John Calvin Commentary Psalms 3:4

"I cry unto Jehovah with my voice, And he answereth me out of his holy hill. Selah" — Psalms 3:4 (ASV)

The conjunction and should be understood as the contrasting particle 'but,' because David uses language full of confidence, opposing the audacity and irreverent mockery of his enemies, and declares that whatever they may say, he would still rely on God's word. Moreover, it appears he had previously held an assured hope of deliverance because he does not mention his current calamity here as a chastisement inflicted by God's hand. Instead, relying on divine aid, he courageously confronts his enemies. They were waging an ungodly and wicked war against him, intending to depose a true and lawful king from his throne.

In short, having previously acknowledged his sin, he now considers only the merits of the current situation. And this is how God's servants should act when troubled by the wicked. After mourning their own sins and humbly turning to God's mercy, they should keep their eyes fixed on the clear and immediate cause of their afflictions. This way, they may have no doubt of God's help when they are undeservedly mistreated.

Especially when God's truth is opposed through their mistreatment, they should be greatly encouraged. They should glory in the assurance that God will undoubtedly uphold the truth of His own promises against such treacherous and wicked people. If it had been different for David, he might seem to have claimed these things for himself without basis, since he had deprived himself of God's approval and help by offending Him. But, persuaded that he was not entirely cut off from God's favor and that God’s choice of him as king remained unchanged, he encourages himself to hope for a positive outcome to his current trials. And, firstly, by comparing God to a shield, he means that he was defended by his power. From this he also concludes that God was his glory, because he would be the maintainer and defender of the royal dignity that he had been pleased to bestow on him. And for this reason, he became so bold that he declares he would walk confidently.

With my voice have I cried unto the Lord. He informs us here that he had never been so broken by adversity, or cast down by ungodly mockery, as to be prevented from addressing his prayers to God. And it was an infallible proof of his faith to exercise it by praying even in the midst of his troubles.

Nothing is more unfitting than to sullenly resent the restraints imposed on us and to refrain from crying out to God, if indeed we have any faith in His promise. Nor is there wordiness in these words, I have cried with my voice. David distinctly mentions his voice to better express that however much the ungodly might rage against him, he was by no means silenced, but pronounced God's name in a loud and clear voice; and doing this was a difficult task under such a painful and severe temptation.

He also particularly mentions his voice to show that he contrasts the voice of prayer with the chaotic outcries of those who either blame fate, curse God, or give way to excessive complaints. These are people who, in short, pour out their excessive sorrow with passionate confusion. But David’s primary meaning, it seems to me, is this: amidst his enemies' blasphemies, by which they tried to overwhelm his faith, he was not silenced but rather lifted up his voice to God, whom the ungodly imagined had become his enemy.

He adds that he did not cry in vain, to encourage all devout people to similar constancy. Regarding the expression, from the hill of his holiness, or, meaning the same, from his holy hill, it is incorrectly interpreted by some as heaven. Heaven, I indeed admit, is often called God’s holy palace in other places; but here David undoubtedly refers to the ark of the covenant, which at that time stood on Mount Zion.

And he expressly affirms that he was heard from there, even though he had been forced to flee into the wilderness. The biblical account relates (2 Samuel 15:24) that when Abiathar the priest commanded the Levites to carry the ark, David would not allow it. And in this, the wonderful faith of the holy man is clearly evident.

He knew that the Lord had chosen Zion to be the dwelling place of the ark. Nevertheless, he was willing to be torn from that sacred symbol of the divine presence (which was as painful to him as if his own insides were torn out) rather than make any change not approved by God's will.

Now, he confidently states that although he was deprived of seeing the ark, and despite his distance from it, God was near him to listen to his prayers. By these words, he implies that he maintained a proper balance, because he neither despised the visible sign, which the Lord had appointed due to the less developed understanding of that era, nor did he entertain worldly ideas about God's glory by attaching superstitious importance to a particular place.

Thus, he did not idly speak empty words, as unbelievers typically do, who also pray but are unsure to where they should direct their words. David turned directly towards the tabernacle, from where God had promised to be merciful to his servants.

Hence the confidence with which he prayed; and this confidence was not without success. In our day, since what was formerly prefigured by the symbols of the Law has been fulfilled in Christ, a much easier way of approaching God is made available to us, provided we do not knowingly and willingly stray from the path.