Psalm 54

For the Music Director. With stringed instruments. A Contemplative Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “Is David not hiding among us?”

¹⁹ Then the Ziphites went up to Saul to Gibeah saying, “Is David not hiding himself with us in strongholds in Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, which is south of Jeshimon? ²⁰ Now, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down. And our part will be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”

²¹ Saul said, “Blessed are you of the Lord. For you have had compassion on me. ²² Please go, make sure again. Investigate and see the place where his foot rests, and who has seen him there. For it has been said to me that he is very cunning. ²³ So look and learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself. And come to me with certainty, and I will go with you. And it will be that if he is in the land, then I will track him throughout all the clans of Judah.”

²⁴ So they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon, in the desert south of Jeshimon. ²⁵ Saul and his men went to seek him, but they told David. Therefore he came down to the Rock, and lived in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the Wilderness of Maon.