and sleep;

I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.

C.	6 I am not afraid of ten thousands of people

who have set themselves against me all around. (Another section?)

A.	7 Rise up, O lord!

Deliver me, O my God!

B.	For you strike all my enemies on the cheek

you break the teeth of the wicked.

C.	8 Deliverance belongs to the Lord;

may your blessing be on your people! S

Psalm 3--peace amidst the storm

I.	1 O Lord, how many are my foes!

Many are rising against me;

II.	2 many are saying to me,

"There is no help for you in God." S

III.	3 But you, O Lord, are a shield around me,

my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.

IV.	4 I cry aloud to the Lord,

and he answers me from his holy hill. S

V.	5 I lie down and sleep;

I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.

V'.	6 I am not afraid of ten thousands of people

who have set themselves against me all around. (Another section?)

IV'.	7 Rise up, O lord!

Deliver me, O my God!

III'.	For you strike all my enemies on the cheek

you break the teeth of the wicked.

II'.	8 Deliverance belongs to the Lord;

I'.	may your blessing be on your people! S

Chiasm

I. foes are many, rising against	I'. God's people blessed
II. foes say no help from God	II'. God owns deliverance
III. You, God, are my shield, glory, the lifter of my head	III'. You strike enemies on the cheek, break teeth of wicked
IV. I cry, God answers	IV'. "Rise up, Deliver!
V. I sleep, and wake in God's care	V'. I do not fear any number of human enemies around me

Here he answers the arguments of those who told him there is no help for him in God. He says, "You want to talk about help and deliverance? My God owns deliverance! Since He owns me also, I am in good hands." Belonging to God means being delivered, belonging to the Deliverer!

If my enemies have sharp teeth, he makes them dull pretty quick!

The fact that the psalmist can sleep means he is not experiencing the covenant curses of Deut 28:67

The psalmist seems to think that his deliverance is a blessing to the people (Gaebelein, 73)

WTT Psalm	his son	of Asalom From before(the face) On fleeing

`AnB. ~Alv'b.a; ynEP.mi Axr>b'B. dwId'l. rAmz>mi 3:1

3+3	Qal pf+ptc	my foes How have become many Adonai

yr'c' Wbr;-hm' hw"hy> 2

Against/Upon me are rising	Many

`yl'[' ~ymiq' ~yBir;

3+3(4?) Qal ptc+ (assumed pres. to be)	Of my soul Are saying Many

yvip.n:l. ~yrIm.ao ~yBir; 3

in God	To him Salvation	Not

`hl's, ~yhil{abe AL ht'['Wvy> !yae

4+3	(2x assumed to be)+hifil ptc	About me a shield Adonai But you

ydI[]B; !gEm' hw"hy> hT'a;w> 4

My head The one who lifts up (hifil part) My glory

`yviaro ~yrImeW ydIAbK.

3+3	Qal impf+impf	Will cry to Adonai	My voice

ar'q.a, hw"hy>-la, yliAq 5

Of His holiness From the mtn And he will answer me

`hl's, Avd>q' rh;me ynInE[]Y:w:

3+3(4?)Qal pf&impf+hifil pf&qal impf	And I slept (impf) lay down	I

hn"v'yaiw" yTib.k;v' ynIa] 6

Sustains me	Adonai For	I awoke
`ynIkem.s.yI hw"hy> yKi ytiAcyqih/

3+4	Qal impf+pf	of people From a multitude I will not fear

~[' tAbb.rIme ar'yai-al{ 7

Against me Set themslves Around	That

`yl'[' Wtv' bybis' rv,a]

2+2	Qal impv+hif impv	Adonai Rise up
hw"hy> hm'Wq 8

My God Save me

(word for save me is Heb equivalent of Hosanna) yh;l{a/ ynI[eyviAh

3+3	hif pf+piel pf	A Cheek	of All my enemies strike	(That)

yxil, yb;y>ao-lK'-ta, t'yKihi-yKi

shatter The wicked The teeth of

`T'r>B;vi ~y[iv'r> yNEvi

2+2	(assumed both)	Salvation To/of/from Adonai (is/belongs)

h['Wvy>h; hw"hyl; 9

Your blessing	Upon your people (is)

`hl'S,	^t,k'r>bi ^M.[;-l[;

All David can do is cry out with his voice. The voice is emphasized (Gaebelein says it's to emphasize his weakness and inability to do anything else, 76) Here's the mighty king fleeing Jerusalem and there's nothing he can do with all his soldiers and money. All he can do is pray. But there's good news.

Thus the accusation of others is a accusation against God. Will Yahweh really let Him be run out of town by an evildoer? None of this is an accident, and David knows it. Thus his attitude is to accept it meekly, on the one hand–without complaint, but to cry to God on the other and take the appropriate steps to defend himself.

David clings to God as his glory, the weightiest part of him. His own power and reputation and might cannot do for him what he needs done.

3 fold threat. Enemies have become many, they are rising up, and they are talking behind his back about his relationship with God. (Either, he isn't worthy and God won't help him, or God is not good/strong enough to protect him.) I hear the progression better now, and it fits. Enemies didn't used to be so numerous, but Absalom has been sitting by the gate gaining a following. Now that they're many, they've started an uprising, and they're slandering the king and his God.

David affirms God's threefold role in salvation, that of shield, glory, and lifter of head. What does each of these mean in the context? Shield is generally protection. Glory is weight. Lifting up the head seems to mean exalting above others, giving victory, deliverance. How are these related? Why all three? Why did David need all three? A shield only protects. It cannot exalt you. Glory is substance. There's no use being lifted up in the head if you have no real honorableness. David needs protection, but he also needs substance. He isn't into being propped up as Saul was for a time. And ultimately he wants deliverance. There's no sense being right in your heart and still being persecuted forever. Here are the three parts of the sanctuary message. David needs protection–from what his own sin has caused, but he doesn't just want to escape the consequences. He wants God to be His glory, to give him integrity within (cleansing?), and he wants deliverance and vindication in the sight of his foes. Hmmm.