Psalms 3:1

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

A psalm of David, written when he fled from his son Absalom. LORD, how numerous are my enemies! Many attack me.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִ֑ד בְּ֝בָרְח֗וֹ מִפְּנֵ֤י ׀ אַבְשָׁל֬וֹם בְּנֽוֹ׃

Transliteration

mizmôr to dāwid in bārḥô from pənê ʾabšālôm bənô

Grammar Details

• *mizmôr*: noun, masculine, singular, construct - psalm/song
• *dāwid*: proper noun, masculine - David
• *bārḥô*: verb, infinitive construct with preposition *bə-* and 3rd person masculine singular suffix - in his fleeing
• *pənê*: noun, masculine, plural, construct with preposition *min* - from the face of
• *ʾabšālôm*: proper noun, masculine - Absalom
• *bənô*: noun, masculine, singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his son

Word Meanings

• *mizmôr*: psalm/melody/song
• *bārḥô*: his fleeing/escaping/running away

Referenced Verses

• Ps 17:7 : 7 Accomplish awesome, faithful deeds, you who powerfully deliver those who look to you for protection from their enemies.
• Matt 10:21 : 21 “Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against parents and have them put to death.
• Matt 27:25 : 25 In reply all the people said,“Let his blood be on us and on our children!”
• 2 Sam 16:15 : 15 The Advice of Ahithophel Now when Absalom and all the men of Israel arrived in Jerusalem, Ahithophel was with him.
• 2 Sam 17:11-13 : 11 My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba– in number like the sand by the sea!– be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle. 12 We will come against him wherever he happens to be found. We will descend on him like the dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of the men who are with him will be spared alive– not one of them! 13 If he regroups in a city, all Israel will take up ropes to that city and drag it down to the valley, so that not a single pebble will be left there!”
• 2 Sam 15:1-9 : 1 Absalom Leads an Insurrection against David Some time later Absalom managed to acquire a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. 2 Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him,“What city are you from?” The person would answer,“I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3 Absalom would then say to him,“Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.” 4 Absalom would then say,“If only they would make me a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.” 5 When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him. 6 Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyalty of the citizens of Israel. 7 After four years Absalom said to the king,“Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the LORD while I was in Hebron. 8 For I made this vow when I was living in Geshur in Aram:‘If the LORD really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, I will serve the LORD. 9 The king replied to him,“Go in peace.” So Absalom got up and went to Hebron. 10 Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said,“When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assume that Absalom rules in Hebron.” 11 Now two hundred men had gone with Absalom from Jerusalem. Since they were invited, they went naively and were unaware of what Absalom was planning. 12 While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s adviser, to come from his city, Giloh. The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom. 13 David Flees from Jerusalem Then a messenger came to David and reported,“The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!” 14 So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem,“Come on! Let’s escape! Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.” 15 The king’s servants replied to the king,“We will do whatever our lord the king decides.” 16 So the king and all the members of his royal court set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubines to attend to the palace. 17 The king and all the people set out on foot, pausing at a spot some distance away. 18 All his servants were leaving with him, along with all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites– some six hundred men who had come on foot from Gath. They were leaving with the king.