Prayer for Defense against Enemies.

For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A [a]Maskil of David, [b]when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Is not David hiding himself among us?”

54 Save me, O God, by (A)Your name,
And [c]vindicate me by (B)Your power.
(C)Hear my prayer, O God;
(D)Give ear to the words of my mouth.
For strangers have (E)risen against me
And (F)violent men have (G)sought my [d]life;
They have (H)not set God before them. [e]Selah.

Behold, (I)God is my helper;
The Lord is [f]the (J)sustainer of my soul.
[g]He will (K)recompense the evil to [h]my foes;
[i](L)Destroy them (M)in Your [j]faithfulness.

[k](N)Willingly I will sacrifice to You;
I will give (O)thanks to Your name, O Lord, for it is good.
For [l]He has (P)delivered me from all [m]trouble,
And my eye has (Q)looked with satisfaction upon my enemies.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 54:1 Possibly Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 54:1 1 Sam 23:19; 26:1
  3. Psalm 54:1 Lit judge
  4. Psalm 54:3 Or soul
  5. Psalm 54:3 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
  6. Psalm 54:4 Lit as those who sustain
  7. Psalm 54:5 Lit The evil will return
  8. Psalm 54:5 Or those who lie in wait for me
  9. Psalm 54:5 Or Put to silence
  10. Psalm 54:5 Or truth
  11. Psalm 54:6 Or With a freewill offering
  12. Psalm 54:7 Or it; i.e. His name
  13. Psalm 54:7 Or distress

Psalm 54[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[b] of David. When the Ziphites(A) had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

Save me(B), O God, by your name;(C)
    vindicate me by your might.(D)
Hear my prayer, O God;(E)
    listen to the words of my mouth.

Arrogant foes are attacking me;(F)
    ruthless people(G) are trying to kill me(H)
    people without regard for God.[c](I)

Surely God is my help;(J)
    the Lord is the one who sustains me.(K)

Let evil recoil(L) on those who slander me;
    in your faithfulness(M) destroy them.

I will sacrifice a freewill offering(N) to you;
    I will praise(O) your name, Lord, for it is good.(P)
You have delivered me(Q) from all my troubles,
    and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.(R)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 54:1 In Hebrew texts 54:1-7 is numbered 54:3-9.
  2. Psalm 54:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 54:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.