Psalm 3 8

Psalm 3:8 kjv

Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

Psalm 3:8 nkjv

Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

Psalm 3:8 niv

From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

Psalm 3:8 esv

Salvation belongs to the LORD; your blessing be on your people! Selah

Psalm 3:8 nlt

Victory comes from you, O LORD.
May you bless your people. Interlude

Psalm 3 verses

Psalm 3 8 Meaning

Psalm 3:8 concludes David's personal prayer of distress and triumphant confession. It declares that deliverance, victory, and safety originate solely from the LORD. This foundational truth underscores that salvation in all its forms—from immediate physical danger to ultimate spiritual rescue—is not a human achievement but a divine prerogative and gift. Following this powerful assertion, the verse pronounces a blessing for "Your people," transitioning from David's individual experience to the corporate hope and well-being of God's covenant community, reflecting the king's deep connection to his nation and their reliance on divine favor.

Psalm 3 8 Context

Psalm 3 is David's morning prayer written during a moment of intense crisis: his flight from his son Absalom, who had usurped the throne and led a rebellion against him (2 Sam 15-18). David is surrounded by enemies, feeling deserted by many, and hears taunts that "there is no salvation for him in God" (Ps 3:2). Despite overwhelming opposition and mockery, David affirms his trust in the LORD as his shield, glory, and lifter of his head (Ps 3:3). He recounts crying out to the LORD and receiving an answer (Ps 3:4-5), finding peace to lie down and sleep amidst danger. His confidence grows to fearlessness even against "tens of thousands" (Ps 3:6-7), culminating in the powerful declaration of verse 8, shifting from his personal deliverance to the corporate blessing for all of God's people.

Psalm 3 8 Word analysis

• Salvation (יְשׁוּעָה - yeshu'ah):

  • This Hebrew term is broad, encompassing deliverance, victory, safety, prosperity, help, welfare, and even redemption. It signifies comprehensive rescue from any distress, threat, or oppression.
  • In the context of Psalm 3, yeshu'ah primarily refers to David's immediate physical and political deliverance from Absalom's rebellion and hostile pursuers.
  • The concept also carries a theological weight, foreshadowing the ultimate spiritual salvation from sin and death, epitomized in the name Yeshua (Jesus), which means "The LORD saves."
  • It refutes the taunt of David's enemies who claimed "there is no salvation for him in God" (Ps 3:2). David directly contradicts them by declaring that salvation belongs to God alone.

• belongs to the LORD (לַֽיהוָ֣ה - la-YHWH):

  • The Hebrew preposition la (lamed) combined with the definite article, conveys possession and ultimate origin. It emphasizes that salvation is the exclusive property, prerogative, and gift of YHWH. It is of the LORD, not merely from Him as a one-time act, but inherently His.
  • YHWH (יהוה): This is the Tetragrammaton, God's personal covenant name, often rendered "LORD" in English Bibles. It signifies God's self-existence, eternal presence, and faithfulness to His covenant promises. The use of YHWH underscores that this declaration is rooted in the very character and being of the covenant-keeping God of Israel.
  • This phrase serves as a powerful theological statement, countering any contemporary pagan beliefs that attributed deliverance or victory to idols, human might, or military strength. It is a direct polemic affirming YHWH's sovereignty.

• Your blessing (בִרְכָתְךָ֣ - birkatekha):

  • Birkah (blessing) refers to the divine favor, goodness, prosperity, and welfare that God imparts. It's a comprehensive term for God's generous provision and enablement in all areas of life, extending beyond mere material well-being to peace, protection, and spiritual favor.
  • The possessive suffix "-kha" ("Your") explicitly links the blessing to YHWH, reinforcing that it originates solely from Him, echoing the earlier assertion about salvation.

• upon Your people (עַל־עַמֶּֽךָ - al-'ammekha):

  • Al (upon) denotes placement or resting on, implying that God's blessing descends upon and remains with His people.
  • 'ammekha (Your people): Refers to Israel, God's covenant nation, whom He chose and set apart. While David's prayer begins as an intensely personal lament, it concludes with a focus on the entire community. This highlights the king's role as a representative leader whose well-being is intrinsically linked to the well-being of his nation. His personal deliverance assures and demonstrates God's continuing faithfulness to His people as a whole.
  • The shift from the personal "me" (Ps 3:7) to the corporate "Your people" signifies that God's deliverance of David is for the benefit and security of the entire nation, showcasing God's covenant loyalty to His chosen people.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Salvation belongs to the LORD": This forms a declarative statement, a theological axiom and a doxological exclamation. It's a confident, exclusive affirmation of divine power as the sole source of rescue, drawing on the entire historical experience of Israel's deliverance by God. This phrase has profound significance as a core truth of biblical faith.
  • "Your blessing be upon Your people": This moves from an declarative statement to a desiderative, almost liturgical, expression—a wish, prayer, or command. It connects the concept of exclusive divine salvation to God's ongoing, providential care and favor for His covenant community. The direct parallel in structure ("Salvation [is] of the LORD" followed by "Your blessing [is] upon Your people") highlights the two central benefits God bestows.

Psalm 3 8 Bonus section

The chiastic structure of Psalm 3 begins and ends with YHWH as David's defense. The final statement "Salvation belongs to the LORD" circles back to David's initial trust in God as his "shield" (Ps 3:3). The phrase serves as a summary of David's experience recounted throughout the psalm – that God truly heard and saved him. This ending transforms what began as a personal lament into a universal, corporate confession, suitable for the entire assembly of Israel. This doxological ending of a lament psalm is a common feature, indicating a shift from anguish to confidence rooted in God's character. It anticipates the ultimate and perfect "Yeshua" (Salvation) found in Jesus Christ, where God's deliverance and blessing converge most fully for His new covenant people.

Psalm 3 8 Commentary

Psalm 3:8 serves as the climactic summary and a timeless declaration of faith for both the individual believer and the covenant community. It powerfully asserts that all forms of salvation—whether personal escape from immediate peril, national deliverance from foes, or spiritual redemption from sin—are solely attributable to the LORD. This isn't merely an observation but a confession of profound dependence on God's omnipotent grace. David, having experienced profound betrayal and facing imminent destruction, does not credit his own resilience or the loyalty of a few followers, but rather the LORD alone. His survival is a testimony to God's sovereign power to save.

Crucially, the verse immediately follows this absolute declaration of God's saving power with a prayer or pronouncement of God's blessing "upon Your people." This reveals that the king's deliverance is not an isolated event; it secures and symbolizes the enduring favor of God upon His entire nation. It highlights a corporate dimension: the well-being of God's leader and His personal intervention for him extends to benefit and assure the whole collective body of believers. This connection demonstrates God's consistent covenant fidelity and reminds us that personal faith, while intimate, often finds its fullest expression and benefit within the community of faith, where God's protective and providential hand is also extended.