Psalms — Chapter 54

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1Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.

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

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

4Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.

5He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.

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

7For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

1Save me, O God, by thy name, And judge me in thy might.

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

3For strangers are risen up against me, And violent men have sought after my soul: They have not set God before them. Selah

4Behold, God is my helper: The Lord is of them that uphold my soul.

5He will requite the evil unto mine enemies: Destroy thou them in thy truth.

6With a freewill-offering will I sacrifice unto thee: I will give thanks unto thy name, O Jehovah, for it is good.

7For he hath delivered me out of all trouble; And mine eye hath seen [my desire] upon mine enemies. Psalm 55 For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of David.

1For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song by David. It was written when the Ziphites came and informed Saul: “David is hiding with us.” O God, deliver me by your name. Vindicate me by your power.

2O God, listen to my prayer. Pay attention to what I say.

3For foreigners attack me; ruthless men, who do not respect God, seek my life. (Selah)

4Look, God is my deliverer. The Lord is among those who support me.

5May those who wait to ambush me be repaid for their evil. As a demonstration of your faithfulness, destroy them.

6With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you. I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.

7Surely he rescues me from all trouble, and I triumph over my enemies.

1Save me, God, by your name. Vindicate me in your might.

2Hear my prayer, God. Listen to the words of my mouth.

3For strangers have risen up against me. Violent men have sought after my soul. They haven’t set God before them. Selah.

4Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.

5He will repay the evil to my enemies. Destroy them in your truth.

6With a free will offering, I will sacrifice to you. I will give thanks to your name, Yahweh, for it is good.

7For he has delivered me out of all trouble. My eye has seen triumph over my enemies.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Videos
Reflection

Summary

A brief lament — David calls on God to save him by His name when the Ziphites betray his location to Saul; God is his helper, and he will praise the LORD's name for deliverance.

Authorship & Background

Author: Multiple authors — primarily David (73 psalms attributed), plus Asaph (12), Sons of Korah (11), Solomon (2), Moses (1), Heman (1), Ethan (1), and anonymous. The Psalter was compiled over approximately 1000 years and served as Israel's hymnal and prayer book. The book is divided into five 'books' (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150), paralleling the five books of Moses. Key themes: worship, lament, praise, trust, kingship, creation, wisdom, Messianic prophecy, and the full range of human emotion brought before God.
Classification: Individual Lament Psalm Attributed Author: David Key Themes: Crying out for deliverance, God's name as salvation, betrayal by allies, confidence in God's help, vow of thanksgiving
Historical Context: The superscription connects this psalm to when the Ziphites betrayed David's hiding place to Saul (1 Samuel 23:19-24; 26:1). David was hiding in the wilderness of Ziph, and the local inhabitants — his own countrymen from the tribe of Judah — informed Saul of his location. The psalm is brief (7 verses) but follows the classic lament pattern: urgent cry, description of enemies, confession of trust, and vow of praise. It is a Maskil (instructive poem) with stringed accompaniment (Neginoth). The "strangers" (zarim) in v.3 refers to these treacherous Ziphites who acted as foreigners toward their own kinsman David.
Structure:
  • Urgent Cry for Salvation (vv.1-2)
  • Description of the Threat (v.3)
  • Confidence in God (vv.4-5)
  • Vow of Thanksgiving (vv.6-7)

Map & Geography

  • No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.

Videos

The Bible Project — Psalms Overview

Reflection

  • 1. God's name is sufficient refuge (v.1). When human allies betray you, God's character remains unchanged. His name — His reputation, His faithfulness, His power — is your ultimate security.
  • 2. The root of all human cruelty is failing to set God before oneself (v.3). When people act as if God does not see, they become capable of any evil. Setting God before us is the foundation of all moral behavior.
  • 3. Confidence can coexist with crisis (v.4). David is still in danger when he declares "God is mine helper." Faith is not the absence of trouble but the presence of assurance within trouble.
  • 4. Gratitude should be planned before deliverance arrives (v.6). David vows his thanksgiving offering while still in danger. Planning your praise in advance is an act of faith — you prepare to celebrate what God has not yet done, because you trust He will do it.