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Psalms 54

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David's Prayer in Distress 1–3

1
Save me, O God, by thy name, And judge me in thy might. ​
2
Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth.
3
For strangers are risen up against me, And violent men have sought after my soul: They have not set God before them. [Selah ​

Assurance of God's Help 4–5

4
Behold, God is my helper: The Lord is of them that uphold my soul. ​
5
He will requite the evil unto mine enemies: Destroy thou them in thy truth.

Vow of Praise and Thanksgiving 6–7

6
With a freewill-offering will I sacrifice unto thee: I will give thanks unto thy name, O Jehovah, for it is good. ​
7
For he hath delivered me out of all trouble; And mine eye hath seen my desire upon mine enemies. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Psalm 54

Verse 1

Save me, O God, by thy name — The title names the Ziphites, who told Saul, ‘Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood’ (1 Sam 23:19; also 26:1). ‘Save’ is yasha, and ‘judge’ din, to give a verdict. The ‘name’ and the ‘strength’ (gevurah) are what he rests on, as ‘The name of the LORD is a strong tower’ (Prov 18:10).

Verse 3

they have not set God before them — ‘Oppressors’ is aritz, the tyrannical or terrible, who ‘seek after my soul’ (baqash nephesh, seek my life). Ps 86:14 states the same case: the violent ‘have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them’. David’s own practice is the opposite: ‘I have set the LORD always before me’ (Ps 16:8).

Verse 4

God is mine helper — ‘Helper’ is azar, to aid, and ‘uphold’ is samak, to prop up, the verb of Ps 51:12, ‘uphold me with thy free spirit’. Here the Lord (Adonai) is counted among those who hold his soul up. Heb 13:6 voices the same confidence: ‘The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.’

Verse 6

I will freely sacrifice unto thee — Nedabah is spontaneity, a freewill offering, brought out of the giver’s own willingness; Ps 119:108 speaks of ‘the freewill offerings of my mouth’. Zabach is the verb of slaughter in sacrifice. He will give thanks (yadah) to the name, ‘for it is good’, as in Ps 52:9.

Verse 7

delivered me out of all trouble — ‘Delivered’ is natsal, to snatch away, and ‘trouble’ is tsarah, a tight place, the word of Ps 46:1. ‘Mine eye hath seen’ echoes the end of other psalms: ‘God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies’ (Ps 59:10) and ‘Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies’ (Ps 92:11).