Psa 3:1 | MHM | STEP | David’s Prayer When Fleeing from Absalom This psalm was written during one of the hardest times in David’s life, when he ran away from his son Absalom, who wanted to take both his throne and his life (2 Samuel 15–16 ). David was deeply sad, weeping as he climbed the Mount of Olives, but even then, he found comfort in prayer and praise to God. He showed that even in pain, we can still sing to God. David was also in great danger, as the plot against him was strong and led by his own son. Yet, these troubles brought him closer to God, not further away. He was hurt by the betrayal of people he loved—his son and his subjects—but he remained calm and focused on God. David knew his suffering was partly the result of his own sin concerning Uriah (2 Samuel 12:11 ), but he did not give up hope in God’s mercy. Even though some may have thought he was weak for running away, David’s true courage was his faith in God. This psalm teaches us to seek God when we are in distress and to trust Him even when everything seems lost. v. 1 : David tells God about his trouble. He says, Lord , how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! He is surprised by how many people have turned against him, even though he had been a good king. The number of enemies kept growing, just like a snowball rolling downhill. This teaches us that we should not depend too much on people’s support, because it can change quickly. Even Jesus, the Son of David, faced many enemies (Psalm 146:3 ).

‏ Psalms 3:1

David’s Prayer When Fleeing from Absalom

This psalm was written during one of the hardest times in David’s life, when he ran away from his son Absalom, who wanted to take both his throne and his life (2 Samuel 15–16 ^a). David was deeply sad, weeping as he climbed the Mount of Olives, but even then, he found comfort in prayer and praise to God. He showed that even in pain, we can still sing to God. David was also in great danger, as the plot against him was strong and led by his own son. Yet, these troubles brought him closer to God, not further away. He was hurt by the betrayal of people he loved—his son and his subjects—but he remained calm and focused on God. David knew his suffering was partly the result of his own sin concerning Uriah (2 Samuel 12:11 ^b), but he did not give up hope in God’s mercy. Even though some may have thought he was weak for running away, David’s true courage was his faith in God. This psalm teaches us to seek God when we are in distress and to trust Him even when everything seems lost.

v. 1: David tells God about his trouble. He says, Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! He is surprised by how many people have turned against him, even though he had been a good king. The number of enemies kept growing, just like a snowball rolling downhill. This teaches us that we should not depend too much on people’s support, because it can change quickly. Even Jesus, the Son of David, faced many enemies (Psalm 146:3 ^c).