· Translation: KJV

Psalms 3:4I cry to Yahweh with my voice, and he answers me out of his holy hill. Selah.

The setting

Jerusalem hills, ~1000 BC. David is fleeing his son Absalom's rebellion, camping in the wilderness east of Jerusalem, modern-day West Bank.

The emotion here: desperate but clinging to hope

The original word

qara (קָרָא) — to call out urgently, like shouting for help in danger

Why it matters

Mount Zion was considered God's earthly throne, only 15 miles from where David was hiding

Read with care

What most readers miss in Psalms 3:4

David wrote this while his own son was trying to kill him

Common misconceptionPeople think this is about getting immediate answers, but David is remembering past faithfulness while currently in crisis—he's not describing what just happened, but what he knows God does.

Bible Genome reading

Psalms 3:4 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerDavid
EraUnited Kingdom
Primary emotiongrateful
Literary typepsalm
MarkPrayer

Emotional genome

Comfort power80%
Quotability75%
Memorability70%
Crisis relevance80%
Standalone80%
Themes:answered prayerdivine response

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Psalms 3

Psalms 3:4 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is grateful, with a comfort power of 80% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include answered prayer, divine response. Notable phrases: he answers me; holy hill. This verse is a prayer.

Your reflection

What does Psalms 3:4 mean to you, today?

A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.

Speak your heart →

Get 3 verses for "grateful"

Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.