Psalms 3:2
many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Psalms 3:2
many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The phrase "of my soul" doesn't mean "about my inner thoughts," but rather, "about me" – David is essentially saying his enemies are speaking about him as a person. What's striking is how deeply their words cut, not just as insults, but as pronouncements of complete abandonment by God, a fate considered worse than death itself.
David is in deep distress, likely fleeing from his own son Absalom's rebellion, and his enemies are mocking him. They see his desperate situation as proof that God has abandoned him, even questioning if divine help is even possible for him. The word "Selah" likely indicates a musical or thoughtful pause, emphasizing the gravity of this accusation against David and his God.
Ever feel like people are whispering about you, convinced you're done for? David knows that feeling. This verse captures the sting of public pronouncements of doom.
The Bitter Taste of Defeat
David is in a desperate situation, fleeing from his own son, Absalom. His enemies, like Shimei mentioned in 2 Samuel, aren't just fighting him; they're mocking him, declaring his downfall is deserved and final. They're not just saying he's in trouble; they're saying he's finished.
This isn't just idle gossip; it's a spiritual warfare declaration, aimed at crushing David's hope and confidence in God.
Have you ever encountered a word in Scripture that just stops you in your tracks? 'Selah' is one of those ancient mysteries, a pause in the text that demands our attention.
More Than Just a Pause
The word 'Selah' appears frequently in the Psalms, and its exact meaning is debated by scholars. However, its consistent placement at pivotal moments suggests it's more than just a musical notation.
Understand the original words
nephesh · Hebrew Noun
The immaterial part of a human, representing the seat of emotions, will, intellect, and spiritual life. It is the core of a person’s existence before God.
yeshu'ah · Hebrew Noun
Divine deliverance, rescue, or victory. It encompasses preservation from danger, spiritual liberation, and ultimate reconciliation with God.
selah · Hebrew Noun
A musical or liturgical term of uncertain precise meaning, likely indicating a pause, a crescendo, or a call for meditative reflection on the preceding truth.
This psalm was likely written by David during the intense personal crisis of Absalom's rebellion, a time when his own people, even his friends, questioned God's support for him.
c. 992 BC
Absalom's Rebellion Begins
Absalom, David's son, raises a rebellion and seizes the throne, forcing David to flee Jerusalem.
c. 992 BC— this verse
David Flees Jerusalem
David, with a loyal but small contingent, leaves Jerusalem, seeking refuge and to regroup.
c. 992 BC
Shimei Curses David
While David flees, Shimei, a relative of Saul, curses him and throws stones, accusing him of bloodguilt.
c. 992 BC
David Sends Ark Back
David instructs Zadok the priest to return the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, believing its presence could bring deliverance.
c. 992 BC
Absalom Enters Jerusalem
Just as Goliath taunted Israel, saying their God would not deliver them, so David's enemies scorn him, declaring God offers him no help.
Job 19:7Job laments that when he cries out for help, his pleas are ignored, echoing David's despair that even God seems distant and unhelpful.
Isaiah 41:10This verse promises God's strength and help, directly countering the despairing cry of David's enemies that 'there is no salvation for him in God.'
Matthew 27:43The taunts against Jesus on the cross, 'He trusts in God; let God deliver him now,' mirror the exact sentiment expressed by David's enemies in Psalm 3:2.
Romans 8:31Paul's declaration that 'If God is for us, who can be against us?' stands as a powerful refutation to the kind of despair David and later believers face when enemies claim God has abandoned them.
cambridgePsalms 3:2: "Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah."
2 . Faint-hearted friends may be meant, as well as insolent enemies like Shimei, who professed to regard the king’s calamities as the divine punishment for his past crimes ( 2 Samuel 16:8 ff.). of my soul ] The ‘soul’ in O.T. language is a man’s ‘self;’ it represents him as a living, thinking, conscious individual. help ] Or, salvation , as in Psalm 3:8 ; where see note. Cp. ‘save me’ in Psalm 3:7 . But th…
wesleyPsalms 3:2: "Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah."
3:2 My soul - Of me: the soul being commonly put for the person. In God - God hath utterly forsaken him. Selah - This word is no where used but in this poetical book, and in the song of Habakkuk. Probably it was a musical note, directing the singer either to lift up his voice, to make a pause, or to lengthen the tune. But withal, it is generally placed at some remarkable passage; which gives occasion to th…
The phrase "of my soul" doesn't mean "about my inner thoughts," but rather, "about me" – David is essentially saying his enemies are speaking about him as a person. What's striking is how deeply their words cut, not just as insults, but as pronouncements of complete abandonment by God, a fate considered worse than death itself.
David is in deep distress, likely fleeing from his own son Absalom's rebellion, and his enemies are mocking him. They see his desperate situation as proof that God has abandoned him, even questioning if divine help is even possible for him. The word "Selah" likely indicates a musical or thoughtful pause, emphasizing the gravity of this accusation against David and his God.
David is in deep distress, likely fleeing from his own son Absalom's rebellion, and his enemies are mocking him. They see his desperate situation as proof that God has abandoned him, even questioning if divine help is even possible for him. The word "Selah" likely indicates a musical or thoughtful pause, emphasizing the gravity of this accusation against David and his God.
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Absalom, now in control of Jerusalem, is advised by Ahithophel, further increasing David's vulnerability.
"many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah" — The phrase "of my soul" doesn't mean "about my inner thoughts," but rather, "about me" – David is essentially saying his enemies are speaking about him as a person. What's striking is how deeply th…