Psalm 3:2 kjv
Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
Psalm 3:2 nkjv
Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God." Selah
Psalm 3:2 niv
Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him."
Psalm 3:2 esv
many are saying of my soul, "There is no salvation for him in God." Selah
Psalm 3:2 nlt
So many are saying,
"God will never rescue him!" Interlude
Psalm 3 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 22:7-8 | All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads: “He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him..." | Taunts challenging God's deliverance for the righteous. |
| Ps 42:3 | My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” | Scorn questioning God's presence and action. |
| Ps 42:10 | As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” | Deep pain from relentless spiritual taunts. |
| Ps 71:10-11 | For my enemies speak concerning me... “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him.” | Enemies falsely claiming God's abandonment. |
| Ps 115:2 | Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” | Challenge to God's people concerning His activity. |
| Job 2:9-10 | Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women...” | Pressure to renounce faith when afflicted. |
| Isa 36:15, 18-20 | Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?... | Rabshakeh's taunt challenging YHWH's power vs. other gods. |
| Lam 2:15-16 | All who pass along the way clap their hands at you; they hiss and wag their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem... | Public mockery and derision during suffering. |
| Ez 22:7 | Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged... | Depicts conditions of spiritual failure that could lead to such scorn. |
| Mt 27:41-43 | So also the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself... | Echoes Ps 22; enemies mocking Jesus' reliance on God. |
| Rom 8:31 | What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? | God's ultimate vindication against accusers. |
| Heb 13:6 | So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” | A declaration of faith contradicting fear from scorn. |
| 2 Ki 18:28-35 | Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in Hebrew... 'Let not Hezekiah mislead you by saying, "The LORD will deliver us"...' | Public challenge to belief in God's deliverance during siege. |
| 1 Sam 17:26, 36 | Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?... I struck down both lions and bears... | David's earlier conviction in God's power against seemingly invincible foes. |
| Mic 7:8-10 | Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall arise... Then my enemy will see it and be covered with shame, she who said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” | Prophetic declaration of God's future vindication. |
| 2 Tim 4:18 | The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly Kingdom... | Apostolic confidence in God's ultimate deliverance. |
| Ps 73:11 | And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” | The proud questioning God's omniscience and involvement. |
| Job 19:26-27 | And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself; my eyes will behold, and not another. | Personal faith in God's ultimate salvation/vindication. |
| Jn 16:33 | I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” | Assurance in the face of worldly tribulation and opposition. |
| Jude 1:18-19 | They were saying to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. | Scoffers identified as those opposing true faith, driven by their own desires. |
| Gal 6:7 | Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. | Warning against scoffing or underestimating God. |
| Ps 44:9-10 | But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies... and those who hate us have plundered for themselves. | Sense of divine abandonment, leading to enemy taunts. |
| Rom 1:21 | For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. | Reflects the mindset of those who disregard God's power. |
Psalm 3 verses
Psalm 3 2 Meaning
Psalm 3:2 reveals the overwhelming distress of the psalmist, David, by detailing the direct and demoralizing verbal attacks from his numerous adversaries. They openly declare that God will not deliver him, thereby challenging God's power and faithfulness. This statement isn't merely a political or personal slight; it's a profound spiritual assault aimed at shaking David's core faith and undermining the covenant promise that God is his protector and deliverer. The verse portrays a situation where worldly opinion utterly dismisses God's ability or willingness to intervene on David's behalf.
Psalm 3 2 Context
Psalm 3 is attributed to David and bears the historical note, "when he fled from Absalom his son." This provides the critical backdrop for the intense personal and public distress described. David, the anointed King of Israel, is in flight, betrayed by his own son and many subjects (2 Sam 15-18). His authority is challenged, his life is in danger, and he is politically isolated. This specific verse, "Many are saying of my soul, 'There is no salvation for him in God.' Selah," reflects not only the physical peril but also the profound spiritual and psychological anguish of hearing widespread accusations that God has abandoned him. In ancient Near Eastern thought, the success or failure of a leader was often interpreted as a direct reflection of their god's favor or disfavor. The enemies' taunt goes beyond gloating over his defeat; it's a theological assertion that David's God is either unable or unwilling to save him, thereby invalidating David's very foundation of faith and kingship, which was divinely ordained. This was a direct spiritual and public polemic against the understanding of God's faithfulness to His covenant with David.
Psalm 3 2 Word analysis
- Many (רַבִּים, rabbim): Signifies a large number, a multitude. It implies overwhelming opposition, not just a few detractors, but a significant portion of the population or those David previously considered his people. This reinforces the psalmist's isolation and the widespread nature of the accusations.
