LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
Psalm 3:1 opens David’s prayer under multiplied enemies. The trouble he describes fits his flight from Absalom his son, recorded in II Samuel 15. Absalom had won the people with flattery and stole the hearts of the men of Israel (II Samuel 15:6). The conspiracy grew strong, and a messenger brought David word that the hearts of the men of Israel were after Absalom (II Samuel 15:12-13). David fled Jerusalem. Verse 1 is not the exaggeration of a nervous man; his enemies truly had multiplied. Yet his first word is not Absalom, army, Jerusalem, or danger. It is “LORD.”
“LORD.” David begins with Jehovah. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the ancient Hebrew tetragrammaton, JHVH. Before he counts his enemies, he addresses his God. His own son led the rebellion, trusted counsellors defected, and many in Israel followed the conspiracy. Yet none of those facts changed who Jehovah was. The throne in Jerusalem might appear lost, but the throne of heaven was not. Trouble may fill the field of vision, but prayer deliberately puts God first. Faith does not deny circumstances; it places them beneath God.
“How are they increased.” David is astonished at the growth of the rebellion. What began with Absalom’s ambition had spread through the nation, for the people increased continually with Absalom (II Samuel 15:12). Sin often grows by company. One proud rebel attracts flatterers, opportunists, the discontented, and the deceived. Absalom stood by the gate, spoke fair words, and found fault with the king’s judgment (II Samuel 15:2-6). His rebellion did not appear suddenly. Wickedness had been recruiting.
The increasing number also tests faith, because men naturally measure truth by crowds. If many oppose us, the flesh assumes the many must be right. Scripture does not teach that. At Kadesh-barnea ten spies moved the whole congregation toward unbelief, while Joshua and Caleb stood against them (Numbers 14:1-10). Numbers can strengthen intimidation without strengthening truth. The saint must judge by the word of God, not by the size of the crowd that opposes it.
“That trouble me.” These enemies were not distant critics. Their rebellion forced David from Jerusalem, divided his household, endangered his life, and threatened his throne. “And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot” (II Samuel 15:30). Absalom was his son, and Ahithophel his counsellor was among the conspirators (II Samuel 15:31). Yet David says “trouble me,” not destroy me. His enemies could trouble him, but they could not determine his end, for the answer follows: “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head” (v.3). Trouble is real, but it is not lord.
David had sinned in the matter of Uriah, and Nathan told him, “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife” (II Samuel 12:10). Absalom’s rising was the bitter consequence of that sin, reaped within David’s own house. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). But the consequence of David’s sin did not make Absalom righteous. Absalom answered for his own pride, flattery, and treason. A saint may reap years later what he once sowed and still face enemies who are wholly in the wrong. The consequences of one man’s sin never turn another man’s rebellion into holiness.
“Many are they.” David repeats the number because the number presses upon him, and verse 2 repeats “many” again. He does not pretend he faces a small opposition when he faces a large one. But the repetition prepares the contrast with God. Many rise against David; one LORD is enough. When Elisha’s servant saw the Syrian host, “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (II Kings 6:16). The servant saw the enemy first; God opened his eyes to the greater reality.
David had learned this in his youth. Goliath had size, weapons, training, and intimidation. “Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied” (I Samuel 17:45). Now the scale is larger, but the doctrine has not changed. A multitude does not make Jehovah small.
“That rise up against me.” The enemies are active and organized. Absalom did not keep his resentment in his heart; he raised a conspiracy, gathered men, and sought the kingdom and his father’s life. David was the king God had appointed over Israel, so this rising was rebellion against God’s order, not a contest between equal claimants. The hostility was aimed at David himself, and he felt surrounded. Yet they rise “against me,” while the LORD is “for me” as shield, glory, and lifter up of his head (v.3). Paul gives the principle: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Many may oppose the saints, but opposition cannot overturn God’s purpose.
Jesus Christ knew multiplied enemies in the highest degree. When the church prayed after Peter and John were threatened, they confessed, “For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together” (Acts 4:27). Yet their multitude did not frustrate God, for they gathered “For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done” (Acts 4:28). If the greatest gathering of enemies in history could only fulfil God’s counsel, the enemies of His saints cannot overthrow it.
When trouble multiplies, speak to Jehovah before fear interprets the numbers. “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee” (Psalm 56:3). Count the danger honestly, but do not count it alone. Many may increase, trouble, and rise up against you; begin your prayer as David did, with the name that is greater than all of them.
LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
Psalm 3:1 opens David’s prayer under multiplied enemies. The trouble he describes fits his flight from Absalom his son, recorded in II Samuel 15. Absalom had won the people with flattery and stole the hearts of the men of Israel (II Samuel 15:6). The conspiracy grew strong, and a messenger brought David word that the hearts of the men of Israel were after Absalom (II Samuel 15:12-13). David fled Jerusalem. Verse 1 is not the exaggeration of a nervous man; his enemies truly had multiplied. Yet his first word is not Absalom, army, Jerusalem, or danger. It is “LORD.”
“LORD.” David begins with Jehovah. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the ancient Hebrew tetragrammaton, JHVH. Before he counts his enemies, he addresses his God. His own son led the rebellion, trusted counsellors defected, and many in Israel followed the conspiracy. Yet none of those facts changed who Jehovah was. The throne in Jerusalem might appear lost, but the throne of heaven was not. Trouble may fill the field of vision, but prayer deliberately puts God first. Faith does not deny circumstances; it places them beneath God.
“How are they increased.” David is astonished at the growth of the rebellion. What began with Absalom’s ambition had spread through the nation, for the people increased continually with Absalom (II Samuel 15:12). Sin often grows by company. One proud rebel attracts flatterers, opportunists, the discontented, and the deceived. Absalom stood by the gate, spoke fair words, and found fault with the king’s judgment (II Samuel 15:2-6). His rebellion did not appear suddenly. Wickedness had been recruiting.
The increasing number also tests faith, because men naturally measure truth by crowds. If many oppose us, the flesh assumes the many must be right. Scripture does not teach that. At Kadesh-barnea ten spies moved the whole congregation toward unbelief, while Joshua and Caleb stood against them (Numbers 14:1-10). Numbers can strengthen intimidation without strengthening truth. The saint must judge by the word of God, not by the size of the crowd that opposes it.
“That trouble me.” These enemies were not distant critics. Their rebellion forced David from Jerusalem, divided his household, endangered his life, and threatened his throne. “And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot” (II Samuel 15:30). Absalom was his son, and Ahithophel his counsellor was among the conspirators (II Samuel 15:31). Yet David says “trouble me,” not destroy me. His enemies could trouble him, but they could not determine his end, for the answer follows: “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head” (v.3). Trouble is real, but it is not lord.
David had sinned in the matter of Uriah, and Nathan told him, “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife” (II Samuel 12:10). Absalom’s rising was the bitter consequence of that sin, reaped within David’s own house. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). But the consequence of David’s sin did not make Absalom righteous. Absalom answered for his own pride, flattery, and treason. A saint may reap years later what he once sowed and still face enemies who are wholly in the wrong. The consequences of one man’s sin never turn another man’s rebellion into holiness.
“Many are they.” David repeats the number because the number presses upon him, and verse 2 repeats “many” again. He does not pretend he faces a small opposition when he faces a large one. But the repetition prepares the contrast with God. Many rise against David; one LORD is enough. When Elisha’s servant saw the Syrian host, “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (II Kings 6:16). The servant saw the enemy first; God opened his eyes to the greater reality.
David had learned this in his youth. Goliath had size, weapons, training, and intimidation. “Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied” (I Samuel 17:45). Now the scale is larger, but the doctrine has not changed. A multitude does not make Jehovah small.
“That rise up against me.” The enemies are active and organized. Absalom did not keep his resentment in his heart; he raised a conspiracy, gathered men, and sought the kingdom and his father’s life. David was the king God had appointed over Israel, so this rising was rebellion against God’s order, not a contest between equal claimants. The hostility was aimed at David himself, and he felt surrounded. Yet they rise “against me,” while the LORD is “for me” as shield, glory, and lifter up of his head (v.3). Paul gives the principle: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Many may oppose the saints, but opposition cannot overturn God’s purpose.
Jesus Christ knew multiplied enemies in the highest degree. When the church prayed after Peter and John were threatened, they confessed, “For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together” (Acts 4:27). Yet their multitude did not frustrate God, for they gathered “For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done” (Acts 4:28). If the greatest gathering of enemies in history could only fulfil God’s counsel, the enemies of His saints cannot overthrow it.
When trouble multiplies, speak to Jehovah before fear interprets the numbers. “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee” (Psalm 56:3). Count the danger honestly, but do not count it alone. Many may increase, trouble, and rise up against you; begin your prayer as David did, with the name that is greater than all of them.