Bible Commentaries
Psalms 3

Verses 1-8

Psalms 3:3-6

Dr. John Ker reminds us that this was the text from which Bishop Bedell preached to his fellow-prisoners in the time of the Irish rebellion in 1642, when he and the Protestants of the district were shut up in hold and in danger of death at any moment. He was one of the best Bishops who ever lived in Ireland... learned the Irish language, had the Bible translated into it, was assiduous in Christian work, and filled with the spirit of meekness and self-sacrifice. The word bedel in Hebrew means tin, and so deep was his desire of an entire renewal that he took for his motto Isaiah 1:25 : 'I will purely purge thy dross, and take away all thy bedel (tin)'. He lived from 1570 to 1642, and the Irish called him 'Ultimus Anglorum'.

Psalm III. was used by the French Protestants during persecution times as a signal for the stationing of sentinels to keep watch against sudden attack; when the danger was over and they could worship in safety, they sang Psalm CXXII.