Psalms 54:1-6

1 Save me, O God, in thy name and defend me by thy valour.

2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.

3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul; they have not set God before them. Selah.

4 Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is with those that uphold my soul.

5 He shall reward evil unto my enemies; cut them off in thy truth.

6 I will freely sacrifice unto thee; I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good.

Psalms 54:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us? Of the word "neginoth," See Gill on "Ps 4:1," title; and of "maschil," See Gill on "Ps 32:1," title. The occasion of writing this psalm were the discoveries the Ziphims or Ziphites made to Saul of David being in their neighbourhood; which they did twice, as appears from 1 Samuel 23:14. Which of these gave occasion to the psalm is not certain; it is very likely that it was composed after both had been made. These Ziphims were the inhabitants of a city called Ziph, which was in the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:55, near to which was a wilderness, which had its name from the city in which David was when they came to Saul with this news of him.