Psalm 54:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves. Selah

NIV: Arrogant foes are attacking me; ruthless people are trying to kill me— people without regard for God.

NASB: For strangers have risen against me And violent men have sought my life; They have not set God before them. Selah

CSB: For strangers rise up against me, and violent men intend to kill me. They do not let God guide them. Selah

NLT: For strangers are attacking me; violent people are trying to kill me. They care nothing for God. Interlude

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

NKJV: For strangers have risen up against me, And oppressors have sought after my life; They have not set God before them. Selah

The people of Ziph learned that the evil king, Saul, was looking for David. They approached Saul and told him where David had been hiding (1 Samuel 23:19–20). This forced David to once again flee, looking for a new place to rest (1 Samuel 23:24–25). The "strangers" mentioned here are the people who betrayed David to his enemies, and the forces of Saul are the "ruthless men" who want to kill him. That occasion inspired this psalm, where David asks for the Lord's protection and rescue (Psalm 54:1–2).

Although the Ziphites and David were all from the tribe of Judah, the Ziphites turned against David and disregarded the God of Israel. Twice, in fact, they told Saul where to find him (1 Samuel 26:1–2). In the first incident, Saul and his men gave up their chase when Philistines began to raid Israel (1 Samuel 23:26–28). In the second, David convinced Saul that his vendetta was wrong (1 Samuel 26:21). The use of the Hebrew term for "strangers," in this context, refers to people who are unfriendly and hostile.

The Hebrew word selah has no clear definition. Scholars believe it suggests a pause, or a musical interlude. Its use suggests a need for reflection over what has been said.

Psalm 54:1–3 is part of David's prayer for rescue. He was pursued by the king, Saul, and betrayed by the people of Ziph (1 Samuel 23:19–20). David asks for the Lord's help against godless people who want to kill him. This will be followed by David's confident expression of trust in God.

David prays for God's rescue and vindication. Heartless, godless men are working to have him killed (1 Samuel 23:19–20). However, David is certain that God is his helper and will keep him alive. He believes God will bring vengeance on those enemies, ending their lives while sparing David. David is so confident in the Lord's rescue that he promises to present a freewill offering when he returns to the sanctuary. David's trust in God is based, in part, on the ways the Lord had helped him in the past.

Psalm 54 is one of the psalms written by David when he was a fugitive from King Saul. David describes his dependence on the Lord to help him in a crisis. The crisis involved the Ziphites' betraying David by telling Saul where he was (1 Samuel 23:19–20; 26:1–2). God rewarded David's confidence and refusal to take revenge (1 Samuel 24:4–8) by sparing his life.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.