PSALM 54 COMME�TARYEDITED BY GLE�� PEASE

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil[b] of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, “Is not David hiding among us?”

I�TRODUCTIO�

SPURGEO�, "Title. To the Chief Musician on �eginoth. The music was to be that of stringed instruments. Variety is to be studied in our tunes, and in all other matters relating to sacred song. Monotony is often the death of congregational praise. Providence is varied, and so should our recording songs be. Maschil. We are to learn and to teach by what we sing. Edification must not be divorced from psalmody. A Psalm of David. David's productions were as plentiful as they are profitable. His varied life was for our benefit, for from it we derive these hymns, which at this hour are as fresh and as precious as when he wrote them. When the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us? To curry favour with Saul they were guilty of gross inhospitality. What cared they what innocent blood was shed so that they earned the graceless monarch's smile! David came quietly among them, hoping for a little rest in his many flights, but they deserted him in his solitary abode, and betrayed him. He turns to God in prayer, and so strong was his faith that he soon sang himself into delightful serenity.Divisions. From Psalms 54:1-3, where the Selah makes a pause for us, the psalmist pleads with God, and then in the rest of the song, laying aside all doubt, he chants a hymn of joyful triumph. The vigour of faith is the death of anxiety, and the birth of security.

COKE, "Title. הזפים בנגינתאבבוא למנצח lamnatseach binginoth—bebo hazziphim. To the chief musician on �eginoth—when the Ziphims— To the master of the stringed instruments—when the Ziphites. This Psalm begins with a prayer to God for his protection. The Psalmist then represents his danger from lawless oppressive men, who sought after his life. He encourages himself by faith and hope in God, and declares his resolution to render a solemn sacrifice of thanksgiving to his kind

preserver, who had delivered him out of all his troubles. Of the suitableness of the Psalm to the occasion, every one who reads it will be convinced.

GUZIK, "This Psalm is titled, To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David when the Ziphites went and said to Saul, Is David not hiding with us? There were actually two times the Ziphites betrayed David unto King Saul, first in 1 Samuel 23 and the second in 1 Samuel 26. David escaped both times, but the circumstances of this Psalm seem to best fit the circumstances of 1 Samuel 23, when David learned of the Ziphite betrayal but before the deliverance of God was displayed (1 Samuel 23:26-29).

This is one of the few Psalms with a specific musical direction: With stringed instruments. It is also called A Contemplation. The Hebrew word for Contemplation (maskil) might be better understood as instruction (Boice).

1 Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might.

BAR�ES, "Save me, O God, by thy name - The word “name” here may include the perfections or attributes properly implied in the name. It is a calling on God as God, or in view of all that is implied in his name, or that constitutes the idea of “God.” That name would imply all of power and benevolence that was necessary to secure his salvation or safety. The particular object of the prayer here is that God would save him from the design of the Ziphims to betray him to Saul. In some way David seems to have been apprised of the information which they had given to Saul, or at least to have suspected it so strongly that he felt it was necessary for him to move from place to place in order to find safety.

And judqe me by thy strength - The word “judge” here is used in the sense of declaring a judgment in his favor, or of vindicating him. See the notes at Psa_7:8. Compare Psa_18:20; Psa_26:1; Psa_43:1. The idea is, Vindicate or save me by thy power.

CLARKE, "Save me, O God, by thy name - Save me by thyself alone; so name here may be understood. The name of God is often God himself. David was now in such

imminent danger of being taken and destroyed, that no human means were left for his escape; if God therefore had not Interfered, he must have been destroyed. See the introduction, Psa_54:1-7 (note).

GILL, "Save me, O God, by thy name,.... That is, by himself, by his power, and of his grace and goodness; the Lord's name is often used for himself. David in his distress applies to his God for salvation and deliverance, who only could give it; which was right; and his prayer was remarkably heard and answered: for when Saul came down upon the first discovery, and beset David and his men all around, just as he was about to seize the prey, tidings came to him of the invasion of the Philistines; which obliged him directly to quit his pursuit of David, and return in haste for the defence of his country, 1Sa_23:26; and upon the second discovery, when Saul came again to take him, Saul was delivered into the hands of David, who could have took away his life if he would; but he only took his spear and cruse of water by his bolster, as a proof of his being in his power, 1Sa_26:12. Of such avail is the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man. This prayer is suitable enough to David's antitype and son, the Messiah; see Psa_69:1; and especially to sensible sinners; who, being made acquainted with, their lost and perishing condition, inquire the way of salvation; and finding it is not by works, but by Christ alone, apply in that way for it, and desire that God would save them by his Son; who is his name, in whom his name is, and whose name Jesus, a Saviour, is of God's giving; and this name is a strong tower, whither such souls, sensible of danger, flee and are safe; nor is there any other name in which salvation is, and which is therefore exceeding precious, and like ointment poured forth; see Exo_23:21. Or, "for thy name's sake" (h); for the sake of the glory of his divine perfections; which was displayed in the deliverance of David, and more abundantly in the salvation of lost sinners; such as the wisdom, power, faithfulness, justice, grace and mercy of God. Such a petition shows that man cannot save himself; that no creature, none but God can save him; and that a sensible sinner desires to be saved in such a way that God may be glorified;

and judge me by thy strength; David, though innocent, had many charges laid against him; his enemies were lively and strong; he puts his cause into the hands of the Lord, his strong Redeemer, who was able to plead it thoroughly against those that strove with him; so Christ, his antitype, committed his cause to him that judgeth righteously, 1Pe_2:23; and so should every believer.

HAWKER, "The Psalmist is at the throne of grace in this Psalm, in the exercise of prayer and praise. He cries to God for deliverance from his enemies, and concludes with thanksgiving; in the assurance that his prayer is heard and answered.

To the chief musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?

