시편 3:4 미드라쉬: Pesikta DeRav Kahana & Midrash Tanchuma

"When you take a census (Ex. 30:12)."^*The Torah reading for Shabbat Shekalim, the first of the Arba Parshiot recited during the maftir on the four Shabbats preceding Passover. As will be explicated midrashically, ki tisa ("when you take") is susceptible to various other meanings.
"Many say of my soul, 'There is no salvation for him through God, Selah.'" (Ps. 3:3). Rabbi Shimon and the Rabbanim: Rabbi Shmuel bar Ami interpreted the verse [as referring] to Doeg and Achitophel.^*Doeg the Edomite served under King Saul and carried out the executions of priests who had helped David during his flight from Saul (see 1 Sam. 22:18-19). Achitophel was a counselor to King David who betrayed the king by leading Absalom's rebellion against David, before committing suicide (see 2 Sam. 17:21-23)."Many say of my soul" -- that is Doeg and Achitophel. And why would they be called "many" (rabim)? For they were masters (rabim) of the Torah. "They say of my soul": They said to David, "A person who steals a sheep, kills the shepherd (see 2 Sam. 12:4), and cuts down Israel with a sword, can there be salvation for him? 'There is no salvation for him through God, Selah.'" David said, "But You, Hashem" (Ps. 3:4): You agreed with them, and You wrote in Your Torah, stating, "The adulterer and the adulteress will surely be put to death" (Lev. 20:10). "...Are a shield about me" (Ps. 3:4): For You have shielded me through the merit of my forefathers. "...My glory" (ibid.): For You returned me to the kingship. "...Who holds my head up high" (ibid.): For I was obligated to You and You have granted me a "suspended head" (i.e., suspended my sentence) through the agency of Nathan the Prophet, who said to me, "Even Hashem will pass over your sin; you shall not die" (2 Sam. 12:13).
And the Rabbanim interpret the verse [as referring] to the nations of the world. And why are they called "many"? As it is written, " "Woe to the multitude of many (rabim) peoples" (Is. 17:12). "They say to my soul": They say to Israel, "A nation that heard from the mouth of its God on Mount Sinai, "There shall not be unto you any other Gods before Me" (Ex. 20:2), yet at the end of forty days, [Israel] said to the [Golden] Calf, 'These are your gods, O Israel!' (Ex. 32:4) -- can there be salvation for it? 'There is no salvation for him through God, Selah.'" Israel said, "But You, Hashem, agreed with them, and You and wrote in Your Torah, saying, 'He who sacrifices to [other] gods shall be utterly destroyed' (Ex. 22:19).'" "...A shield about me": For You have shielded us through the merit of our forefathers. "...My glory": For you have caused Your Shekhinah to dwell in our midst, as it is written, "And make for Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell in their midst" (Ex. 25:8). "...Who holds my head up high": For we were obligated to You and You have granted us a suspended head (rosh) through the agency of Moses, and You said, "When you take a census (ki tisa et rosh; or midrashically, 'When you take away [the guilt from] the head') of the Children of Israel" (Ex. 30:12).

Then David cried out: But Thou, O Lord, as if to say, O You who art Master of the world, Your law agrees with them, for You said: The adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death (Lev. 20:10). But art a shield about me refers to the merit of my ancestors. My glory indicates that you have restored me to kingship; and Lifter up of my head implies that though I was guilty of murder, You permitted me to lift up the head; that is, to be forgiven through Nathan the prophet, for he said: The Lord also has put away thy sin; thou shalt not die (II Sam. 12:13).⁹A reference to David’s arranging the death of Uriah, the husband of Bath-sheba.