Psalms 54

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.)
7 For thou deliveredest me from all tribulation; and mine eye despised on mine enemies. (For thou hast rescued me from every trouble; and I have seen come to pass what I desire for my enemies/and my eyes have seen the defeat of my enemies.)

Psalms 54 Commentary

Chapter 54

David complains of the malice of his enemies. (1-3) Assurance of the Divine favour and protection. (4-7)

Verses 1-3 God is faithful, though men are not to be trusted, and it is well for us it is so. David has no other plea to depend upon than God's name, no other power to depend upon than God's strength, and these he makes his refuge and confidence. This would be the effectual answer to his prayers. Looking unto David, betrayed by the men of Judah, and to Jesus, betrayed by one of his apostles, what can we expect from any who have not set God before them, save ingratitude, treachery, malice, and cruelty? What bonds of nature, or friendship, or gratitude, or covenant, will hold those that have broken through the fear of God? Selah; Mark this. Let us set God before us at all times; for if we do not, we are in danger of despair.

Verses 4-7 Behold, God is mine Helper. If we are for him, he is for us; and if he is for us, we need not fear. Every creature is that to us, and no more, which God makes it to be. The Lord will in due time save his people, and in the mean time he sustains them, and bears them up, so that the spirit he has made shall not fail. There is truth in God's threatenings, as well as in his promises; sinners that repent not, will find it so to their cost. David's present deliverance was an earnest of further deliverance. He speaks of the completion of his deliverance as a thing done, though he had as yet many troubles before him; because, having God's promise for it, he was as sure of it as if it was done already. The Lord would deliver him out of all his troubles. May he help us to bear our cross without repining, and at length bring us to share his victories and glory. Christians never should suffer the voice of praise and thanksgiving to cease in the church of the redeemed.

Chapter Summary

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.

Psalms 54 Commentaries

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.