Psalms 54 - Printer Friendly

This song was inspired by the people of Ziph's betrayal of David. Saul had been rejected by God (1 Samuel 15:26), and jealously wanted to have David killed (1 Samuel 19:2). While David hid in the region of Ziph, where he should have been safe among fellow Judahites, the people instead went to Saul and told him where David was hiding. In fact, they did this twice, forcing David to flee multiple times (1 Samuel 23:19–20, 23–25; 26:1–2).

David begins by praying for the Lord's rescue. He describes those who want to kill him as "strangers," which in this context means people who act as enemies. He asks for God's vindication: to be proven in the right (Psalm 54:1–3).

After asking for rescue, David expresses supreme confidence that God will keep him alive. Rather than seeking revenge himself, David puts all retribution in the Lord's hands. During these incidents, David had two opportunities to kill Saul, but in both cases, he chose not to kill the then-appointed king of Israel (1 Samuel 24:4–8; 26:8–17). Because of God's prior protection, David is fully assured he will live to return to the sanctuary and offer voluntary sacrifices to the Lord (Psalm 54:4–7).

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.

Psalm 54:4–7 follows David's prayer for rescue with an expression of absolute confidence. He vows to honor the Lord for answering his prayer. He speaks as if sure the Lord will keep him safe. At the time David wrote this song, he was not near the tabernacle, but fully expected to return there. As part of his confidence, David plans to present a freewill offering and give thanks to the Lord. This was written while David was being betrayed by the people of Ziph and pursued by King Saul (1 Samuel 23:19–20).

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.