Psa_54:1

The title of this Psalm explains the particular trial David was exercised with when he thus had recourse to a mercy-seat. The history of that part of David’s life we find 1Sa_23:19, and again 1Sa_26:1. But while we behold David king of Israel in the historical part connected with this scripture, I would hope that the Reader, by this time, hath seen enough in David’s history to consider him as a lively type, in many instances, of David’s Lord. Surely the Holy Ghost intended to direct the church, from so much being recorded

of this man’s history and writings, to look off from him, and to behold a greater than he, as the chief object proposed from these scriptures. And will not the Reader be led therefrom to discover, that in the repeated attempts made on David, by the Ziphims and others, to deliver him into the hands of Saul, there are strong allusions made to the perfidy and baseness of Judas the traitor, and the Scribes and Pharisees, to deliver the Lord Christ into the hands of his enemies? The Ziphims proposed to themselves Saul’s favour and a reward: and Judas’s language was, what will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? If we compare 1Sa_23:19-20, with Mat_26:14-16, keeping our eye upon Jesus as we read this Psalm, we shall trace several things which will serve to keep him and his unequalled trials in remembrance.

HE�RY 1-3, "We may observe here, 1. The great distress that David was now in, which the title gives an account of. The Ziphim came of their own accord, and informed Saul where David was, with a promise to deliver him into his hand. One would have thought that when David had retired into the country he would not be pursued, into a desert country he would not be discovered, and into his own country he would not be betrayed; and yet it seems he was. Never let a good man expect to be safe an easy till he comes to heaven. How treacherous, how officious, were these Ziphim! It is well that God is faithful, for men are not to be trusted, Mic_7:5. 2. His prayer to God for succour and deliverance, Psa_54:1, Psa_54:2. He appeals to God's strength, by which he was able to help him, and to his name, by which he was engaged to help him, and begs he would save him from his enemies and judge him, that is, plead his cause and judge for him. David has no other plea to depend upon than God's name, no other power to depend upon than God's strength, and those he makes his refuge and confidence. This would be the effectual answer of his prayers (Psa_54:2), which even in his flight, when he had not opportunity for solemn address to God, he was ever and anon lifting up to heaven: Hear my prayer, which comes from my heart, and give ear to the words of my mouth. 3. His plea, which is taken from the character of his enemies, Psa_54:3. (1.) They are strangers; such were the Ziphites, unworthy the name of Israelites. “They have used me more basely and barbarously than the Philistines themselves would have done.” The worst treatment may be expected from those who, having broken through the bonds of relation and alliance, make themselves strangers. (2.) They are oppressors; such was Saul, who, as a king, should have used his power for the protection of all his good subjects, but abused it for their destruction. Nothing is so grievous as oppression in the seat of judgment, Ecc_3:16. Paul's greatest perils were by his own countrymen and by false brethren (2Co_11:26), and so were David's. (3.) They were very formidable and threatening; they not only hated him and wished him ill, but they rose up against him in a body, joining their power to do him a mischief. (4.) They were very spiteful and malicious: They seek after my soul; they hunt for the precious life; no less will satisfy them. We may, in faith, pray that God would not by his providence give success, lest it should look like giving countenance, to such cruel bloody men. (5.) They were very profane and atheistical, and, for this reason, he thought God was concerned in honour to appear against them: They have not set God before them, that is, they have quite cast off the thoughts of God; they do not consider that his eye is upon them, that, in fighting against his people, they fight against him, nor have they any dread of the certain fatal consequences of such an unequal engagement. Note, From those who do not set God before them no good is to be expected; nay, what wickedness will not such men be guilty of? What bonds of nature, or friendship, or gratitude, or covenant, will hold those that have broken through the fear of God? Selah -Mark this. Let us all be sure to set God

before us at all times; for, if we do not we are in danger of becoming desperate.

JAMISO�, "Psa_54:1-7. See on Psa_4:1, title; see on Psa_32:1, title; for the history, see 1Sa_23:19, 1Sa_23:29; 1Sa_26:1-25. After an earnest cry for help, the Psalmist promises praise in the assurance of a hearing.

by thy name— (Psa_5:11), specially, power.

judge me— as in Psa_7:8; Psa_26:1.

K&D 1-3, "(Heb.: 54:3-5) This short song is divided into two parts by Sela The first half prays for help and answer. The Name of God is the manifestation of His nature,

which has mercy as its central point (for the Name of God is וב�, v. 8, Ps 52:11), so that

which is here the parallel) �שמך word to �גבורתך) is consequently equivalent to �חס�ך. The

obtaining of right for any one (�ין like שפט, Psa_7:9, and frequently, �יןעשה, Psa_9:5) isattributed to the all-conquering might of God, which is only one side of the divine Name,

i.e., of the divine nature which manifests itself in the diversity of its attributes. האזין

(Psa_54:4) is construed with ל (cf. אל, Psa_87:2) like אזןה�ה, Psa_78:1. The Targum,

misled by Psa_86:14, reads זרים instead of זרים in Psa_54:5. The inscription leads one to think of the Ziphites in particular in connection with “strangers” and “violent men.” The two words in most instances denote foreign enemies, Isa_25:2., Psa_29:5; Eze_31:12;

but זר is also a stranger in the widest sense, regulated in each instance according to theopposite, e.g., the non-priest, Lev_22:10; and one's fellow-countrymen can also turn out

to be עריצים, Jer_15:21. The Ziphites, although Judaeans like David, might be called

“strangers,” because they had taken the side against David; and “violent men,” because they pledged themselves to seize and deliver him up. Under other circumstances this might have been their duty as subjects. In this instance, however, it was godlessness, as Psa_54:5 (cf. Psa_86:14) says. Any one at that time in Israel who feared God more than man, could not lend himself to be made a tool of Saul's blind fury. God had already manifestly enough acknowledged David.

