Thursday, January 26, 2012

Psalm 3 Translation

Psalm 1
Psalm 2
Now Psalm 3
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[A psalm attributed to David when he fled from the face of Absalom his son]
1 LORD, how are my troubles multiplying,
     the multitudes of those rising against me!
2 Multitudes are saying of my person,
     "There will be no help for him with God."
Music

3 But you, YHWH, [are] a shield for me,
     my glory, and one who lifts up my head.
4 [With] my voice to YHWH I called,
     and he answered me from the hill of his holiness.
Music

5 I myself lay down and slept.
     I awoke because YHWH helped me.
6 I will not fear the multitudes of people 
     who surround and set themselves against me.
7 Arise, YHWH,
     save me, O God,
 for you strike all my enemies on the cheek,
     the teeth of the wicked you shatter.
8 To YHWH is the salvation,
     over your people, your blessing.
 Music
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Not much to say about this psalm.  The title was certainly not original, since David would not attribute a psalm to David.  It is rather a context against which later readers read the psalm. We can read it that way, but we might also fruitfully read the psalm on its own terms.

No one knows what Selah meant, other than the fact that it was probably some sort of musical or reading instruction.  I originally rendered it as "Pause," but have decided instead simply to put "Music."

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