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Psalm 54
New English Translation

Psalm 54[a]

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song[b] by David. It was written when the Ziphites came and informed Saul: “David is hiding with us.”[c]

54 O God, deliver me by your name.[d]
Vindicate me[e] by your power.
2 O God, listen to my prayer.
Pay attention to what I say.[f]
3 For foreigners[g] attack me;[h]
ruthless men, who do not respect God, seek my life.[i] (Selah)
4 Look, God is my deliverer.[j]
The Lord is among those who support me.[k]
5 May those who wait to ambush me[l] be repaid for their evil.[m]
As a demonstration of your faithfulness,[n] destroy them.
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice[o] to you.
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 Surely[p] he rescues me from all trouble,[q]
and I triumph over my enemies.[r]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 54:1 sn Psalm 54. The psalmist asks God for protection against his enemies, confidently affirms that God will vindicate him, and promises to give thanks to God for his saving intervention.
  2. Psalm 54:1 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. See the note on the phrase “well-written song” in the superscription of Ps 52.
  3. Psalm 54:1 tn Heb “Is not David hiding with us?”sn According to the superscription, David wrote this psalm during the period when Saul was seeking his life. On one occasion the Ziphites informed Saul that David was hiding in their territory (see 1 Sam 23:19-20).
  4. Psalm 54:1 tn God’s “name” refers here to his reputation and revealed character, which would instill fear in the psalmist’s enemies (see C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 2:17).
  5. Psalm 54:1 tn The imperfect verbal form is used here to express the psalmist’s wish or request.
  6. Psalm 54:2 tn Heb “to the words of my mouth.”
  7. Psalm 54:3 tc Many medieval Hebrew mss read זֵדִים (zedim, “proud ones”) rather than זָרִים (zarim, “foreigners”). This is a case of confusing ד (dalet) and ר (resh). The term זֵדִים (zedim) occurs in parallelism with עָרִיצִים (ʿaritsim, “violent ones”) in Ps 86:14 and Isa 13:11. However, זָרִים (zarim) is parallel to עָרִיצִים in Isa 25:5; 29:5; Ezek 28:7; 31:12.
  8. Psalm 54:3 tn Heb “rise against me.”
  9. Psalm 54:3 tn Heb “and ruthless ones seek my life, they do not set God in front of them.”
  10. Psalm 54:4 tn Or “my helper.”
  11. Psalm 54:4 tn Or “sustain my life.”
  12. Psalm 54:5 tn Heb “to those who watch me [with evil intent].” See also Pss 5:8; 27:11; 56:2.
  13. Psalm 54:5 tn The Kethib (consonantal text) reads a Qal imperfect, “the evil will return,” while the Qere (marginal reading) has a Hiphil imperfect, “he will repay.” The parallel line has an imperative (indicating a prayer/request), so it is best to read a jussive form יָשֹׁב (yashov, “let it [the evil] return”) here.
  14. Psalm 54:5 tn Heb “in [or “by”] your faithfulness.”
  15. Psalm 54:6 tn The cohortative verbal form expresses the psalmist’s resolve/vow to praise.
  16. Psalm 54:7 tn Or “for,” indicating a more specific reason why he will praise the Lord’s name (cf. v. 6).
  17. Psalm 54:7 tn The perfects in v. 7 are probably rhetorical, indicating the psalmist’s certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer, he can describe God’s deliverance and his own vindication as if they were occurring or had already occurred.
  18. Psalm 54:7 tn Heb “and on my enemies my eyes look.”
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Psalm 54
English Standard Version

The Lord Upholds My Life

To the choirmaster: with (A)stringed instruments. A Maskil[a] of David, (B)when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “Is not David hiding among us?”

54 O God, save me by your (C)name,
    and vindicate me by your might.
2 O God, (D)hear my prayer;
    give ear to the words of my mouth.

3 (E)For (F)strangers[b] have risen against me;
    ruthless men (G)seek my life;
    they do not set God before themselves. Selah

4 Behold, (H)God is my helper;
    the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5 He will return the evil to my enemies;
    in your (I)faithfulness (J)put an end to them.

6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
    I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, (K)for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble,
    and my eye has (L)looked in triumph on my enemies.

Footnotes

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

Psalm 54[a]

Prayer in Time of Danger

1 For the director.[b] On stringed instruments. A maskil of David. 2 When the Ziphites came to Saul and said, “David is hiding among us.”

3 O God, save me by your name;[c]
    vindicate me by your power.
4 Hear my prayer, O God;
    give ear to the words of my mouth.
5 Strangers[d] have risen against me;
    those who are ruthless seek my life,
    and they have no thought of God. Selah
6 Surely God is my helper;
    the Lord is the one who sustains me.
7 May their own evil recoil on my foes:
    you who are faithful, destroy them.[e]
8 [f]I will freely offer sacrifice to you,
    and I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good.
9 For you have rescued me from all my troubles,
    and my eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 54:1 The “name” stands for God himself, the Almighty One. To him the psalmist directs his supplication, from him help will come, and toward him will thanksgiving be extended. For Christians, the “name” is that of Jesus Christ, who saves those who invoke it (see Acts 2:21; Rom 10:9; 1 Cor 1:2). “There is no . . . other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved” (Acts 4:12). The name “Jesus” means “God saves” (see Mt 1:21).
  2. Psalm 54:1 For the director: probably a musical or liturgical notation. Maskil: see note on Ps 32:1a. For the event in David’s life, see 1 Sam 23:19.
  3. Psalm 54:3 The beleaguered psalmist summons God to give him justice (see Ps 17). Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
  4. Psalm 54:5 Strangers: probably a reference to the people of the Desert of Ziph (see 1 Sam 23:19). They have no thought of God: the same type of sinners as in Ps 53.
  5. Psalm 54:7 See notes on Pss 5:11; 35.
  6. Psalm 54:8 God and his faithful have the same enemies, whose defeat is a subject for joy and thanksgiving. Praise your name: see note on Ps 7:18.
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Psalm 54
New International Version

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?”

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

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

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

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

6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering(N) to you;
    I will praise(O) your name, Lord, for it is good.(P)
7 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.
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