CALVI�, "1.Save me, O God! As David was at this time placed beyond the reach of human assistance, he must be understood as praying to be saved by the name and the power of God, In an emphatical sense, or by these in contradistinction to the usual means of deliverance. Though all help must ultimately come from God, there are ordinary methods by which he generally extends it. When these fail, and every earthly stay is removed, he must then take the work into his own hands. It was in such a situation that David here fled to the saints’ last asylum, and sought to be saved by a miracle of divine power. By appealing, in the second part of the verse, to God as his judge, he asserts his uprightness. And it must strike us all, that in asking the divine protection it is indispensably prerequisite we should be convinced of the

goodness of our cause, as it would argue the greatest profanity in any to expect that God should patronise iniquity. David was encouraged to pray for deliverance by the goodness of his cause and his consciousness of integrity; nor did he entertain a single doubt, that on representing this to God he would act the part of his defender, and punish the cruelty and treachery of his enemies.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 1. Save me, O God. Thou art my Saviour; all around me are my foes and their eager helpers. �o shelter is permitted me. Every land rejects me and denies me rest. But thou, O God, wilt give me refuge, and deliver me from all my enemies.By thy name, by thy great and glorious nature. Employ all thine attributes for me. Let every one of the perfections which are blended in thy divine name work for me. Is not thine honour pledged for my defence?And judge me by thy strength. Render justice to me, for none else will or can. Thou canst give me efficient justice, and right my wrongs by thine omnipotence. We dare not appeal to God in a bad cause, but when we know that we can fearlessly carry our cause before his justice we may well commit it to his power.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSTitle. From the inscription, learn,1. Particular straits and particular deliveries should be particularly remarked: as David here remembereth the danger he was in by the treachery of the Ziphims.2. Mighty men will find readily more friends in an evil cause, than the godly do find in a good cause: as Saul has the Ziphims to offer their service to his cruelly, when David was in straits.3. The wicked are very hearty to do an ill turn, and glad to find occasion of it. "Doth not David, "saith they, "hide himself with us?" as if this had been good and blessed news. David Dickson (1583-1662), in "A Brief Explication upon the Psalms."Whole Psalm. The church has taken a clear view in appointing this as one of the Psalms in commemoration of the passion of Jesus. It is seen with greatest effect as a simple prophecy of Christ. Read thus, it is very plain and intelligible; requiring little more than the first idea to exhibit a perfect correspondence with the life and feelings of the Messiah. William Hill Tucker, in "The Psalms... with �otes, "1840.Whole Psalm. In the first three verses, David being sought for by his enemies, prays against them. That was his course, he always began his conflict with God, contending and wrestling with him for a blessing and assistance. He durst not lift up his hands even against the enemies of God (yet what durst not David do?) till he had first lifted them up in humble supplication to the Lord his strength. "Who taught his hands to war, and his fingers to fight." Psalms 144:1. This being done, his courage breaks out like lightning, he doubts not of slaying his thousands and ten thousands. So in the fourth and fifth verses, he becomes his own prophet, promising himself victory. For who can resist him who hath Omnipotence for his second? Or how can any enemy maintain a fight against that captain who hath beforehand defeated and broken their forces by his prayers? assured his conquest before he puts on his armour? Then in the last verses, David concludes where he began, thankfully acknowledgeth God's goodness in his deliverance, and the dissipation of his enemies, obliging himself to a return of dutiful affectionate service, in consideration of so great mercies received. J. Dolben, in a Thanksgiving Sermon,

1665.Whole Psalm. Blessed Redeemer! give me grace to eye thee, and to call to my recollection thine exercises amidst the false friends and open foes, which in the days of thy flesh surrounded thee. Lord! help me so to consider thee, who didst endure such a contradiction of sinners against thyself, that I may not be weary and faint in mind. And while the Ziphims of the present hour harass and distress me, and would deliver my soul up into the hand of the enemy: oh! for grace to be looking unto thee, and deriving strength from thee, that I may discover thy gracious hand delivering me out of all my troubles, and making me more than conqueror in thy strength, and in the power of thy might. Robert Hawker, D.D., 1753-1827.Ver. 1. Save me, O God. As David was at this time placed beyond the reach of human assistance, he must be understood as praying to be saved by the name and the power of God, in an emphatic sense, or by these in contradistinction to the usual means of deliverance. Though all help must ultimately come from God, there are ordinary methods by which he generally extends it. When these fail, and every earthly stay is removed, he must then take the work into his own hands. It was such a situation that David here fled to the saints' last asylum, and sought to be saved by a miracle of divine power. John Calvin.Ver. 1. Judge me by thy strength, or power, i.e., determine, decide my cause by thy mighty power. Saul, in the cause between him and David, was resolved to end it by force only, and to arbitrate in no other way than by a javelin, a sword, or his forces. The psalmist well knew that Saul, in this respect, would be too hard for him; and therefore applies for protection and justice to one whose power he knew was infinitely superior to his adversaries, and who, he was assured, could and would defend him. Samuel Chandler (1693-1766), in "A Critical History of the Life of David."

COFFMA�, "Verse 1PSALM 54

PRAYER FOR DELIVERA�CE FROM E�EMIES

Superscription: For the Chief Musician: on stringed instruments. Maschil of David: when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, Doth not David himself hide with us?

The historical background here, according to the superscription, is related in 1 Samuel 23:19, which reports the offer of the Ziphites to betray David into the hands of Saul. The Ziphites became involved in this manner. David and his men had been joined by Abiathar, a son of Abimelech, who had escaped Doeg's massacre, and being a priest, he brought the sacred Ephod with him, by means of which David, after saving Keilah from the hands of the Philistines, escaped to the wilderness of Ziph, being warned by God through Abiathar.

While David was in that wilderness (Ziph), the Ziphites, hoping to ingratiate themselves with Saul, offered to betray David, whereupon, again being warned through Abiathar, David fled to the wilderness of Maon.

The speculation of Bible critics is a very poor substitute for these superscriptions, which, to us, seem more and more dependable as psalm after psalm is seen to agree perfectly with what is written in the superscriptions.

There are only seven verses here, and we shall examine them in order instead of seeking some kind of an outline.

Psalms 54:1

"Save me, O God, by thy name,

And judge me in thy might."

David may very well have been in the wilderness of Maon at the time of writing this psalm. It was in that wilderness that Saul was almost able to surround David and capture him; but in what we believe was a providential intervention, Saul received a message that the Philistines were invading Israel; and "He returned from pursuing David" (1 Samuel 23:28). This indeed appears to have been a direct answer to David's prayer. David then took up a stronger position in what is called, "the stronghold of Engedi" (1 Samuel 23:29).

