Psalm 3 is the song of King David who shows true repentance to HaShem (G-d) and thus prevents depression. Preventing depression is important because depression can lead to sins. King David realizes that he has committed sins. By repenting he turns sins into virtues and grows spiritually. This Psalm teaches us that we can always return to HaShem and that HaShem wants this too. It is through HaShem’s support that we survive.
- Text Psalm 3
- Hebrew text of Psalm 3 – תהילים ג
- Listen to Psalm 3
- Commentary on Psalm 3 by Rabbi Yitzchok Rubin
- Rashi’s commentary on Psalm 3
- Psalm 1 to 92
Text Psalm 3
A song of David when he fled from Absalom his son. Eternal how many are my oppressors. Many rise against me. Many say of me: There is no help for him from G-d. Selah. But You are my protector, You honor me and lift up my head. When I cry out to the Lord, He answers me from His holy mountain, Shelah. I lay down, I fell asleep, I awoke, for the Lord sustains me. I am not afraid, not of a crowd of tens of thousands who have mobilized against me all around. Then, O Lord, help me, O G-d, for You will strike down all my enemies and break the teeth of those who do evil. With the Eternal is help. May Your blessing be upon Your people always.
Hebrew text of Psalm 3 – תהילים ג
A psalm to David in his flight from Absalom his son. O Lord, many troubles have arisen against me. Many rabbis say to my soul that there is no salvation for him in God Selah. 4 And you, Jehovah, protect me as my body and lift up my head. I will call out to Jehovah with my voice, and he will answer me from his holy mountain Selah. And I lay down and sleep until I wake up because Jehovah will strengthen me. 7 I will not be afraid of quarrels with those around me who have drunk on me. 8 Arise, Jehovah, save me, my God, for you have smitten all my enemies; you have broken my wicked spirits. 9 To the Lord, the salvation of your people, your blessing Sela.
Listen to Psalm 3
Listen to Psalm 3 in Hebrew.
Commentary on Psalm 3 by Rabbi Yitzchok Rubin
depression
Depression is not a sin, but the sin of depression causes greater damage than the sin itself. When someone is struck by depression, all growth is at risk.
Prevent depression: read the Psalms! What can be done to prevent depression? There is no general prescription for everyone. Each person must be approached individually. Yet there is a great source of comfort and understanding that can give everyone insight, that is the Psalms. We can learn from King David how he shows teshuvah (repentance). In Psalm 3 we read that King David is pursued by his own son who wants to overthrow him. And the situation is getting worse because the majority of the population supports the coup. The most depressing part of the situation is that it is all due to David’s own mistakes. Yet David creates a song that expresses joy. This is how we learn that we can grow in a depressive situation.
King David realizes that he has gotten into trouble because of his own sins. Rabbi Alshich wonders why David shows gratitude to HaShem (G-d) for the fear. But David hopes that his fear will be accepted by HaShem as payment for his sin. No one lives without mistakes. When problems begin, one must first look into one’s own heart. David realizes that he has gotten into trouble because of his own sin. This realization prevents him from falling into depression. David’s actions are positive and he acts with a sense of hope.
Don’t be strong, be great Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld was an expert at encouraging desperate people. He advised to search your soul and learn from adversity. This is how you can achieve greatness. This is how King David also acts. His faith in HaShem gives him the courage to turn adversity into a learning experience. He realizes his own sin, but he accepts it while singing in order to receive HaShem’s support. This way he prevents depression.
Adam after sin After HaShem punished man with mortality after sin, Adam nevertheless lights up the Shabbat. He shows that after darkness there comes light. The light overcomes the darkness. The Gemara states: “In the place where the repentant people stand, even the completely righteous cannot stand.” This means that when a person repents of their sins, these sins become redeeming virtues.
HaShem helps King David after his repentance Because King David truly repents and trusts in HaShem, HaShem helps keep David awake spiritually. David can sleep safely again. For it is HaShem’s will that we return to Him and it is through His support that we survive. So do not despair, but repent and return to the right path. Our success is due to the blessing of HaShem. He brings salvation.
Rashi’s commentary on Psalm 3
Per verse the commentary of Rashi, the Jewish Bible commentator who lived from 1040-1105. Rashi is considered the teacher of teachers. All traditional Jews regard Rashi as an authority on the Jewish Bible and Talmud. Hence it is important to record his commentary on the Psalms. Rashi uses new Hebrew supplemented with Old French words. His language is sometimes somewhat oracularly short. For further explanation it is wise to consult an orthodox Jewish rabbi.
Verse 1
A song of David when he fled from Absalom his son.
A song of David, when he fled: The Aggadists explained many homilies on this matter. Our sages said (Beretta 7a): When the prophet said to him (in II Samuel 12:11), “Behold, I will rise up against you, evil from your own house etc.”, his heart trembled, perhaps a slave or a mamzer [a child of an illicit union] will rise up against me, who will have no mercy on me. As soon as he found out it was his son, he was happy. The Midrash Aggadah (Midrash Psalms 3:3) [declares]: Because he saw his order intact, for his servants, and the Cherethite and Pelethite, who were the Sanhedrin, established his rule over themselves. When he said to them (ibid 15:14), “Arise, and let us, etc., flee from Absalom,” what is written there? (v. 15) “Whatsoever my lord the king shall choose, behold, thy servants [are ready to do].” And when he came to Mahanaim (ibid 17:27), ,Shobi, etc., and Machir the son of Amiel, etc., and Barzilai the Gileadite ,came to meet him and supported him there.
Verse 2
O Lord, how many have my adversaries become! Great men rise against me.
Great men rise up against me: men great in Torah, great in wisdom, great in wealth, tall in stature, like Saul; the children of Rapa; Doeg and Ahithophel.
Verse 3
Great men say about my soul: “He has no salvation in God forever.”
say concerning my soul: Hebrew לנפשי, concerning my soul.
“He has no salvation in G-d forever”: Because he was intimate with a married woman.
Verse 6
I lay down and slept; I woke up, because the Lord will sustain me.
I lay down and slept: my heart was clogged with worry and fear.
I woke up: from my worries, because I trusted that the Lord would support me.
Verse 7
I will not fear tens of thousands of people who have turned against me everywhere.
have turned themselves: Hebrew שתו, an expression of desolation, gatiront in old French, to destroy. Others say that שתו is like שמו, they put, such as (Exodus 10:1): ,so that I set up my marks (שתי).,
Verse 8
Arise, O Lord, save me, my God, for You have struck all my enemies on the cheek; You have broken the teeth of the wicked.
for You have struck all my enemies on the cheek: this is a shameful blow, as You say (Lam 3:30), “Let him offer his cheek to the vile”; (Micah 4:14), “with a rod they smite…on the cheek.” According to the Midrash Aggadah (Mid-Ps. 3:7), this is a weakness of the mouth, [choking, croup] as you say (II Sam 17:23): “And he [Ahithophel] was in charge of his household, and he strangled themselves.
the teeth of the wicked: their power.
Verse 9
It is the Lord’s business to save, and it is Your people to bless You forever.
It is the Lord’s business to save, etc.: It is His duty to save His servants and His people, and it is His people’s duty to bless Him and thank Him forever.
Psalm 1 to 92
Would you like to read more Psalms with a Jewish interpretation? Go to: Psalms 1 through 92.