Psalms 54:1-6

1 To victory in organs, either in psalms, the learning of David, when Ziphims came, and said to Saul, Whether David is not hid at us? God, in thy name, make thou me safe; and in thy virtue, deem thou me. (To victory, on instruments, or in songs, the teaching of David, when the Ziphims came, and said to Saul, David is hid with us! God, by the power of thy name, save thou me; and in thy strength, judge thou me.)

2 God, hear thou my prayer; with ears perceive thou the words of my mouth. (God, hear thou my prayer; listen thou to the words of my mouth.)

3 For aliens have risen against me, and strong men sought my life; and they setted not God before their sight. (For foreigners, or strangers, have risen against me, and strong men sought to take my life; and they never have a thought about God.)

4 For, lo! God helpeth me; and the Lord is the up-taker of my soul (and the Lord is my defender).

5 Turn thou away evils to mine enemies; and lose thou them in thy truth. (O Lord, turn thou back their own evil upon my enemies; and destroy thou them by thy truth.)

6 Willfully I shall sacrifice to thee; and, Lord, I shall acknowledge to thy name, for it is good. (I shall willingly sacrifice to thee, Lord; and I shall praise thy name, 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.