Psalms 3:2

2. My soul “Soul”” ( נפשׁ , nephesh) is here a Hebraism for me, myself; but is used sometimes in the psychological sense for πνευμα , or spirit, the mental ego. The reproachful words of his enemies “there is no help for him in God” had entered into his inmost being. See 2 Samuel 16:7-8; Psalms 71:11; Psalms 62:10. David’s order to Zadok to return the ark to Zion. (2 Samuel 15:24-25,) might have given plausibility to these envenomed words.

Selah A word occurring seventy-three times in the Psalms, and three times in Habakkuk. As a musical direction it denotes pause, rest, silence, that is, of the voice, to give place to a brief intermediate symphony, or ritornello. It may also be a sign to the reader to pause for meditation upon the import of what is just said. To human eyes David’s cause seemed lost.