54 Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.

Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.

For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.

Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.

He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.

I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good.

For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

54 (0) For the leader. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David, when the Zifim came and told Sha’ul, “David is hiding with us”:

(1) God, deliver me by your name;
in your power, vindicate me.
(2) God, hear my prayer;
listen to the words from my mouth.
(3) For foreigners are rising against me,
violent men are seeking my life;
they give no thought to God. (Selah)

(4) But God is helping me;
Adonai is my support.
(5) May he repay the evil
to those who are lying in wait for me.
In your faithfulness, destroy them!
(6) Then I will generously sacrifice to you;
I will praise your name, Adonai,
because it is good,
(7) because he rescued me from all trouble,
and my eyes look with triumph at my enemies.

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.
O God, (D)hear my prayer;
    give ear to the words of my mouth.

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

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

With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
    I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, (K)for it is good.
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)