Psalm 3 – Faith in the Face of Overwhelming Opposition

Absalom’s Betrayal

Psalm 3 draws us into one of the darkest and most painful moments of King David’s life. According to its inscription, David composed this psalm while fleeing from his son Absalom, who had rebelled against him and seized the throne (2 Samuel 15–16). The anointed king of Israel, the man after God’s own heart, now finds himself a fugitive, hunted not by a foreign enemy, but by his own flesh and blood.  

What must it have been like for David to flee Jerusalem, the city of God, in sorrow and humiliation? Once a young warrior on the run from Saul’s jealous rage, he is now an aging king, betrayed by his own son. Those who once swore allegiance to him have defected. Even his remaining followers must have wondered, Has God abandoned David?  

David gives voice to the crushing weight of his circumstances:  

O LORD, how many are my foes!  

Many are rising against me;  

Many are saying of my soul,  

“There is no salvation for him in God.” (Ps. 3:1–2)  

The repetition of “many” underscores the overwhelming nature of his trial. He is vastly outnumbered; physically, politically, and emotionally. His enemies do not merely threaten his life; they attack his faith, declaring that even God has forsaken him. This accusation cuts deeper than any sword, for if God has truly abandoned him, what hope remains?  

And yet, in the face of betrayal and taunts, David does not collapse into despair. His response is not one of resignation, but of faith.

Where Does True Strength Come From?  

David does not find strength by looking within himself. He does not attempt to muster up courage or rely on positive thinking. Instead, he lifts his eyes to the Lord and takes refuge in Him:  

“But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,  

my glory, and the lifter of my head.” (Ps. 3:3)  

This verse is one of the most beautiful expressions of faith in all of Scripture. In these words, David proclaims three powerful truths about God:  

1. God is our shield. In battle, a shield offers protection, but an ordinary shield only covers part of the body. David declares that God is a shield all around him, not just in front, but on every side. Though enemies surround him, he knows he is ultimately secure in God’s sovereign care.  

2. God is our glory. David’s earthly glory (his throne, his reputation, his wealth) is collapsing. Yet he recognizes that true glory is not found in human status, but in belonging to the Lord. Stripped of everything, he remains anchored in God’s steadfast covenant love.  

3. God is the lifter of our heads. To have one’s head lifted is a sign of restoration, encouragement, and vindication. David, humiliated and downcast, knows that only God can raise him up again. The same God who placed him on the throne is the one who sustains him in this moment of crisis.  

Rather than being crushed by his circumstances, David responds as every child of God should. He prays:  

I cried aloud to the LORD,

and He answered me from His holy hill. (Ps. 3:4)  

David’s confidence is unshaken because he knows that the Lord who enthroned him still reigns. Though he has been driven from Jerusalem, God’s presence is not confined to an earthly city. The same God who once established him continues to hear, to answer, and to deliver.

The Peace That Comes from Trusting God  

One of the most striking moments in this psalm comes in verse 5:  

“I lay down and slept;  

I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.” (Ps. 3:5)  

David is in grave danger. His enemies are closing in. His own son has betrayed him. How can he sleep when his very life is at risk? Because his trust is in the Lord. He does not stay awake in anxious toil, desperately strategizing an escape. He does not lie restless, overcome by fear. Instead, he entrusts himself fully to God, and so he sleeps.  

True peace is not found in the absence of danger but in the presence of God. The world tells us that security comes from controlling our circumstances, but Scripture teaches that peace comes from surrendering to the sovereign hand of God. David knows that no enemy can strike unless the Lord allows it. His life is not in Absalom’s hands, it is in God’s. And so, he rests.  

“I will not be afraid of many thousands of people  

who have set themselves against me all around.” (Ps. 3:6)  

David moves from fear to fearless confidence, not because his situation has changed, but because he has placed it in God’s hands.

The Greater Fulfillment in Christ 

Psalm 3 does not merely recount David’s suffering. It points beyond him to the suffering of Christ. Just as David was betrayed by those closest to him, so was Jesus. Just as David’s enemies taunted him, claiming that God had forsaken him, so did the crowds mock Christ as He hung on the cross:  

“He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if He desires him.” (Matt. 27:43)  

But here is where their stories diverge. David prayed for God to strike his enemies (Ps. 3:7), but Jesus, instead of calling for judgment, allowed Himself to be struck.  David was delivered from his enemies and restored to his throne, but Jesus willingly endured the full weight of sin and suffering for us. Christ bore the ultimate rejection so that we would never have to hear, “There is no salvation for him in God.” On the cross, He was forsaken so that we might be accepted.  

Through His death and resurrection, Jesus secured for us a far greater peace than David ever knew. The cross was the decisive battle, and through it, Christ triumphed. Now, because of Him, we can rest in the assurance that every trial we face is under God’s sovereign care and is working for our ultimate good.  

“Salvation belongs to the LORD; your blessing be on your people!” (Ps. 3:8)  

Psalm 3 reminds us that when trouble surrounds us, God is still our shield. He is our protector, our glory, and the one who lifts our heads when we feel crushed. But we must respond as David did: by crying out to God in prayer, resting in His promises, and entrusting ourselves fully to His care.  

Reflection Questions: