Psalm 3:8

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 3:4-8

David, having stirred up himself by the irritations of his enemies to take hold on God as his God, and so gained comfort in looking upward when, if he looked round about him, nothing appeared but what was discouraging, here looks back with pleasing reflections upon the benefit he had derived from trusting in God and looks forward with pleasing expectations of a very bright and happy issue to which the dark dispensation he was now under would shortly be brought. I. See with what comfort he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 3:8

Salvation belongeth unto the Lord ,.... As the author of it; temporal salvation is of him; all the deliverances of the saints out of their troubles are from him; and to him is owing their spiritual and eternal salvation; this belongs to Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit: Jehovah the Father resolved upon it, chose men to it from everlasting, contrived the scheme of it in his infinite wisdom, made a covenant with his Son, in which he secured it, and appointed him to be the author of it, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 3:8

Salvation belongeth unto the Lord - It is God alone who saves. He is the fountain whence help and salvation come; and to him alone the praise of all saved souls is due. His blessing is upon his people. Those who are saved from the power and the guilt of sin are his people. His mercy saved them; and it is by his blessing being continually upon them, that they continue to be saved. David adds his selah here also: mark this! Salvation comes from God. Salvation is continued by God. These... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 3:8

Verse 8 8.Salvation belongeth unto the Lord. Because ל is sometimes used by the Hebrews for מך Min, some not improperly translate this clause, Salvation is of the Lord. I, however consider the natural and obvious meaning to be simply this, that salvation or deliverance is only in the hands of God. By these words, David not only claims the office and praise of saving for God alone, tacitly opposing his power to all human succor; but also declares, that although a thousand deaths hang over his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 3:1-8

The composition is made up of three parts—a strophe, an antistrophe, and an epode, each terminated by the word selah. Some critics, however, make out four parts, by dividing the epode. But the absence of the word selah at the close of 2 Samuel 18:7 is against this. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 3:1-8

A morning song in perilous times. In this case, as in others, the words which in our version form the title of the psalm are in the Hebrew its first verse. And they enable us, with less than the usual uncertainty, to fix on the historic occasion on which it was written. This is one of those psalms which come under those in the first division of the introductory homily. It is an historical psalm, and as such it must be studied and estimated, £ As an illustration of the way in which... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 3:1-8

David's dependence on God. This psalm written by David at the time of Absalom's revolt, reminds one of the poet's lines— "Most wretehed men Are cradled into poetry by wrong; They learn in suffering what they teach in song. I. A COURSE OF AGGRAVATED TROUBLE AND DANGER . 1 . Caused by a tenderly beloved son. And yet David never mentions him; a sign how deeply he was wounded. The silence tells more than speech would do. 2. Not only his throne , but his life ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 3:8

Salvation belongeth unto the Lord ; or, salvation is the Lord ' s (Kay). "To him alone it belongs to save or to destroy. Therefore is my prayer addressed to him, and him only" (see Psalms 3:7 ). Thy blessing is upon thy people ; rather, let thy blessing be upon thy people. "Whatever becomes of me," i.e; "let thy people be blest" (Kay). David is not deterred, by the revolt of almost the whole people against him, from commending them to God, entreating God's blessing upon them, and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 3:1-8

:TitleA Psalm of David - literally, belonging to David; that is, belonging to him as the author. This is marked in the Hebrew as the first verse, and so in the Syriac version, the Latin Vulgate, and the Septuagint, making in the Hebrew, and in each of these versions, nine verses in the psalm instead of eight, as in our translation. This may have been prefixed to the psalm by the author himself, for it was not uncommon in ancient times for an author to prefix his name to his own composition, as... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 3:8

Salvation belongeth unto the Lord - That is, it pertains to God alone to save. The psalmist had no expectation of saving himself; he had no confidence in the unaided prowess of his own arm. If he was to be saved he felt that it was to be only by God, and the praise of this was to be given to Him. The particular reference here is to temporal deliverance, or deliverance from the dangers which surrounded him then; but the declaration is as true of spiritual deliverance - of the salvation of the... read more

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