Psalm 3:7
Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.
Arise, O LORD!
The Hebrew word for "Arise" is "קוּם" (qum), which conveys a sense of action and intervention. In the context of ancient Israel, this plea is a call for God to stand up and take action on behalf of His people. It reflects a deep trust in God's power to intervene in human affairs. The phrase "O LORD" uses the sacred name of God, Yahweh, emphasizing a personal relationship and covenantal faithfulness. This invocation is a cry for divine presence and deliverance, echoing the Israelites' historical experiences of God rising to defend them against their foes.

Save me, O my God!
The Hebrew root for "Save" is "יָשַׁע" (yasha), which means to deliver or rescue. This plea is not just for physical salvation but encompasses spiritual and eternal deliverance. The personal pronoun "my" signifies an intimate relationship with God, highlighting the psalmist's reliance on God's personal intervention. The phrase "O my God" underscores a personal claim to God, reflecting the covenant relationship between God and His people. It is a declaration of faith, acknowledging God as the ultimate source of salvation.

Strike all my enemies on the jaw
The imagery of striking on the jaw is vivid and forceful, symbolizing a decisive defeat and humiliation of the enemies. In ancient Near Eastern culture, a blow to the jaw was a metaphor for breaking the power and arrogance of one's adversaries. This phrase reflects the psalmist's confidence in God's ability to subdue those who oppose His righteous cause. It is a call for divine justice, where the enemies of God's people are rendered powerless.

break the teeth of the wicked
The metaphor of breaking teeth signifies the removal of the wicked's ability to harm or devour. In biblical symbolism, teeth represent power and aggression. By asking God to "break the teeth," the psalmist is seeking the dismantling of the wicked's strength and influence. This request is rooted in the belief that God is a righteous judge who will ultimately triumph over evil. The term "wicked" refers to those who oppose God's will and oppress His people, and the psalmist's prayer is for their defeat and the establishment of divine justice.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The author of Psalm 3, David is fleeing from his son Absalom, who has rebelled against him. This context of personal crisis and betrayal is crucial to understanding the urgency and desperation in David's plea.

2. Absalom
David's son, who led a rebellion against his father, causing David to flee Jerusalem. This event is a backdrop to the psalm and highlights the familial and political turmoil David faced.

3. Enemies
The adversaries David refers to are both literal and symbolic. They include Absalom's followers and those who oppose David's God-given kingship.

4. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, whom David calls upon for deliverance and justice. This reflects David's reliance on God's power and faithfulness.

5. The Wicked
Those who oppose God's anointed king, representing broader themes of evil and opposition to God's purposes.
Teaching Points
Dependence on God in Crisis
David's plea for God to "Arise" and "Save" reflects a deep dependence on divine intervention during times of crisis. Believers are encouraged to turn to God first in their own times of trouble.

God's Justice Against Evil
The imagery of striking enemies on the jaw and breaking their teeth symbolizes God's power to render the wicked powerless. This reassures believers of God's ultimate justice.

Prayer as a Weapon
David's prayer is an example of using prayer as a spiritual weapon against both physical and spiritual adversaries. Christians are reminded of the power of prayer in spiritual warfare.

Trust in God's Deliverance
Despite the immediate threat, David's confidence in God's deliverance is unwavering. Believers are encouraged to trust in God's timing and methods of deliverance.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the historical context of Absalom's rebellion enhance our interpretation of Psalm 3:7?

2. In what ways can we apply David's example of turning to God in times of crisis to our own lives today?

3. How do we reconcile the imprecatory nature of David's prayer with Jesus' teaching on loving our enemies?

4. What does Psalm 3:7 teach us about God's character, particularly in terms of justice and protection?

5. How can we use prayer as a tool for spiritual warfare in our own lives, drawing from David's example in this psalm?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 2
This psalm also speaks of God's anointed king and the futility of opposing Him, providing a broader theological context for understanding God's protection and justice.

2 Samuel 15-18
The account of Absalom's rebellion provides the historical backdrop for Psalm 3, illustrating the real-life challenges David faced.

