I. THE PRESSURE OF DAVID'S FOES (1-2). I. Their Increase (1a). 2. Their Insurrection (1b). 3. Their Inference (2). That his cause was hopeless! Selah. II. THE PROTECTION OF DAVID'S GOD (3-4). 1. God his Shield. The rebels had attacked his person. 2. God his Glory. The rebels desired his crown. 3. God his Uplifter. The rebels sought his downfall. 4. God his Sanctuary. The rebels had driven him from Zion. Selah. III. THE PEACEFULNESS OF DAVID'S SLEEP (5-6). 1. His Confidence (5). Trustfulness. 2. His Courage (6). Fearlessness. IV. THE PETITION OF DAVID'S HEART (7-8). I. His Appeal for Himself (7). 2. His Aspiration for the People (8), (R.V.). Selah. SUPERSCRIPT.-A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. SUDSCRIPT.-For the Chief Musician; upon Neginoth. PRIMARY AssocIATION.-Pss. iii. and iv. are obviously connected. Both are by David and both belong to the same crisis of his life, referred to in the title of Ps. iii., but while iii. is a morning hynm "after a night spent in the midst of danger," iv. is "an evening
hyrun written on a s0111ewhat later occasion when the danger, though less in1minent has not yet passed." C£ the graphic account of the circumstances, 2 Sam. xv.-xvii. David had gratified his own heart's desire in bringing back his son in unrighteousness. Fro1n that moment, Absalom becan1e a thorn in David's side, and plotted to wrest the kingdom from his father. A series of crises overwhelmed David at this time, namely, the treachery of his beloved son, the perfidy of his trusted counsellor and the revolt of a disaffected party in the nation. It is anud such circumstances that David retires into the presence of his God. Having committed his cause to God, he rested in perfect peace. Regarding subscript, see Introduction V. "Neginoth" from "nagan," to strike, is primarily connected with striking the strings of an instrument with a plectrum. It seems also to suggest a deeper meaning, (a) a "snuting" with words-the Trials of the Saints {I.xix. 12; Lam. iii. 14, 63 ;-Job xxx. 9), and (b) a "snuting" of foes-the Triumphs of the Saints (iii. 7, etc.). Thās is the first psalm in which " Selah" occurs and its threefold use is well illustrated; (a) Lively Contrast-the ene1ny falsehood of (2) and the established fact of (3); (b) Logical Consequence-the comfort (5-6) following the cry (4), peace the answer to the prayer; ( c) Literary Connection-between Pss. iii. and iv. ( 8). In superscript "Psalm" may be rendered "melody" and so throughout the five books. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-Some of David's experiences are in measure anticipatory of Messiah's. In this connection it is interesting to note that the company with David passed over by the same path as our Lord took to Gethsemane, 2 Sam. xv. 23, 30. We here see also the Spirit of Christ in the faithful Jewish remnant suffering oppression by the apostate majority of the nation, especially in the last days when the usurping Antichrist is temporarily in Ăower. Refer to Analysis, Book I. In Pss. i. and ii. we saw the Lord s Anointed and His King 'dom threatened from without; in iii. and iv. we see them threatened from within. PERSONAL APPLICATION.-In Pss. iii. to vii. we get the attitude and experiences of faithful ones anud failures and trials. There are many precious lessons for the people of God in these days. "When the waves of trial rise, the soul is driven up higher upon its Rock of Refuge." Our past experiences of divine deliverances afford us ground for confidence in the present and hope regarding the future.
ANALYTICAL. STUDIES IN THE PS.ALMS Human plots are powerless to frustrate God's purposes. Whatever men n1ay say God never forsakes His own (2, 4). Calmness in the face of danger is a practical proof of faith. Distressed saints should be able, not only to lay themselves down, but to sleep (5). "One with God is a majority." David was as peaceful and secure on the open plain as he was in his magnificent palace. VERSE NOTES. d · ,, Ii "th th d. " " . d ,, £ S mme a versanes, t. ey at istress me - mcrease , c . 2 am. xv. 12-13-"Many (or, multitudes) are rising up .... Many (or multitudes) .... " c£ 2 Sam. xviii. 31-32. See 6. 2. A thou9ht possibly expressed by Shimei, 2 Sam. xvi. 5, 8-" soul,,, emphatic for the mans self, a freq. expression in the Psalms-"help" (or, salvation, 8) primarily in a physical sense. "al d r " hi Id " c£ G D . · · 3. o part! e1ence- s e , . en. xv. I; eut. xxxw. 29- g ory, for it was from God that David derived his royal dignity and honour. Heb. impf. tense often denotes repeated action or habit, so here-' 'whenever I call .. . He answereth"-"holy hill," i.e. Zion, seat of the Ark, viewed as the centre from which God exercised His earthly sovereignty, cf. 2 Sam. xv. 31. 5. Present experience also justifies confidence. "I" (emph.), i.e. even I not withstanding my present circumstances. His sleep was not that of exhaustion, but of possessed peace-"sustaineth," s.H.w., xxxvii. 17b, 24b; adv. 14 ("uphold eth"), ctr. xxvii. 2b. 6. "I will not," c£ xxvii. 3-"ten thousands," (lit. myriads) see 1-2. "That ha ,, s ve set . . . 2 . am. xvu. 1-2. 7. "Arise," c£ opening words of Israel's ancient marching song, Num. x. 35. "For ... " past experience the basis for present appeal. A buffet on the cheek was the height of insult against a beaten foe; it showed that all spirit and power for resistance were gone, 1 Kings xxii. 24-"broken the teeth" i.e. the ungodly portrayed as fierce wild beasts rushing upon their prey, but suddenly deprived of all power to harm. 8. "salvation" in the Psalms denotes deliverance generally, but "as revelation grows it becomes of deeper significance until it gains an inexhaustible fulness of spiritual meaning in the New Testament." (Sb). The welfare of his people is more to David than his own personal safety; he intercedes on behalf of the rebels, c£ Luke xxiii. 34. The whole nation is still Jehovah's people, though in revolt against His Anointed.
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