Ibn Ezra on Psalms

A psalm of David when he fled (mizmor le-David be-vorcho): The Gaon, Rav Saadia, desired to link all the psalms one to another. And he said, after [discussing the verse] "Why do nations assemble?" (Psalm 2:1), that what befell Absalom would [also] befall them [i.e., the rebellious nations of Psalm 2]. However, the commentator does not have the ability [or it is not possible] to link [them all] thus. This psalm [Psalm 3] is written in the First Book [of the five books of Psalms]. Therefore, one should not wonder if we find, in the Fifth Book, the prayer [composed] when he was in the cave (Psalm 142), an event which preceded the incident involving Absalom. And [this] psalm is in the manner of prophecy, in that [David] prophesied he would be victorious, [anticipating the outcome expressed later in verse 5] "and He answered me from His holy mountain." This is like the prayer of Jonah [who confidently declared from the fish's belly, (Jonah 2:8)], "My prayer came in unto You."

Ad-nai, how (mah): In the Holy Tongue [Hebrew], [the word mah (מה)] applies both to something honored/great and to something lowly/despised. For example: [great,] "How (mah) great are Your works!" (Psalm 92:6); [lowly,] "What (mah) is man that You are mindful of him?" (Psalm 8:5). And in this context (Psalm 3:2), it expresses wonder/astonishment ["How numerous..."]. And Israel [those involved in the rebellion] were divided concerning him [David] into three groups: Some of them were [general] foes (tzarim), such as the men of Benjamin [who harbored resentment from Saul's time, like Shimei ben Gera - cf. (II Samuel 16)]. And some of them were attackers (kamim), namely his [own] son [Absalom], and Amasa [Absalom's commander, David's nephew - cf. (II Samuel 17:25)], and [other] relatives. And there were others saying [expressing the sentiment mentioned in the next verse, v. 3]: that "He has fallen and will not rise again." [Identifying the third group as those who declared David's situation hopeless].

Of me (לְנַפְשִׁי - le-nafshi, lit. "to my soul"): [The Lamed prefix means] "concerning" my soul/me. [This usage is] similar to (Exodus 14:3) "And Pharaoh will say concerning (li-) the children of Israel..." [and (Genesis 20:13)] "Say of (li) me, 'He is my brother.'" His deliverance (יְשׁוּעָתָה - yeshu'atah): [This form contains] two signs of the feminine gender [the linking Tav (ת) and the final Heh (ה)], used by way of elegance/poetic expression. Examples are 'eimatah' (אֵימָתָה - his terror) [as in (Exodus 15:16): "תִּפֹּל עֲלֵיהֶם אֵימָ֫תָה וָפַ֫חַד" - "Terror and dread fall upon them"] and 'ba-tzaratah' (בַּצָּרָתָה - his distress) [as in (Psalm 120:1): "אֶל־יְ֭הוָה בַּצָּרָ֣תָה לִּ֑י קָ֝רָ֗אתִי" - "To the LORD, in my distress, I called"]. And [regarding the syntax of the verse itself], [the verse] mentions concerning his [David's] soul [נַפְשִׁי - nafshi, a feminine noun] using the masculine pronoun 'lo' (לוֹ - for him), similar to [the construction in (Isaiah 32:6)]: 'l'harik nefesh ra'ev' (לְהָרִיק נֶפֶשׁ רָעֵב - 'to make empty the soul [feminine noun] of the hungry [masculine adjective]')." Selah (סֶלָה): Many interpret Selah as "forever/eternally" (le-netzach), but this is not correct (ve-eineno nakhon). And the Aramaic translator (Targum) of the Book of Psalms [working] for others said: That the word Selah has no [inherent semantic] meaning (ta'am), but rather it is for regulating the musical intonation (tikkun ta'am ha-niggun). The proof [cited for this view] is that this word is not found anywhere in the Scripture except in the Prayer of Habakkuk [chapter] three, which is in the manner of Psalms, [written] al shigyonot [a musical term], similar to (Psalm 7:1) "Shiggayon of David," [and various psalms] "For the Leader; with stringed instruments" (La-menatzeach bi-nginotai). [However, Ibn Ezra notes a contradiction or complication with the Targum's usage:] Behold, the interpretation [given by the Targum] will be Selah = "forever" (le-netzach) [in practice, despite the claim it has no meaning]. Yet it is written concerning the waters of Meribah [in (Psalm 81:8)], "Selah", and [this interpretation is problematic because] the strife was only once. Also it is written (Habakkuk 3:3) "and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah." And the correct [view] is that the meaning of Selah is like: "So it is," or "Thus," and "The matter is true and correct." [It serves as an affirmation of the preceding statement].

