The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain; some understand, a golden jewel (of a poem); others, an epigram.

Psa. 3 title

This short psalm refers to Christ (vv. 8-11; cf. Acts 2:25a), the wonderful God-man, in His four stages: His human living (implying also His incarnation — vv. 1-8), His death (vv. 9-10), His resurrection (vv. 10-11a), and His ascension (v. 11b). See Acts 2:25-28 and notes.

When Christ was a man on earth, He took refuge in God and trusted in God’s preservation.

Some MSS read, You say (perhaps addressing the soul).

As a man, Christ took God as His Lord (Matt. 4:7, 10) and had no good (no blessing, no pleasure, and no enjoyment) beyond God as His portion (cf. Luke 18:19).

In His human living Christ loved God the Father (John 14:31) and delighted not in the law but in the saints, the excellent people on the earth, because they are the members of His Body, the church (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:30).

Christ in His human living had nothing to do with other gods and their offerings, nor did He take up their names upon His lips (Matt. 4:10).

As a man on earth Christ took God the Father as the portion of His inheritance (His possession) and of His cup (His enjoyment). Furthermore, Christ trusted in God to maintain His lot (the portion of His inheritance). God maintains the earth for Christ that He may inherit it as His possession (Psa. 2:8; Heb. 1:2b).

Christ appreciated the measured possession and the beautiful inheritance given to Him by God. All the nations with the earth (2:8) will be not only pleasant but also beautiful to Christ as the man who inherited God’s inheritance (Heb. 1:2*b).

Christ, the humble Servant of Jehovah, was counseled by God, and His inward parts instructed Him in the nights (Isa. 50:4; Luke 6:12). When God counseled Christ as a man, Christ’s inward parts instructed Him through His contact with God. The inward parts of Christ were one with God. This is the proper experience of a God-man (cf. Phil. 1:8).

In His human living Christ set God (not the law) before Him continually to be His security. Jesus was never alone, for God the Father was always with Him (John 8:29).

The Septuagint translates, tongue. See note Acts 2:26¹.

In His death, while Christ was in Hades, His flesh (His physical body) dwelt securely, being buried in a secured tomb (Matt. 27:59-60).

After His death, Christ’s soul went to Sheol (Hades — Eph. 4:9) and remained there for three days. That God would not abandon Christ’s soul to Sheol or let Him as God’s Holy One see corruption indicates that Christ’s soul would be raised up from Sheol and also that Christ’s physical body would be resurrected from the tomb (Matt. 28:6; John 20:5-9).

The Septuagint translates, corruption (cf. Acts 2:27). Christ’s body was resurrected from the tomb within three days (1 Cor. 15:4); hence, it did not see corruption in the tomb.

See note Acts 2:28¹.

Christ is in God’s presence participating in fullness of joy, indicating that He has ascended to the heavens to God’s presence in order to enjoy His attainments and His obtainments (Acts 1:9-11; 2:36; 5:31; Phil. 2:9-11). Christ is also enjoying pleasures forever at God’s right hand, indicating that He is at the right hand of God in His ascension to surpass all for the accomplishing of God’s eternal economy concerning the church, the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:20-23).