- are saying (אֹמְרִים, 'omerim): Present participle, indicating a continuous or ongoing action. The enemies are not merely thinking it; they are actively, vocally, and persistently spreading this message. This sustained verbal assault adds to David's torment.
- of my soul (לְנַפְשִׁי, l'nafshi): The Hebrew word nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ), often translated as "soul," encompasses the entire person—life, being, inner self, vitality. This means the accusations are deeply personal and aimed at David's very existence and inner conviction, not just his public reputation or political standing. It signifies an attack on his well-being and life force.
- 'There is no salvation' (אֵין יְשׁוּעָתָה, 'ein yeshu'atah):
- Ein (אֵין): Means "there is not," "no," "nothing." It expresses absolute negation.
- Yeshu'ah (יְשׁוּעָה): A central biblical concept meaning "salvation," "deliverance," "help," "rescue," or "victory." It primarily refers to divine intervention to save from distress, enemies, or danger. Here, the enemies deny any form of rescue for David.
- 'for him' (לוֹ, lo): This seemingly impersonal pronoun, meaning "for him" or "to him," indicates that the statement is presented as a conclusive judgment or observation from the enemies. They speak as if it is an objective, undeniable fact, almost a public decree concerning David's doomed fate.
- 'in God' (בֵּאלֹהִים, b'Elohim): This phrase is pivotal. The denial of salvation is explicitly tied to God (Elohim). The enemies are not just claiming David is helpless, but that his very source of help, his God, is absent, unable, or unwilling to deliver him. This transforms the taunt into a direct challenge to God's character, power, and faithfulness, a profound theological accusation that strikes at the core of David's (and Israel's) faith.
- Selah (סֶלָה): A term found seventy-one times in the Psalms, likely a musical or liturgical direction. It calls for a pause, a cessation, to reflect deeply on the preceding words. In this context, it underscores the gravity and despair of the enemies' declaration, inviting the reader/worshiper to contemplate the full weight of such a crushing spiritual assault.
Words-group analysis
- "Many are saying of my soul": This phrase captures the pervasive and deeply personal nature of the slander. It implies a widespread consensus among the opposition, targeting David's very being with their demoralizing words.
- "'There is no salvation for him in God.'": This specific taunt represents a devastating spiritual assault. It directly questions God's attributes—His omnipotence, His faithfulness, and His covenant relationship with David. The enemies aim to sever David's hope by asserting that even God, the ultimate source of salvation for Israel, has abandoned him.
Psalm 3 2 Bonus section
The phrase "There is no salvation for him in God" functions as a direct polemic against the core belief in YHWH as the supreme, active Deliverer of Israel. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the efficacy of a deity was often judged by the prosperity and victory of their adherents. By declaring that God would not save David, the enemies were not only condemning David but also, by implication, diminishing the reputation and power of God Himself. This would have been a profoundly challenging spiritual blow to David and to any Israelite hearing such words. This aspect aligns the psalm with similar laments where the psalmist's primary concern is the potential dishonor brought upon God's name if He does not act. Furthermore, the experience of being reviled by a multitude, particularly by those close to you or of your own nation, makes this psalm highly relatable for believers experiencing betrayal, public shame, or intense spiritual attacks from visible and invisible foes. It lays the groundwork for understanding the full nature of the spiritual battles faced by believers throughout history, where the core of the conflict is often an attack on the reality of God's power and care.
Psalm 3 2 Commentary
Psalm 3:2 provides a raw and honest portrayal of the emotional and spiritual depth of David's plight. Faced with widespread opposition during Absalom's rebellion, David endures not only the physical threat of countless enemies but also the soul-crushing verbal assault that denies God's capacity or desire to deliver him. This verse reveals a critical dimension of suffering: the experience of others proclaiming that God has forsaken you, and that your hope in Him is futile. It highlights that the enemy's strategy often involves not just physical harm, but a concerted effort to destroy faith and hope in God. The specific accusation that "there is no salvation for him in God" targets the very core of David's relationship with YHWH, portraying the situation as beyond God's reach. Yet, this lament serves as a stark contrast to the psalmist's subsequent declarations of faith (e.g., Ps 3:3-5), setting the stage for his defiant trust in God amidst such dire circumstances. This initial despair ultimately magnifies God's subsequent vindication and deliverance.For example, imagine a believer facing severe illness or financial ruin, and those around them, perhaps even well-meaning individuals, questioning openly, "Where is your God now? Surely, He has abandoned you, or else this wouldn't be happening." Or, in spiritual warfare, whispers of condemnation and despair entering one's mind, echoing "God doesn't care; He won't help you."