Psalms 54 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Psalm 54

The Lord Upholds My Life

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil¹ of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “Is not David hiding among us?”

54:1   O God, save me by your name,
    and vindicate me by your might.
2   O God, hear my prayer;
    give ear to the words of my mouth.
3   For strangers² have risen against me;
    ruthless men seek my life;
    they do not set God before themselves. Selah
4   Behold, God is my helper;
    the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5   He will return the evil to my enemies;
    in your faithfulness put an end to them.
6   With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
    I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.
7   For he has delivered me from every trouble,
    and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.

Footnotes

[1] 54:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
[2] 54:3 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Targum insolent men (compare Psalm 86:14)

Commentary

Trust in God is times of affliction, 1 Sam 23.19-25.

v1-2: David was fleeing from Saul, and had gathered an army of mighty men (or men who would become mighty). This psalm indicates that he trusted in God rather than in those men whom God had sent to him. No doubt he was grateful for those who supported him.

v3: Strangers and oppressors attacked him, but they are identified as unbelievers.

v4: The Lord is David's helper, and the helper of those who were with him.

v5: David looks to God to vindicate him, and to defeat his enemies. "In your faithfulness"; David knew that God would only act in a way consistent with His character.

v6-7: We give praise to God because He does act; He is faithful and He delivers His people. How grateful we are that God does not change. We rejoice in God who is active in our lives.