COKE, "Psalms 54:1. Save me, O God, by thy name— The name of God frequently denotes the attributes, or providence, or operations of God, in the sacred writings; and to be saved by his name, is to be saved by the interposition of his power and goodness. Or the words may be rendered, Save me, בשמך beshimka, because of thy name; viz. "to vindicate the honour of it, and thy truth and faithfulness in the promises thou hast made me." See �old. p. 152 sect. 23. Judege me by thy strength, or power, means, "determine, decide my cause, by thy mighty power." Saul, in the cause between him and David, was resolved to end it by force only, and to arbitrate it no other way than by a javelin, a sword, or his forces. The Psalmist well knew that Saul, in this respect, would be too hard for him; and therefore applies for protection and justice to one, whose power he knew was infinitely superior to that of his adversaries, and who, he was assured, could and would defend him.

WHEDO�, "1. By thy name—For, or on account of, thy name. The name of God is that by which he is known: the manifestation of his nature and attributes, whether by titles or acts. It is the honour of God—his public fame as avenger of wrong and defender of the oppressed—to which David appeals. Comp. Exodus 32:12; Joshua 7:9; Psalms 20:1.

By thy strength—The divine nature and strength are his dependence. God is both disposed and able to save.

TRAPP, "Psalms 54:1 « To the chief Musician on �eginoth, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us? » Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.

Maschil] Instructing us, saith one, to draw near to God, as dangers draw nearer to us.

When the Ziphims] Which signifieth flourishing, Erant autem Ziphaei ex stirpe Caleb 1 Chronicles 2:42. ut et �abal, sed degeneres; they might have flourishing estates, but they had withered souls; else they would never have sought twice ever to have betrayed good David into the hand of Saul, 1 Samuel 23:19; 1 Samuel 26:1.

Came and said to Saul] If a ruler hearken to lies all his servants are wicked, Proverbs 29:12; {See Trapp on "Proverbs 29:12"}

Doth not David hide himself with us?] viz. In the wood and wilderness near unto our city? But what if he did, should they therefore discover him, and so pull the vengeance of God upon themselves and their city? George Eagles (alias Trudgeover the world) hid himself in a grain field, was exposed by Ralph Lurdain for money, and burnt at Chelmsford; where afterwards the same Lurdain was hanged for stealing a horse; and confessed it was just in God upon him, for betraying that innocent man. (Acts & Mon.)

Ver. 1. Save me, O God, by thy name] i.e. By thyself, and especially by thy goodness, whereby thou art nominatissimus in ecclesia, well known in thy Church, as a main piece of thy name, Exodus 34:6-7.

CO�STABLE, "Verse 1-2God"s name and His power are virtually synonymous. Psalm 54:1 contains synonymous parallelism. His name represents all that God is and what He has done (cf. Exodus 34:5-7). David asked God personally to save him with His irresistible might. He also asked God to regard the prayer for help that proceeded from the psalmist"s mouth.

EBC, "THE tone and language of this psalm have nothing special. The situation of the psalmist is the familiar one of being encompassed by enemies. His mood is the familiar one of discouragement at the sight of surrounding perils, which passes through petition into confidence and triumph. There is nothing in the psalm inconsistent with the accuracy of the superscription, which ascribes it to David, when the men of Ziph would have betrayed him to Saul. Internal evidence does not suffice to fix its date, if the traditional one is discarded. But there seems no necessity for regarding the singer as the personified nation, though there is less objection to that theory in this instance than in some psalms with a more marked individuality and more fervent expression of personal emotion, to which it is proposed to apply it.

The structure is simple, like the thought and expression. The psalm falls into two

parts, divided by Selah-of which the former is prayer, spreading before God the suppliant’s straits; and the latter is confident assurance, blended with petition and vows of thanksgiving.

The order in which the psalmist’s thoughts run in the first part (Psalms 54:1-3) is noteworthy. He begins with appeal to God, and summons before his vision the characteristics in the Divine nature on which he builds his hope. Then he pleads for the acceptance of his prayer, and only when thus heartened does he recount his perils. That is a deeper faith which begins with what God is, and thence proceeds to look calmly at foes, than that which is driven to God in the second place, as a consequence of an alarmed gaze on dangers. In the latter case fear strikes out a spark of faith in the darkness; in the former, faith controls fear. The name of God is His manifested nature or character, the sum of all of Him which has been made known by His word or work. In that rich manifoldness of living powers and splendours this man finds reserves of force, which will avail to save him from any peril. That name is much more than a collection of syllables. The expression is beginning to assume the meaning which it has in post-Biblical Hebrew, where it is used as a reverential euphemism for the ineffable Jehovah. Especially to God’s power does the singer look with hopeful petitions, as in Psalms 54:1 b. But the whole name is the agent of his salvation. �othing less than the whole fulness of the manifested God is enough for the necessities of one poor man; and that prayer is not too bold, nor that estimate of need presumptuous, Which asks for nothing less. Since it is God’s "might" which is appealed to, to judge the psalmist’s cause, the judgment contemplated is clearly not the Divine estimate of the moral desert of his doings, or retribution to him for these, but the vindication of his threatened innocence and deliverance of him from enemies. The reason for the prayer is likewise alleged as a plea with God to hear. The psalmist prays because he is ringed about by foes. God will hear because He is so surrounded. It is blessed to know that the same circumstances in our lot which drive us to God incline God to us.

GUZIK, " David's danger.

1. (1-2) Looking to the name and strength of God.

Save me, O God, by Your name,

And vindicate me by Your strength.

Hear my prayer, O God;

Give ear to the words of my mouth.

a. Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your strength: In his distress, David relied on both the name and the strength of God. �ame speaks of the

nature and character of God; strength of His great power. David knew that God's strength could respond to his need by what he knew of God's name.

i. By Your name: "�othing less than the whole fulness of the manifested God is enough for the necessities of one poor man." (Maclaren)

ii. David's rescue would be his vindication. His enemies would have greater evidence that David was in the right and they were in the wrong when God answered this prayer and preserved this man after His heart.

iii. God gave David a remarkable vindication after each time the Ziphites betrayed David. Shortly after both times the Ziphites betrayed David he had the opportunity to kill King Saul. Both times he spared Saul's life (1 Samuel 24 and 26), and both times Saul admitted his great wrong.

b. Hear my prayer, O God: It was common for David and others in their prayers to merely ask for God to hear or give ear to their cry. It was assumed that if the good and merciful God heard, He would act.

