Psalm 3

The third Psalm is a Psalm of David, and belongs to the series of Lamentations of an individual.

Structure

The Old Testament scholar Hermann Gunkel divided the psalm in the following way:

Dating and explanation

The specification of the psalm -heading " Of David. When he fled from his son Absalom. " ( Cf. 2 Samuel 15-18) is nowadays usually considered to be untrue. Firstly, because the local constitution of David ( deeply hurt ) is not reflected in the psalm. On the other hand, because the mountain of Zion to David's time is not yet the " Holy Mountain " was (v. 5b). Therefore, writes Hans -Joachim Kraus: " A temporal heading of the Psalm is not possible, but you will be able to think of pre-exilic period. "

Overall, the goal in this psalm to the knowledge and confidence of the person Errettetseins of those who count themselves among the people of Yahweh and call him. " But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the uplifts my head. " (V. 4 ): This is the emphatic prayer of the afflicted, the turn toward to Yahweh. "So now this is the lesson of the psalm, " Martin Luther writes in his interpretation, " that no one is too much to fear or despair, this evil is it always wanted. "

It should not be overlooked that this psalm is indeed invites itself to be regarded as one of Jehovah redeemed. But the Psalmist puts the words of course, not in the mouth of an anonymous worshiper, but in the mouth of David ( verse 1). King David is therefore the hermeneutical key of the Psalms. The reader is encouraged to watch, like God himself someone like David, who was at that time very much in distress, saved and later raised to be king over all Israel.