John Calvin Commentary Psalms 3:7

"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." — Psalms 3:7 (ASV)

Arise, O Lord. As in the former verses David boasted of his quiet state, it now appears he desires the Lord to preserve him in safety throughout his whole life; as if he had said, Lord, since you have overthrown my enemies, grant that your goodness may follow me and be continued even to the end of my course.

But because it is not uncommon for David, in the Psalms, to mingle various emotions, it seems more probable that, after having mentioned his confidence in God, he returns again to make the same prayers as at the beginning. He therefore asks to be preserved, because he was in great peril.

What follows concerning the smiting of his enemies may be explained in two ways: either that in praying he recalls his former victories, or that having experienced God’s assistance and obtained the answer to his prayers, he now follows it up with thanksgiving. This last meaning I am much inclined to adopt. In the first place, then, he declares that he fled to God for help in danger and humbly prayed for deliverance. After salvation was granted to him, he gives thanks, by which he testifies that he acknowledged God as the author of the deliverance he had obtained.