�ISBET, "THE �AME THAT SAVES‘Save me, O God, by Thy name.’Psalms 54:1I. The appeal of the sinner here is to the name of God.—That name is the expression or revelation of what God is, and of what He is to the sinner. The character of God, as the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, and as the God of all grace, is that which is given us in His name. The name is the written or spoken compendium of what God is, as proclaimed to us by Himself; for He has not left it to man to give a name to the God that made Him. He has given a name to Himself, and that name is ‘the Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious.’

II. Everything of peace and holiness in us depends on what we know of God.—It is the revelation of Himself in Christ Jesus, His Son, that displaces our darkness and fills us with light. When we come to understand that revelation, then the darkness is passed and the true light is shining, the day has broken and the shadows have fled away. The name of God, as embodying this revelation of Himself, is that on which we rest; it contains in brief compass all that a sinner needs to know for the removal of his fears and for the imparting a true and abiding rest to his weary spirit. The right understanding of that name is the cure of doubt and the end of all despondency. Here is our resting-place; for all grace is here, all love is here—righteous grace, righteous love; grace and love that have come to us through a righteous channel, and which, therefore, can never be disturbed or doubted. The righteous love of God! This is what the name proclaims to us—this is what the name

presents to the sinner, that receiving it he may be saved. ‘They that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee.’ The trust follows and flows out from the knowledge of the name; that which we know of God as seen in Christ Jesus is that which awakens our confidence.

III. ‘Save me by Thy name’ is the sinner’s appeal to what God is and what He has revealed Himself to be.—All that is in God is engaged in the sinner’s behalf, and is pledged for his salvation. ‘The exceeding riches of the grace of God,’ as shown out in that name, are the sure ground on which he builds for eternity; and as one who has believed the good news of these exceeding riches, he looks up to the God of all grace, and says, in the quiet confidence of faith, ‘Save me by Thy name’ in every day of trouble. The �ame is to him the pledge of deliverance and the ending of all fear.

Illustration

‘It is remarkable that in this, as in so many psalms, the petition with which the Psalmist opens becomes a matter of thanksgiving and praise, as though it were already in hand. It is so here (see Psalms 54:7): “He hath delivered”; “Mine eye hath seen.” Does not this originate in that acceptance of God’s gifts by faith, which realises that if we ask anything according to His will we have the petition? It is consigned to us even though not delivered; it is labelled with our name and only awaits a suitable opportunity to come into our hands. In all the philosophy of prayer, there is no condition more absolutely imperative than Christ’s “Believe that ye have received” (Mark 11:25, R.V.).’

PETT, "Heading (Psalms 54:1 a).

Psalms 54:1

‘For the Chief Musician, on stringed instruments. Maschil of David; when the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Does not David hide himself with us?”Dedicated to the Choirmaster or Chief Musician, and to be played on stringed instruments, this is another Maschil of David. It is said in the heading to have been written when the Ziphites, in the Judean wilderness, betrayed David to Saul (1 Samuel 26:1). That was a particularly difficult time for David, for having built up a private army a few hundred strong, he had previously been in danger of being handed over to Saul by the men of Keilah, whom he had delivered from the Philistines (1 Samuel 23:1-13). Having therefore escaped to the wilderness of Judea he was once more betrayed to Saul by the Ziphites, who may well have been very concerned at having such a large armed contingent in their territory.

The Psalm divides into two sections separated by the usual word Selah, indicating a pregnant pause in the singing, when the singers and listeners could pause to consider what had been said. The two sections are as follows:

· David Prays To Be Delivered From The Hands Of Saul (Psalms 54:1-3).· David Expresses His Confidence In God’s Protection And Deliverance, And

Assures Him That He Will �ot Be Short On Gratitude (Psalms 54:4-6).Verses 1-3David Prays To Be Delivered From The Hands Of Saul (Psalms 54:1-3).

Psalms 54:1-2

‘Save me, O God, by your name,And judge me in your might.Hear my prayer, O God,Give ear to the words of my mouth.’David calls on God to deliver him ‘by His �ame’, in other words by the character and attributes that that �ame reveals. It would be in His �ame that David was anointed by Samuel to be Saul’s replacement (1 Samuel 16:12-13), which David no doubt saw as giving him the right to God’s protection. It was to Samuel that David first fled when he recognised that he was no longer safe from Saul’s jealousy (1 Samuel 19:18). He was also relying on what that �ame revealed of loyalty to those who observed His covenant (which Saul had failed to do).

‘Judge me in Your might.’ He calls on God as ‘the Strong One’ to consider his case and act accordingly, demonstrating a verdict in favour of David by acting in might on his behalf. Confident that he is in the right, David calls on God to hear his prayer, and listen to what he has to say..

BI 1-7, "Save me, O God, by Thy name, and judge me by Thy strength.

Phases of piety

I. Piety praying. The prayer has respect to—

1. The character of God (Psa_54:1).

2. The entreatability of God (Psa_54:2).

3. The necessity for God (Psa_54:3).

II. Piety trusting. He had confidence in God—

1. As a Deliverer from his enemies.

2. As the Chastiser of his enemies.

III. Piety worshipping.

1. Worship is voluntary sacrifice. The offering of self is essential to give virtue and worth to all other offerings.

2. Worship is praise to God.

(1) On account of what He is in Himself.

(2) On account of what He is to us (Verse 7). (Homilist.)

2 Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.

BAR�ES, "Hear my prayer, O God -My earnest cry for deliverance from the designs of those who would betray me.

Give ear to the words of my mouth - Incline thine ear to me, as one does who wishes to hear. See the notes at Psa_17:6.

CLARKE, "Hear my prayer - In his straits he had recourse to God; for from him alone, for the reasons alleged above, his deliverance must proceed.