But You, [Ad-nai], a shield (מָגֵן - magen): [This word magen] is a noun (shem) and not a participle (po'el). For [if it were an active participle meaning "shielding"] it would properly be in the pattern of [a form like] Hineni mesev ("Behold, I am surrounding/shielding"). And the meaning of shield is that he [David] did not [need to] enter into battle [because God protected him]. And the meaning of my glory (kevodi) is because everyone who is victorious (ha-menatzeach) has glory/honor. [God is the source of his victory and thus his glory].

My voice (קוֹלִי - koli): And the meaning is: I will not enter into battle, but rather I will lift up my voice in prayer. From His holy mountain (מֵהַר קָדְשׁוֹ - me-har kodsho): Because of the Ark that was in Zion [having been brought by David earlier, cf. II Samuel 6], it [Zion] is called the holy mountain. And this [psalm, referencing Zion as the location of the Ark] precedes the incident involving Araunah the Jebusite [i.e., David's purchase of the threshing floor which later became the Temple site, II Samuel 24].

I (אֲנִי - ani): Securely I will lie down and sleep (ashkevah ve-ishan) during the night that was [just before or just after] the morrow of the battle. And some say (v'yesh omrim) [interpreting allegorically]: That when a person's mazal (fortune/destiny) falls, he is comparable to one sleeping (yashen). And when the mazal awakens to benefit him, he is comparable to one waking up (mekitz).

They have set [themselves] against me (אֲשֶׁר... שָׁתוּ עָלָי - Asher... shatu alai): [This means 'they arrayed themselves', from the root שׁית/שׁות - sh-y-t/sh-w-t]. It is similar in sense to [meaning] "they fought" (nilchamu). And some interpreted [the verb shatu as related to the noun] the foundations (הַשָּׁתוֹת - ha-shatot, cf. Psalm 11:3), and the meaning [in context] is like nets (reshatot). Therefore [Scripture adds] the word around (saviv).

Arise (קוּמָה - kumah): Know that the verbal noun [concept, the essence of the action] is [implicit] in every past or future verb, even though it [the infinitive itself] is not [explicitly written]. Sometimes it is written [in a way that implies the completed action or state], like: "And He blessed (u-varekh), and I cannot reverse it" (Numbers 23:20). And the meaning of u-varekh is '[He bestowed a] blessing (berakhah)'. And similarly, "In the multitude of counselors, counsel (etzah) is established (takum)" (cf. Proverbs 15:22). And similarly [here]: For You struck all my enemies [implies] a blow (makkat) on the jaw (לֶחִי - lechi). Or, the letter Bet [prefix, meaning 'on'] is missing [before lechi, meaning You struck them on the jaw], similar to [the implied 'in' in phrases like] 'found [in] the house of Ad-nai,' [or] 'For [in] six days He made...' (Exodus 20:11). (And [the word] panah - turn/face - is related to lechi - jaw/cheek). And the meaning of "and the teeth of the wicked [You broke]" is [that this action is] corresponding to the "many who say of me" [in verse 3]. Then it will become clear to all that deliverance belongs to Ad-nai (cf. v. 9), for He delivers whomever He desires. And the meaning of "upon Your people" [in verse 9] is: [Your people are] those fighting on behalf of David, for they are truly the people of Ad-nai, and not so are those helping the son to conspire against his father. And behold, he prayed that HaShem would bless them and that not one man among them would be missing [killed] in the battle, or he prophesied [this outcome].