Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
Parallel translations
- WEB Many there are who say of my soul, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah.
- BSB Many say of me, “God will not deliver him.” Selah
- NKJV Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah
- NASB Many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah
- NLT So many are saying, “God will never rescue him!” Interlude
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
Many taunt David, saying God will not save him. The sharpest assault is the temptation to doubt God's help.
Overview
David's enemies attack not only his body but his faith, claiming that even God has abandoned him. This is the deepest trial: to be told one's case is hopeless before God. 'Selah,' a likely musical or reflective pause, invites the worshiper to weigh this lie before the psalm answers it with confident trust in the next verse.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Ps 71:11Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.
- Ps 42:3My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
- Ps 42:10As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?
- Ps 22:7All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
- Ps 4:4Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
- Matt 27:42–43He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
- Ps 4:2O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
- Ps 3:8Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
- Hab 3:9Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
- Hab 3:3God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
- 2 Sam 16:7–8And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
- Hab 3:13Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.
- Ps 3:4I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 3:2 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.