GILL, "Hear my prayer, O God,.... The psalmist first puts up his petitions, and then desires to be heard; his distress, and the fervency of his spirit, not suffering him to observe order;

give ear to the words of my mouth; for the prayer which was conceived in his mind, and inwrought there by the Spirit of God, was expressed vocally.

CALVI�, "2.Hear my prayer, O God! The language is expressive of his earnestness. He was led to this fervor of supplication by the extremity of his present circumstances, which is alluded to in the following verse, where he complains of being surrounded by men fierce, barbarous, and unrestrained by a sense of religion. There was no necessity for his informing God of a fact which was already known to him; but he disburdens his own heart by venting the cause of his fear and disquietude. By calling his enemies strangers, (288) he seems to refer to their barbarity, whether he applied the name to the Ziphites only, or, in general, to the whole army of Saul. Others consider him, in this term, to advert to their degeneracy as children of Abraham; and it is true that the Jews are repeatedly stigmatised by the prophets under this form of expression, when they had cast themselves out of the Church of God by their profligacy or impiety. But in this passage it seems to be used in a different sense. As even enemies are accustomed, in some measure, to respect the ties of kindred and relationship, David would point out to us the monstrous inhumanity of the men who now surrounded him, by the fact that they assaulted

him as strangers, as persons who had never known him, or as if he had been born in some distant part of the world. He calls them, also, terrible ones, (289) not mighty, or powerful ones, as some have rendered the word; for that falls short of the meaning intended by David, which was, that they were divested of all humanity, and ready to rush upon him like wild beasts. Hence the fear with which he resorted to the protection of God. He adds, that they sought after his soul, to denote that nothing would content their insatiable cruelty but his life. And the better to express the unbridled nature of their fury, he tells us that they had no respect to God. The only thing which could be supposed, in the circumstances, to act as a restraint upon their minds, was the consideration of there being a judge in heaven to whom they were amenable for their conduct; and being insensible to this, what moderation could be expected of them?

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 2. Hear my prayer, O God. This has ever been the defence of saints. As long as God hath an open ear we cannot be shut up in trouble. All other weapons may be useless, but all prayer is evermore available. �o enemy can spike this gun.Give ear to the words of my mouth. Vocal prayer helps the supplicant, and we keep our minds more fully awake when we can use our tongues as well as our hearts. But what is prayer if God hear not? It is all one whether we babble nonsense or plead arguments if our God grant us not a hearing. When his case had become dangerous, David could not afford to pray out of mere custom, he must succeed in his pleadings, or become the prey of his adversary.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 2. (second clause). Let the words of my mouth with which I have defended my cause, be pleasing and acceptable to thee. For in this way can prayers and words of the mouth be correctly distinguished, unless any one should wish simply to understand by them prayers uttered by the mouth; but, as I have said, the phrase is more emphatic. Hermann Venema, 1697-1787.

COFFMA�, "Verse 2"Hear my prayer, O God;

Give ear to the words of my mouth.

For strangers are risen up against me,

And violent men have sought after my soul:

They have not set God before them. (Selah)"

The greatness of David is seen in the fact that in whatever difficulty he found himself, he always turned to God in prayer. Here he earnestly pleaded for God's help against unbelieving enemies.

"Strangers are risen up against me" (Psalms 54:3). These were the Ziphites who had

no business whatever meddling in the affairs of Israel. They were pagans "who set not God before them." Furthermore, their willingness to help Saul may have been due to Saul's involvement with their pagan gods. Saul had even named one of his sons Ethbaal, after the old Canaanite god Baal. God's rejection of Saul was undoubtedly due, at least partially, to his tolerance of such pagan deities.

"They have not set God before them" (Psalms 54:3). As Spurgeon said, "David felt that atheism lay at the bottom of the enmity that pursued him."[1] This, of course, points squarely at the pagan Ziphites.

3 Arrogant foes are attacking me; ruthless people are trying to kill me— people without regard for God.[c]

BAR�ES, "For strangers are risen up against me - That is, foreigners; those of another nation or land. Saul and his friends who sought the life of David were his own countrymen; these persons who sought go betray him were another people. They attempted to gain the favor of Saul, or to secure a reward from him, by betraying to him an innocent man whom he was persecuting.

And oppressors seek after my soul - Seek after my life. The word here rendered “oppressors” means people of violence; the proud; the haughty; persecutors; tyrants. The word properly denotes those who exert their power in an arbitrary manner, or not under the sanction of law.

They have not set God before them - They do not act as in the presence of God. They do not regard his authority. See the notes at Psa_36:1. The word “Selah” here merely marks a musical pause. It indicates nothing in regard to the sense.

CLARKE, "Strangers are risen up against me - The Ziphites.

And oppressors - Saul, his courtiers, and his army.

They have not set God before them - It is on no religious account, nor is it to accomplish any end, on which they can ask the blessing of God.

Selah - This is true.

GILL, "For strangers are risen up against me,.... Meaning such as Doeg the Edomite, or Heathen soldiers, that Saul had hired and took into his army, who were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel; and such as these rose up against David's antitype, the Messiah, Psa_2:1, Act_4:27. Or rather the Ziphims, who were of his own nation, yea, of his own tribe, yet used him as barbarously as the very Heathens would have done, or worse; and who, though notwithstanding they were of Israel, might not be Israelites indeed, but strangers to an inward experience of divine and spiritual things: for men may be professors of religion, and yet be strangers to God in Christ, to Christ himself, and the way of salvation by him, and communion with him; to the Spirit of God, and the operations of his grace on the heart; to themselves, their own hearts, and their state and condition by nature; to the Gospel of Christ, and to the people of God; and these are sometimes the most violent persecutors of good and spiritual men;

and oppressors seek after my soul; or "life" (i), to take it away; as did Saul and his army; who are "the mighty" or "strong ones" (k), as the word here used signifies; see 1Sa_24:11; and as the Jewish sanhedrim, Scribes and Pharisees, sought after the soul or life of Christ, to take that away, as they did;

they have not set God before them. They did not consider themselves as under the omniscient eye of God; they did not set his word before them, as the rule of their conduct, but cast it behind their backs; nor did they regard his providential mercies and layouts as a motive to engage them to obedience to him, but despised them; they had not the fear of God before their eyes, nor in their hearts, nor any concern for his glory; and therefore did the wicked things they did against his servant.

Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psa_3:2.

JAMISO�, "strangers— perhaps Ziphites.

oppressors— literally, “terrible ones” (Isa_13:11; Isa_25:3). Such were Saul and his army.

not set ... them— acted as atheists, without God’s fear (compare Psa_16:8).

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 3. For strangers are risen up against me. Those who had no cause for ill will had gone against him; persons to whom he could have given no offence, for they were strangers to him. They were aliens to his God also, and should these be allowed to worry and destroy him. A child may well complain to his father when strangers come in to molest him. What right have they to interfere? Let them leave off meddling and mind their own concerns.And oppressors seek after my soul. Saul, that persecuting tyrant, had stamped his own image on many more. Kings generally coin their own likeness. He led the way, and others followed seeking David's soul, his blood, his life, his very existence. Cruel and intense were they in their malice, they would utterly crush the good man; no half measure would content them.They have not set God before them. They had no more regard for right and justice

than if they knew no God, or cared for none. Had they regarded God they would not have betrayed the innocent to be hunted down like a poor harmless stag. David felt that atheism lay at the bottom of the enmity which pursued him. Good men are hated for God's sake, and this is a good plea for them to urge in prayer.Selah. As if he said, "Enough of this, let us pause." He is out of breath with indignation. A sense of wrong bids him suspend the music awhile. It may also be observed, that more pauses would, as a rule, improve our devotions: we are usually too much in a hurry: a little more holy meditation would make our words more suitable and our emotions more fervent.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 3. Strangers: aliens to his truth, men who from unbelief have estranged themselves from all lot and portion in his covenants --oppress and persecute. William Hill Tucker.Ver. 3. (first clause). The Chaldee interpreter reads, proud men, instead of strangers, a reading which also is found in eight of Kennicott's Codices. So also Psalms 86:14. William Walford, in "The Book of Psalms. A �ew Translation, " etc., 1837.Ver. 3. (first clause). There is a great mistake made by rendering the word oyrz (zarim) strangers. The Ziphites surely were Israelites, and not strangers. The fact is this, that word is taken from hrz (zarah) the primary meaning of which is "to scatter, "to "disperse, "also "to sift, "as grain. Hence it signifies, likewise figuratively, to sift a matter, to investigate, to search out, to trace out. So here, David complains of the new and dangerous enemies he had got in the Ziphites, who became Saul's spies. When he pleads, therefore, for deliverance, saying, "Save me, O God, " etc., he describes the danger he was in: For spies have risen against me. Benjamin Weiss, in "�ew Translation, Exposition, and Chronological Arrangement of the Psalms, "1858.Ver. 3. Oppressors seek after my soul; i.e., my life at least; my soul also they would destroy, if it lay in their power, as the Papists delivered up John Huss to the devil. John Trapp, 1611-1662.Ver. 3. Selah. See "Treasury of David", Vol. 1, pp. 25,29,346,382; and Vol. 2, pp. 249-252.

ELLICOTT, "(3) For strangers.—This verse, with some variations, occurs again (Psalms 86:14); some MSS. even reading here “proud,” instead of “strangers.” With the received reading we must understand by the word “foreign oppressors”—though, doubtless, the inscription of the Psalm may be defended by taking the word in a derived sense of those Israelites who have degenerated, and so deserve the name “aliens.”

COKE, "Psalms 54:3. Strangers are risen up against me— The inhabitants of Ziph, and of the wilderness and mountains near it, might very probably, as some think, be chiefly aliens and foreigners, under the dominion of the Hebrews. But it is to be remarked, that זרים zarim, strangers, is not always to be understood of persons who are strangers by birth or nation, but as to acquaintance, manners, and affection, of a hostile disposition and mind, strangers as to religion, virtue, compassion, and

humanity. See Psalms 69:8.; Hosea 5:7. That this is the Psalmist's meaning appears from the following words: Oppressors seek after my life, who have not set God before them: a description which well agrees with the character and conduct of these treacherous Ziphites. Chandler.

WHEDO�, "3. Strangers—The word denotes foreigners, heathen, those who are not of the seed of Israel. If the reference is to the Ziphites, such they were to David in spirit, and in this moral sense the word often occurs. Compare Jeremiah 23:14; Matthew 18:17. But it may refer to Doeg the Edomite, and the political intrigues of his nation through him, to destroy the Hebrew monarchy.

Oppressors seek after my soul—Fierce men search after my life. They were Saul’s spies, and the allusion seems to be to the king’s order, (1 Samuel 23:23,) “See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me… and I will go with you.”

TRAPP, "Psalms 54:3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.

Ver. 3. For strangers are risen up against me] He meaneth not foreigners, but home dwellers; Saul, Doeg, Ziphims, �othi et spurii, strangers to religion, reason, common humanity; Jews outwardly, but not inwardly; heathens upon the matter, Psalms 59:5, Amos 9:7, Revelation 11:2. The pope showed himself no better in delivering up for money Zemes the Great Turk’s brother, who fled to him for safeguard of his life, wrongfully sought after.

Oppressors seek after my soul] i.e. My life at least; my soul also they would destroy, if it lay in their power, as the Papists delivered up John Huss to the devil when they burnt him; and would not allow Jerome of Prague a confessor, though he requested it. So the monster of Milan, that made his enemy first curse Christ in hope of life, and then stabbed him to death, saying, �ow go soul and body to the devil (Bodin. de Rep.). So he that, for spite, procuring a man to be hanged, and seeing him penitent, said, I am afraid the rogue will go to heaven.

They have not set God before them] This was the root of all their outrages, they made no reckoning of God, prout est iudexet vindex mali, as he is a severe judge, and a sharp revenger of sin and wickedness.

CO�STABLE, "The Ziphites were strangers to David, and Saul"s soldiers were violent antagonists of David. David could expect divine assistance because their hostility was contrary to God"s will. David was Israel"s anointed king whom God intended to place on Saul"s throne. This verse is almost identical to Psalm 86:14.

