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.
Footnotes
- Psalm 54:1 In Hebrew texts 54:1-7 is numbered 54:3-9.
- Psalm 54:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 54:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Psalm 54
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 54[a]
Confident Prayer in Great Peril
1 For the leader. On stringed instruments. A maskil of David, 2 when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “David is hiding among us.”(A)
I
3 O God, by your name[b] save me.
By your strength defend my cause.
4 O God, hear my prayer.
Listen to the words of my mouth.
5 Strangers have risen against me;
the ruthless seek my life;
they do not keep God before them.(B)
Selah
II
6 God is present as my helper;(C)
the Lord sustains my life.
7 Turn back the evil upon my foes;
in your faithfulness, destroy them.(D)
8 Then I will offer you generous sacrifice
and give thanks to your name, Lord, for it is good.
9 Because it has rescued me from every trouble,
and my eyes look down on my foes.(E)
Footnotes
- Psalm 54 A lament in which the person under attack calls directly upon God for help (Ps 54:3–5). Refusing to despair, the psalmist hopes in God, who is active in history and just (Ps 54:6–7). The Psalm ends with a serene promise to return thanks (Ps 54:8–9).
- 54:3 By your name: one is present in one’s name, hence God as revealed to human beings.
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
- Psalm 54:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 54:3 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Targum insolent men (compare Psalm 86:14)
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