Psalms

Psalm 3:1–8

¹A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.

O LORD, how my foes have increased!

How many rise up against me!

²Many say of me,

“God will not deliver him.”

Selah^a

³But You, O LORD, are a shield around me,

my glory, and the One who lifts my head.

⁴To the LORD I cry aloud,

and He answers me from His holy mountain.

Selah

⁵I lie down and sleep;

I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.

⁶I will not fear the myriads

set against me on every side.

⁷Arise, O LORD!

Save me, O my God!

Strike all my enemies on the jaw;

break the teeth of the wicked.

⁸Salvation belongs to the LORD;

may Your blessing be on Your people.

Selah

Footnotes

a 3:2 Selah or Interlude is probably a musical or literary term; here and throughout the Psalms.

Read all of Psalm 3

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 3:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
A Psalm	מִזְמ֥וֹר	miz·mō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H4210 melody
of David	לְדָוִ֑ד	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
when he fled	בְּ֝בָרְח֗וֹ	bə·ḇā·rə·ḥōw	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H1272 go through, flee
from	מִפְּנֵ֤י׀	mip·pə·nê	Preposition-m; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
his son	בְּנֽוֹ׃	bə·nōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1121 son
Absalom	אַבְשָׁל֬וֹם	’aḇ·šā·lō·wm	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H53 Abshalom
O LORD	יְ֭הוָה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
how	מָֽה־	māh-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
my foes	צָרָ֑י	ṣā·rāy	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H6862 narrow, tight
have increased	רַבּ֣וּ	rab·bū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H7231 be or become, many, much
How many	רַ֝בִּ֗ים	rab·bîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H7227 much, many, great
rise up	קָמִ֥ים	qā·mîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
against me	עָלָֽי׃	‘ā·lāy	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height

Psalm 3:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Many	רַבִּים֮	rab·bîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H7227 much, many, great
say	אֹמְרִ֪ים	’ō·mə·rîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H559 utter, say
of me	לְנַ֫פְשִׁ֥י	lə·nap̄·šî	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
God	בֵֽאלֹהִ֬ים	ḇê·lō·hîm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
will not	אֵ֤ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
deliver	יְֽשׁוּעָ֓תָה	yə·šū·‘ā·ṯāh	Noun - feminine singular; third person feminine singular	H3444 salvation
him	לּ֬וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
Selah	סֶֽלָה׃	se·lāh	Interjection	H5542 lift up

Psalm 3:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But You	וְאַתָּ֣ה	wə·’at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
O LORD	יְ֭הוָה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
are a shield	מָגֵ֣ן	mā·ḡên	Noun - common singular	H4043 shield
around me	בַּעֲדִ֑י	ba·‘ă·ḏî	Preposition; first person common singular	H1157 separation
my glory	כְּ֝בוֹדִ֗י	kə·ḇō·w·ḏî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H3519 abundance, honour, glory
and the One who lifts	וּמֵרִ֥ים	ū·mê·rîm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular	H7311 be high, exalted, rise
my head	רֹאשִֽׁי׃	rō·šî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H7218 head

Psalm 3:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
To	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the LORD	יְהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
I cry	אֶקְרָ֑א	’eq·rā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
aloud	ק֭וֹלִי	qō·w·lî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6963 sound, voice
and He answers me	וַיַּֽעֲנֵ֨נִי	way·ya·‘ă·nê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H6030 answer, respond
from His holy	קָדְשׁ֣וֹ	qā·ḏə·šōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H6944 sacred, sanctity
mountain	מֵהַ֖ר	mê·har	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
Selah	סֶֽלָה׃	se·lāh	Interjection	H5542 lift up

Psalm 3:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I	אֲנִ֥י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
lie down	שָׁכַ֗בְתִּי	šā·ḵaḇ·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H7901 lie down
and sleep	וָֽאִ֫ישָׁ֥נָה	wā·’î·šā·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular; third person feminine singular	H3462 sleep
I wake again	הֱקִיצ֑וֹתִי	hĕ·qî·ṣō·w·ṯî	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular	H6974 awake
for	כִּ֖י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the LORD	יְהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
sustains me	יִסְמְכֵֽנִי׃	yis·mə·ḵê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H5564 lean, lay, rest, support

Psalm 3:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I will not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
fear	אִ֭ירָא	’î·rā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H3372 fear
the myriads	מֵרִבְב֥וֹת	mê·riḇ·ḇō·wṯ	Preposition-m; Number - feminine plural construct	H7233 multitude, myriad, ten thousand
set	שָׁ֣תוּ	šā·ṯū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H7896 put, set
against me	עָלָֽי׃	‘ā·lāy	Preposition; first person common singular	H5921 height
on every side	סָ֝בִ֗יב	sā·ḇîḇ	Adverb	H5439 circuit, round about

Psalm 3:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Arise	ק֘וּמָ֤ה	qū·māh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
O LORD	יְהוָ֨ה׀	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
Save me	הוֹשִׁ֘יעֵ֤נִי	hō·wō·šî·‘ê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H3467 deliver
O my God	אֱלֹהַ֗י	’ĕ·lō·hay	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H430 God
Strike	הִכִּ֣יתָ	hik·kî·ṯā	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H5221 smite
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
my enemies	אֹיְבַ֣י	’ō·yə·ḇay	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H341 be hostile to
on the jaw	לֶ֑חִי	le·ḥî	Noun - feminine singular	H3895 jaw, cheek
break	שִׁבַּֽרְתָּ׃	šib·bar·tā	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H7665 break, break in pieces
the teeth	שִׁנֵּ֖י	šin·nê	Noun - cdc	H8127 tooth, ivory
of the wicked	רְשָׁעִ֣ים	rə·šā·‘îm	Adjective - masculine plural	H7563 wicked, criminal

Psalm 3:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Salvation	הַיְשׁוּעָ֑ה	hay·šū·‘āh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H3444 salvation
to the LORD	לַיהוָ֥ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
may Your blessing	בִרְכָתֶ֣ךָ	ḇir·ḵā·ṯe·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1293 blessing
be on	עַֽל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
Your people	עַמְּךָ֖	‘am·mə·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H5971 people
Selah	סֶּֽלָה׃	se·lāh	Interjection	H5542 lift up