Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
Parallel translations
- WEB A Psalm by David, when he fled from Absalom his son. Yahweh, how my adversaries have increased! Many are those who rise up against me.
- BSB A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom. O LORD, how my foes have increased! How many rise up against me!
- NKJV Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me.
- NASB Lord, how my enemies have increased! Many are rising up against me.
- NLT O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David cries out to God as his enemies multiply against him during Absalom's rebellion. Even God's anointed king faces overwhelming opposition.
Overview
The superscription roots this psalm in David's flight from his own son Absalom, a time of betrayal and danger. David's first move is not to despair but to bring his troubles to the Lord in honest lament. His example teaches believers to turn toward God when adversaries seem to overwhelm, foreshadowing the greater Son of David who was likewise surrounded by enemies yet trusted His Father.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Ps 17:7Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.
- 2 Sam 17:11–13Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.
- 2 Sam 16:15And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
- 2 Sam 15:1–18And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
- Matt 27:25Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
- Matt 10:21And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 3:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.