Psalm 3:1

Psalm 3:1

[A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.]Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.

a. ASV: A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. Jehovah, how are mine adversaries increased! Many are they that rise up against me.

  [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: A Psalm of David, in his fleeing from the face of Absalom his son. Jehovah, how have my distresses multiplied! Many are rising up against me.

  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: A Psalm of David. When he fled from Absalom his son.

  Lord, how they are increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. NLT: A psalm of David, regarding the time David fled from his son Absalom.

  O LORD, I have so many enemies; so many are against me. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

e. Tehillim/Psalms:  A song of David, as he fled from Absalom his son,  HASHAM, how many are my tormentors! The great reise up against me![THE ARTSCROLL TANACH SERIES TEHILLIM / PSALMS PERSONAL SIZE EDITION VOL.1, VOL. II, VOL. III, VOL. IV, VOL. V. Ⓒ Copyright 1977, 1985, 1996 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ltd.]

f. Peshitta Eastern Text: O LORD, how my oppressors are increased! Many are they that rise up against me.   [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT.Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

1. “ [A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.] Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.

a. [A] psalm [Strong: 4210 mizmôwr, miz-more'; from H2167; properly, instrumental music; by implication, a poem set to notes:—psalm.]

b. [of] David [Strong: Dâvid, daw-veed'; rarely (fully); דָּוִיד Dâvîyd; from the same as H1730; loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse:—David.]

c. [when he] fled] [Strong: 1272 bârach, baw-rakh'; a primitive root; to bolt, i.e. figuratively, to flee suddenly:—chase (away); drive away, fain, flee (away), put to flight, make haste, reach, run away, shoot.]

d. from [Strong: 6440 pânîym, paw-neem'; plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה pâneh; from H6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.):— accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, × as (long as), at, battle, because (of), beseech, countenance, edge, employ, endure, enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, × him(-self), honourable, impudent, in, it, look(-eth) (-s), × me, meet, × more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), × on, open, out of, over against, the partial, person, please, presence, prospect, was purposed, by reason of, regard, right forth, serve, × shewbread, sight, state, straight, street, × thee, × them(-selves), through ( -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), upon, upside ( down), with(-in, -stand), × ye, × you.]

e. Absolom [Strong: 53 ʼĂbîyshâlôwm, ab-ee-shaw-lome'; or (shortened) אַבְשָׁלוֹם ʼAbshâlôwm ; from H1 and H7965; father of peace (i.e. friendly); Abshalom, a son of David; also (the fuller form) a later Israelite:—Abishalom, Absalom.]

f. [his] son [Strong: 1121 bên, bane; from H1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.):—afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, × in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, rebel, + robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, + spark, steward, + stranger, × surely, them of, + tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

g. LORD [Strong: 3068 Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord.]

h. how [Strong: 4100 mâh, maw; or מַה mah; or מָ mâ; or מַ ma; also מֶה meh; a primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses:—how (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.]

i. [are they] increased [Strong: 7231 râbab, raw-bab'; a primitive root; (compare H7241); also as denominative from H7233; properly, to cast together , i.e. increase, especially in number; to multiply by the myriad:—increase, be many(-ifold), be more, multiply, ten thousands.

j. [that] trouble me [Strong: 6862 tsar, tsar; or צָר tsâr; from H6887; narrow; (as a noun) a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble (as in H6864); (transitive) an opponent (as crowding):—adversary, afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe, narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.]

k. many [Strong: 7227 rab, rab; by contracted from H7231; abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality):—(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly), captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man, one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold, things, a time), (ship-)master, mighty, more, (too, very) much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous, populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).]

l. [are they that] rise up [Strong: 6965  qûwm, koom; a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative):—abide, accomplish, × be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, × be dim, endure, × enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, × but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-) rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-) stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -rising).]

b. against [me] [Strong: 5921 ʻal, al; properly, the same as H5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications:—above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, × as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, × both and, by (reason of), × had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, × with.]

1). The rise of Absalom was predicted to David by nathan the prophet because of David’s sin with Bathsheba.

a). 2 Samuel 12:1-14 And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

12:2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:

12:3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

12:4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

12:5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:

12:6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

12:8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

12:9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

12:10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

12:11 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

12:12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

12:14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

2). The text says that God himself would raise up the evil but, scholars add necessary Hebrew idioms.

a).  Troy Edwards, He Only Permits: Neglecting the Hebrew permissive idiom has led both to atheism and the false teachings permeated within Calvinism. Calvinism and its false teachings are often responsible for many men and women becoming atheists or agnostics. John Calvin and others promoted some horrible and aberrant doctrines that give us a very distorted picture of God. For example, after David's adultery and subsequent murderous act God says through the prophet Nathan.

a). 2 Samuel 12:11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

b). Troy Edwards, He Only Permits, citing George Holden’s, The Christian Expositor, or the Practical Guide to the study of the Old Testament: “I will raise up evil” Viz. according to the Hebrew idiom, I will permit evil to rise up “against thee out of thine own house,” and who can read of the rebellion of Absalom, the defilement of the daughter by her brother, and of his concubines by his son, and the deaths of his children without owning the wonderful fulfillment of this denunciation?  “I will take,” i.e. permit thy wives to be, taken; and so v. 12. “I will do,” I will permit it to be done; “in the sight of this sun,” i.e. as v. 12, shows, not secretly, but openly and publicly; see 2 Samuel 16:21, 22.

3). Troy Edwards, He Only Permits: Now we know that this word was fulfilled when David’s son, Absolom, rebelled against his father and raped his wives publicly (2 Samuel 16:21, 22). John Hale Murray noted how John Calvin’s neglect of the Henrew permission idiom has led him to “piously” charge God with the most grievous acts:

a). Our translation here represents God as the author of evil, which made Calvin say that  “the incest of Absalom was the work of God.” “Thus saith the Lord, behold i will raise up evil against thee--I will take thy wives, and give them…and he shall lie with them.” In the original these expressions do not denote any positive actions on the part of God, as if he promoted wicked men to do the things with which he threatened David. This would indeed be to make God the author of evil. He meant that, as a punishment to David, God would withhold his restraint from David’s enemies, because David had grossly violated God’s laws. God permits the evils to be done which his omnipotence could prevent; and does not, in certain cases, restrain the wickedness of men, in their being the means of chastising the sins of his own people. (John Hale Murray, A Help for English Readers to Understand Mis-translated Passages in Our Bible; London: S. W. Partridge & Co. 1881)

4). Don Costello: In this and other incidents we also see God’s honoring the free moral will of individuals. Because he will judge all peoples according to their works (Revelation 20:11-15), God will not interfere with their free will. He will allow individuals to live out their works without his interference in order to be able to judge them faithfully (1 Peter 1:17). This is one of the incredible freedoms of the dominion given to man when he was created (Genesis 1:26-28). In these examples where because of the failure to faithfully interpret and translate the Hebrew idiom of permissive verbs, God is said to do things that he only allows to occur because of man’s free will being carried out to its own determination. As we shall see in Psalm 3, even though David’s own actions brought this about, God would still be with David and protect him because of David's sincere repentence and the blood Covenant.