Matthew 5:44
Jesus' teaching on loving enemies contrasts with the imprecatory nature of David's prayer, offering a New Testament perspective on dealing with adversaries.
The Secret of David's ConfidenceDavid Caldwell, A. M.Psalm 3:7
A Morning HymnA. Maclaren, D. D.Psalm 3:1-8
A Morning Song in Perilous TimesC. Clemance Psalm 3:1-8
A Soul's Complaint to GodF. B. Meyer, B. A.Psalm 3:1-8
David's Dependence on GodC. Short Psalm 3:1-8
Morning ThoughtsJ. J. S. Perowne.Psalm 3:1-8
The Great Trials of LifeHomilistPsalm 3:1-8
The Harassed ManHomiletic ReviewPsalm 3:1-8
The Number of a Man's FoesJoseph Parker, D. D.Psalm 3:1-8
The Psalmist's ComplaintRobert Rollocks.Psalm 3:1-8
The Via DolorosaE. S. Prout.Psalm 3:1-8
Stop and ThinkMichael Eastwood.Psalm 3:2-8
People
Absalom, David, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Arise, Blows, Bone, Break, Broken, Cheek, Cheekbone, Deliver, Enemies, Evil-doers, Face-bones, Hast, Haters, Jaw, O, Rise, Safe, Save, Shattered, Smite, Smitten, Strike, Struck, Teeth, Ungodly, Wicked
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 3:7

     5189   teeth

Psalm 3:1-8

     5087   David, reign of
     8618   prayerfulness

Library
Table of the Books of Holy Scripture According to Date.
HISTORICAL BOOKS. PROPHETIC AND POETICAL BOOKS. B.C. 4004 1689 Genesis 1529 Job Psalm lxxxviii. by Heman, the Ezrahite, (See 1 Chron. ii. 6) 1491 Exodus 1491 Leviticus 1451 Numbers Psalm xc. and (perhaps) xci 1450 Deuteronomy 1451 1427 Joshua 1312 Ruth 1120 Judges 1171 1056 1 Samuel Psalms, certainly vii, xi, xvi, xvii, xxii, xxxi, xxxiv, lvi, liv, lii, cix, xxxv, lvii, lviii, cxliii, cxl, cxli, and many more 1056 1 Chronicles Psalms, certainly ii, vi, ix, xx, 1023 Psalms
Charlotte Mary Yonge—The Chosen People

The History of the Psalter
[Sidenote: Nature of the Psalter] Corresponding to the book of Proverbs, itself a select library containing Israel's best gnomic literature, is the Psalter, the compendium of the nation's lyrical songs and hymns and prayers. It is the record of the soul experiences of the race. Its language is that of the heart, and its thoughts of common interest to worshipful humanity. It reflects almost every phase of religious feeling: penitence, doubt, remorse, confession, fear, faith, hope, adoration, and
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

Rules to be Observed in Singing of Psalms.
1. Beware of singing divine psalms for an ordinary recreation, as do men of impure spirits, who sing holy psalms intermingled with profane ballads: They are God's word: take them not in thy mouth in vain. 2. Remember to sing David's psalms with David's spirit (Matt. xxii. 43.) 3. Practise St. Paul's rule--"I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the understanding also." (1 Cor. xiv. 15.) 4. As you sing uncover your heads (1 Cor. xi. 4), and behave yourselves in comely reverence as in the
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Godly are in Some Sense Already Blessed
I proceed now to the second aphorism or conclusion, that the godly are in some sense already blessed. The saints are blessed not only when they are apprehended by God, but while they are travellers to glory. They are blessed before they are crowned. This seems a paradox to flesh and blood. What, reproached and maligned, yet blessed! A man that looks upon the children of God with a carnal eye and sees how they are afflicted, and like the ship in the gospel which was covered with waves' (Matthew 8:24),
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Of the Necessity of Divine Influences to Produce Regeneration in the Soul.
Titus iii. 5, 6. Titus iii. 5, 6. Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. IF my business were to explain and illustrate this scripture at large, it would yield an ample field for accurate criticism and useful discourse, and more especially would lead us into a variety of practical remarks, on which it would be pleasant
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration

Christ's Kingly Office
Q-26: HOW DOES CHRIST EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF A KING? A: In subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies. Let us consider now Christ's regal office. And he has on his vesture, and on his thigh, a name written, "King of kings, and Lord of lords", Rev 19:16. Jesus Christ is of mighty renown, he is a king; (1.) he has a kingly title. High and Lofty.' Isa 57:15. (2.) He has his insignia regalia, his ensigns of royalty; corona est insigne
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Consolation
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received at the LORD 's hand double for all her sins. T he particulars of the great "mystery of godliness," as enumerated by the Apostle Paul, constitute the grand and inexhaustible theme of the Gospel ministry, "God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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