Psalms 3:7

Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies [upon] the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

Arise {H6965}, O LORD {H3068}; save {H3467} me, O my God {H430}: for thou hast smitten {H5221} all mine enemies {H341} upon the cheek bone {H3895}; thou hast broken {H7665} the teeth {H8127} of the ungodly {H7563}.

Rise up, ADONAI! Save me, my God! For you slap all my enemies in the face, you smash the teeth of the wicked.

Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.

Arise, O Jehovah; save me, O my God: For thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; Thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked.

Commentary

Commentary on Psalms 3:7 (KJV)

Psalm 3:7 is a powerful prayer from David, expressing both desperate appeal and profound confidence in God's delivering power. This verse follows David's declaration of trust in God despite facing numerous adversaries, highlighting his unwavering faith even when surrounded by those who question his salvation.

Historical and Cultural Context

This psalm is specifically titled, "A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son." This crucial context reveals David's dire situation: he was facing a rebellion led by his own beloved son, Absalom, who had usurped the throne and gained considerable popular support. David was forced to flee Jerusalem, leaving his home and kingdom. In this moment of extreme vulnerability and betrayal, David turns to God, not only for protection but for vindication. The imagery of smiting the cheekbone and breaking teeth reflects ancient Near Eastern expressions of utterly humiliating and disarming an enemy, rendering them powerless and unable to inflict harm.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Intervention: David's fervent cry, "Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God," is an urgent plea for God to act decisively on his behalf. It’s a call for God to stand up and demonstrate His mighty power against the forces arrayed against His anointed.
  • God's Sovereign Power Over Enemies: The latter part of the verse, "for thou hast smitten all mine enemies [upon] the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly," expresses David's absolute conviction that God has already demonstrated, or will certainly demonstrate, His power to defeat his adversaries. It's a statement of faith that God is capable of rendering his foes utterly helpless and humiliated.
  • Vindication and Deliverance: The imagery signifies not just defeat but also the complete disarming of those who intend evil. The "broken teeth" symbolize the inability of the wicked to devour or harm, assuring David of God's ultimate deliverance.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "Arise" (קוּמָה, qūmāh) is an imperative, a forceful command or earnest plea for God to literally "stand up" or "take action." It signifies a desire for God to cease His apparent inaction and intervene powerfully. The phrase "smitten all mine enemies [upon] the cheek bone" (מָחַצְתָּ...לֶחִי, māḥaṣtā...leḥî) uses a verb meaning "to crush" or "to shatter," and striking the cheekbone was a grave insult and a sign of utter defeat and public humiliation in ancient culture. "Broken the teeth" (שִׁבַּרְתָּ שִׁנֵּי, šibbarta šinnê) vividly portrays rendering the wicked (רְשָׁעִים, rəšāʿîm) utterly harmless, like a predator whose fangs have been removed, unable to bite or destroy.

Practical Application

Psalm 3:7 offers profound encouragement for believers facing overwhelming opposition or feelings of betrayal.

  • Bold Prayer in Adversity: Like David, we are encouraged to cry out to God with confidence, knowing that He is our ultimate deliverer. When facing spiritual or physical "enemies," we can appeal to God to "Arise" and bring His justice.
  • Trust in God's Ultimate Victory: This verse reminds us that God is sovereign over all circumstances and has the power to disarm and defeat those who oppose His purposes or His people. It fosters a spirit of trust that God will ultimately bring about good out of difficult situations, even when the odds seem insurmountable.
  • Hope in Humiliation of Evil: The imagery of broken teeth and smitten cheekbones assures us that evil, though it may rage for a season, will ultimately be rendered powerless and humiliated by God. This provides hope and peace, knowing that God is actively working to protect His own and to bring about His righteous judgment.

This powerful declaration of faith in God's intervention serves as a timeless model for prayer and trust in the face of daunting challenges, reminding us that our God is mighty to save.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Psalms 58:6 (14 votes)

    ¶ Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.

  • Job 29:17 (11 votes)

    And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

  • Job 16:10 (9 votes)

    They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

  • Psalms 59:5 (8 votes)

    Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.

  • Psalms 10:12 (8 votes)

    ¶ Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.

  • Psalms 6:4 (5 votes)

    Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.

  • Psalms 7:6 (5 votes)

    Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me [to] the judgment [that] thou hast commanded.