Psalm 54
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 54
Prayer for Vindication
To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “David is in hiding among us.”
1 Save me, O God, by your name,
and vindicate me by your might.(A)
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
give ear to the words of my mouth.(B)
3 For the insolent have risen against me;
the ruthless seek my life;
they do not set God before them. Selah(C)
4 But surely, God is my helper;
the Lord is the upholder of[a] my life.(D)
5 He will repay my enemies for their evil.
In your faithfulness, put an end to them.(E)
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.(F)
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble,
and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.(G)
Footnotes
- 54.4 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb is of those who uphold or is with those who uphold
Psalm 54
Evangelical Heritage Version
Psalm 54
Ruthless Men Seek My Life
Heading
For the choir director. With stringed instruments.
A maskil by David. When the Ziphites went and said to Saul, “Isn’t David hiding himself with us?”[a]
The Plea
1 God, save me by your name.
By your power judge me justly.
2 God, hear my prayer.
Turn your ear to the words of my mouth.
The Problem
3 For strangers have risen up against me.
Ruthless men seek my life. Interlude
They pay no attention to God.
The Solution
4 Indeed, God is my helper.
The Lord is the one who preserves my life.
5 Let evil return on those who oppress me.
In your faithfulness destroy them.
The Outcome
6 I will sacrifice willingly to you.
I will praise your name, O Lord, because it is good.
7 Surely, from all my distress he has delivered me.
My eyes have looked down on my enemies.
Footnotes
- Psalm 54:1 See 1 Samuel 23 and 26.
1 Samuel 23:19-25
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
19 Then some Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “David is hiding among us in the strongholds of Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon.(A) 20 Now, O king, whenever you wish to come down, do so, and our part will be to surrender him into the king’s hand.”(B) 21 Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord for showing me compassion!(C) 22 Go and make sure once more; find out exactly where he is and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is very cunning. 23 Look around and learn all the hiding places where he lurks and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you, and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.” 24 So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.
David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon.(D) 25 Saul and his men went to search for him. When David was told, he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon.
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1 Samuel 23:19-25
Evangelical Heritage Version
19 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Do you know that David is hiding near us in the strongholds at Horesh near the Hill of Hakilah, in the southern part of the badlands?[a] 20 So now, O King, come down! Come down whenever you wish to come, and our role will be to deliver him up into the king’s hand.”
21 Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have sympathized with me. 22 Go and make sure that you know exactly where he is and who has seen him there, for I have been told that he is very wily. 23 Make sure that you know all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with solid information. Then I will come with you. If he is in the land, you can be sure that I will hunt him down among all the thousands of Judah.” 24 So Saul’s men set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.
Meanwhile David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah,[b] south of the badlands.
David in the Wilderness of Maon
25 Saul and his men went to look for David. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David in the Wilderness of Maon.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 23:19 Hebrew jeshimon, which means wasteland or badlands. A jeshimon is worse than a midbar (wilderness). The Hebrew word jeshimon is sometimes translated as a proper name Jeshimon.
- 1 Samuel 23:24 On the basis of Joshua 15:48-55, most maps show Maon in the highlands west of the Dead Sea, but this verse seems to refer to a location in the Great Rift that contains the Dead Sea, which is called the Arabah. Perhaps Arabah here simply means wilderness.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.