Psalms 3 · Verse 2

Psalms 3:2

Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
Psalms 3:2, King James Version

Psalms 3:2 in other translations

BSBMany say of me, “God will not deliver him.” Selah
WEBMany there are who say of my soul, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah.
ASVMany there are that say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. [Selah
YLTMany are saying of my soul, ‘There is no salvation for him in God.' Selah.
DARBYMany say of my soul, There is no salvation for him in God. Selah.
BBEUnnumbered are those who say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. (Selah.)
WebsterMany there are who say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

What does Psalms 3:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. say of my soul--that is, "of me" (compare Psa 25:3). This use of "soul" is common; perhaps it arose from regarding the soul as man's chief part. no help ... in God--rejected by Him. This is the bitterest reproach for a pious man, and denotes a spirit of malignant triumph. Selah--This word is of very obscure meaning. It probably denotes rest or pause, both as to the music and singing, intimating something emphatic in the sentiment (compare Psa 9:16).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 No help for him in God - These were some of the reproaches of his enemies, Shimei and others: "He is now down, and he shall never be able to rise. God alone can save him from these his enemies; but God has visibly east him off." These reproaches deeply affected his heart; and he mentions them with that note which so frequently occurs in the Psalms, and which occurs here for the first time, סלה selah. Much has been said on the meaning of this word; and we have nothing but conjecture to guide us. The Septuagint always translate it by Διαψαλμα diapsalma, "a pause in the Psalm." The Chaldee sometimes translates it by לעלמין lealmin, "for ever." The rest of the versions leave it unnoticed. It either comes from סל sal, to raise or elevate, and may denote a particular elevation in the voices of the performers, which is very observable in the Jewish singing to the present day; or it may come from סלה salah, to strew or spread out, intimating that the subject to which the word is attached should be spread out, meditated on, and attentively considered by the reader. Fenwick, Parkhurst, and Dodd, contend for this meaning; and think "it confirmed by Psa 9:16, where the word higgaion is put before selah at the end of the verse." Now higgaion certainly signifies meditation, or a fit subject for meditation; and so shows selah to be really a nota bene, attend to or mind this.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 3:1-3

An active believer, the more he is beaten off from God, either by the rebukes of providence, or the reproaches of enemies, the faster hold he will take, and the closer will he cleave to him. A child of God startles at the very thought of despairing of help in God. See what God is to his people, what he will be, what they have found him, what David found in him. 1. Safety; a shield for me; which denotes the advantage…

Read the full comment on Psalms 3:1-3 →

Psalms 3:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

רַבִּים֮ra.Bimmany [people]H7227
אֹמְרִ֪ים'o.me.Rim[are] sayingH559
לְנַ֫פְשִׁ֥יle.Naf.Shiof self myH5315
אֵ֤ין'einthere notH369
יְֽשׁוּעָ֓תָהye.shu.'A.tah[is] deliveranceH3444
לּ֬וֹlofor him
בֵֽאלֹהִ֬יםve.lo.Himin GodH430
סֶֽלָה\׃Se.lahSelahH5542

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 3:2

  • Psalms 71:11

    Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.

  • Psalms 42:3

    My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

  • Psalms 42:10

    As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

  • Psalms 22:7

    All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

  • Psalms 4:4

    Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

  • Matthew 27:42-43

    He 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. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

  • 2 Samuel 16:7-8

    And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

  • Psalms 3:4

    I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

  • Psalms 4:2

    O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.

  • Habakkuk 3:3

    God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.

  • Psalms 3:8

    Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

  • Habakkuk 3:13

    Thou 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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
no.
22:7; 42:3,10; 71:11; 2Sa 16:7,8; Mt 27:42,43
Selah.
4,8; 4:2,4; Hab 3:3,9,13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 3:1

    A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.

  • Psalms 3:2

    Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

  • Psalms 3:3

    But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Read all of Psalms 3

Psalms 3:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Muchos dicen de mi vida: No hay para él salud en Dios. (Selah.)
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Éternel! combien sont multipliés mes ennemis, et sont nombreux ceux qui s’élèvent contre moi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Viele sagen von meiner Seele: Es ist keine Rettung für ihn bei Gott!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Domine, quid multiplicati sunt qui tribulant me? Multi insurgunt adversum me;