But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. Psalm 3:3

This is the first of what we call lament psalms. While some laments are communal, expressing to God Israel’s concerns and emotions, Psalm 3 is an individual lament that conveys the writer’s own predicament. In our English Bibles, the psalm begins with verse 1, but the original inspired text includes the pre-psalm introduction or background: “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom, his son.” (This is to be distinguished from titles that Bible translators often add to each psalm, usually italicized, which are not inspired.)

We find the historical background to this psalm in 2 Samuel 15, where David’s son attempted a military coup and ran King David out of Jerusalem. The reason for the insurrection had its genesis in Absalom’s anger toward his father’s inaction when another one of David’s sons, Ammon, raped Tamar, Absalom’s sister (2 Sam. 13)—yes, two sons of David, but from two different wives. Some interpreters fault David’s lack of control over his household as the ultimate cause of Absalom’s loss of respect for David, which led to his ultimate treachery against David. Whether David shares in the blame is not for us to decide; even God makes no comment about that.

The Holy Spirit has preserved for us David’s reaction to the turn of events. We can learn much about a godly man’s emotions and response to his fearfulness in the face of severe opposition. A thousand years later, the Holy Spirit affirmed what God had said about David: “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will” (Acts 13:22, see also 1 Sam. 13:14). Regardless of his shortcomings and failures, David was a man of God in the highest sense of the word.

His lament comes at us in three sections, separated by the ubiquitous “Selah.” This word’s meaning is not precisely known, but it serves as a pause; the writer wishes us to stop and think about what was just said. The first two sections lay out his complaint. Absalom had won over the allegiance of many of those formerly loyal to David. The fact that Absalom had forced David out seemed to them proof positive that God was on their side. David rehearses all this to the Lord.

The second section is verses 3-4, where David expresses his confidence in the Lord’s protection: He is a shield, “my glory,” and “the One who lifts my head.” David is so sure the Lord will answer him that he uses the past tense to proclaim that God has already done it.

The last section comprises verses 5-8, where David expresses his confidence in the Lord; he will not fear those who oppose him, no matter how many there are. He lays out his request to physically defeat his enemies (again using past tense verbs, indicating his assurance of God’s help). David resisted doing battle himself against Absalom, his son, whom, despite the treachery, David still loved (2 Sam. 18:5, 33). So he asks the Lord to take it out of his hands. He asks Him specifically to “save me,” referring to God by his covenantal name, Lord (that is, Yahweh). And he ends with praise, common to many lament psalms: “Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah” (Ps. 3:8).

In life, we face many conflicts, some that hit deeply, like being rejected and opposed by a friend or a loved one. We can be conflicted about how to pray. Do we pray for their downfall, or should we trust God to handle the situation? In this example from the godly man, David, we see that lamenting to God can be a godly thing to do; it reveals the honesty of our soul. So also is praying for protection and vindication for ourselves and asking God to stop the other person from further attacking or harming us. But our lament and request shouldn’t stop there. The godly response to these things is to praise God, falling back on His promises, what we know to be true of God and His character.

Lord, in my present conflict, I praise You for being “a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head … Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessings be upon Your people” (Ps. 3:3, 8).