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.

Answered Prayer for Deliverance from Adversaries

For the music director, with stringed instruments.

A maskil of David,

when the Ziphites went and said to Saul,

“Is not David hiding himself among us?”[a]

54 O God, by your name save me,
and by your power vindicate me.
O God, hear my prayer;
heed the words of my mouth.
For foreigners have risen against me,
and ruthless men seek my life.
They have not set God before them. Selah
See, God is my helper;
The Lord is with those who sustain my life.[b]
He will repay[c] my enemies for their[d] evil;
in your faithfulness destroy them.
I will freely sacrifice to you;
I will give thanks to your name,
O Yahweh, because it is good.
Because he has delivered me from all trouble,
and my eye has looked with satisfaction on my enemies.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 54:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  2. Psalm 54:4 Or “The Lord is the sustainer of my life.”
  3. Psalm 54:5 According to the reading tradition (Qere)
  4. Psalm 54:5 Hebrew “the”

19 The Ziphites(A) went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us(B) in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah,(C) south of Jeshimon? 20 Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving(D) him into your hands.”

21 Saul replied, “The Lord bless(E) you for your concern(F) for me. 22 Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty. 23 Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track(G) him down among all the clans of Judah.”

24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon,(H) in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.(I) 25 Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.

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19 Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, which is south of Jeshimon? 20 So then, O king, whenever you want[a] to come down, come down, and it will be for us to deliver him into the hand of the king.” 21 And Saul said to them, “May you be blessed by Yahweh, for you have shown me compassion! 22 Go, please, make certain again! Find out and see exactly where he is[b] and who has seen him there! For they have said to me, ‘He is very cunning.’ 23 Look, find out all of the hiding places where he hides. Then return to me with dependable information,[c] and I will go with you. And then if he is there in the land, then I will seek him among all the thousands of Judah.” 24 Then they got up and went to Ziph before Saul.

Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah, to the south of Jeshimon. 25 And Saul and his men went to seek him, and they told David, so he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard this, he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 23:20 Literally “for all the wanting of your soul”
  2. 1 Samuel 23:22 Literally “his place where his foot is
  3. 1 Samuel 23:23 Literally “to being established”