EBC, ""Strangers," in Psalms 54:3, would most naturally mean foreigners, but not

necessarily so. The meaning would naturally pass into that of enemies-men who, even though of the psalmist’s own blood, behave to him in a hostile manner. The word, then, does not negative the tradition in the superscription; though the men of Ziph belonged to the tribe of Judah, they might still be called "strangers." The verse recurs in Psalms 86:14, with a variation of reading-namely, "proud" instead of "strangers." The same variation is found here in some MSS and in the Targum. But probably it has crept in here in order to bring our psalm into correspondence with the other, and it is better to retain the existing reading, which is that of the LXX and other ancient authorities. The psalmist has no doubt that to hunt after his life is a sign of godlessness. The proof that violent men have not "set God before them" is the fact that they "seek his soul." That is a remarkable assumption, resting upon a very sure confidence that he is in such relation to God that enmity to him is sin. The theory of a national reference would make such identification of the singer’s cause with God’s most intelligible. But the theory that he is an individual, holding a definite relation to the Divine purposes and being for some end a Divine instrument, would make it quite as much so. And if David, who knew that he was destined to be king, was the singer, his confidence would be natural. The history represents that his Divine appointment was sufficiently known to make hostility to him a manifest indication of rebellion against God. The unhesitating fusion of his own cause with God’s could scarcely have been ventured by a psalmist, however vigorous his faith, if all that he had to go on and desired to express was a devout soul’s confidence that God would protect him. That may be perfectly true, and yet it may not follow that opposition to a man is godlessness. We cannot regard ourselves as standing in such a relation; but we may be sure that the name, with all its glories, is mighty to save us too.

GUZIK, "(3) The description of the need.

For strangers have risen up against me,

And oppressors have sought after my life;

They have not set God before them. Selah

a. For strangers have risen up against me: David's troubles came from the Ziphites, as noted in the title of this Psalm and in 1 Samuel 23:14-24. The Ziphites were Israelis; they were even of the same tribe as David (Judah). Yet their betrayal of David was so contrary to both David and God's cause that David could rightly refer to them as strangers, as oppressors who sought David's life.

i. "The Ziphites, though David's countrymen, acted the part of 'strangers' or 'aliens,' in seeking to deliver him up to his unjust and cruel enemy." (Horne)

ii. Today some who are outwardly counted among the people of God will act as

strangers as they betray the Son of David to gain the favor of those allied with the king of this world, the Prince of the Power of the Air.

b. They have not set God before them: Their problems were not only in relation to David, but also in relation to God. Their rejection of David was just another way that they rejected God. We don't know if David specifically had Saul in mind, but it certainly fit the jealous king.

i. "David felt that atheism lay at the bottom of the enmity which pursued him. Good men are hated for Gods sake, and this is a good plea for them to urge in prayer." (Spurgeon)

ii. "This was a bad period for David. It was a time when seemingly he had nowhere to turn. He was unsafe even in the wilderness, and there was hardly anyone he could trust." (Boice)

PETT, "Psalms 54:3

‘For strangers are risen up against me,And violent men have sought after my life,They have not set God before them. [SelahHe points out to God that strangers and violent men have risen up against him and are seeking his life, because they have not given consideration to God’s purposes. They are not looking to God for guidance (something that David constantly did. See for example, 1 Samuel 23:9-12; 2 Samuel 2:1). ‘Strangers’ regularly signifies ‘foreigners’ of whom there may well have been a good number in Saul’s standing army. Having come to dwell in Israel they would be content to be on full time duty because they possessed no land which had to be cultivated (they may have included the Habiru of 1 Samuel 14:21. Habiru (landless people) were often mercenaries). One such was Doeg the Edomite who might well have been in David’s mind. (David’s mighty men also included non-Israelites). Or ‘strangers’ may refer to the Ziphite wilderness dwellers, who lived lives separately from ‘civilised society’.

4 Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

BAR�ES, "Behold, God is mine helper - That is, God alone can aid me in these circumstances, and to him I confidently look.

The Lord is with them that uphold my soul -My friends; those who have rallied around me to defend me; those who comfort me by their presence; those who sustain me in my cause, and who keep me from sinking under the burden of my accumulated troubles.

CLARKE, "Behold, God is mine helper - This would naturally occur to him when he saw that Saul was obliged to leave the pursuit, and go to defend his territories, when he was on the very point of seizing him. God, whose providence is ever watchful, had foreseen this danger and stirred up the Philistines to make this inroad just at the time in which Saul and his army were about to lay hands on David. Well might he then say, “Behold, God is mine helper.”

Is with them, that uphold my soul - naphshi, my life. This may even refer to נפשי

the Philistines, who had at this time made an inroad on Israel. God was even with his own enemies, by making them instruments to save the life of his servant.

GILL, "Behold, God is mine helper,.... This being a matter of wonder to be helped in so extraordinary a manner, and a sure and certain case, and what was deserving the attention of others; for the encouragement of their faith and hope in like cases, a "behold" is prefixed unto it: and what is here said is true of David's son, the Messiah, and is expressed by him in much the same language, Isa_50:9; and of all the saints whom the Lord helps, as at first conversion, out of the pit wherein is no water, out of the horrible pit, the mire and clay of nature's darkness, ignorance, and unbelief; so out of all their afflictions and temptations, and out of the hands of all their enemies; he helps in the exercise of grace, and in the discharge of duty; and he helps to all mercies, temporal and spiritual, needful for them; which help is quick and present, seasonable and suitable, always sufficient; and is what they have reason to expect both from what he has said to them in promise, and from what he has done for them;

the Lord is with them that uphold my soul; that ministered to his sustenance, as Abigail did, and that gathered to him and joined him, and exposed their lives in the defence of him; these the Lord was with, blessed, protected, and afforded them his gracious presence. Such there were with Christ; who followed him in the regeneration; who ministered to him of their substance, whom God rewarded in a way of grace; and he blesses them that bless his, and do good to them; they being the excellent in the earth, in whom is his delight, the apple of his eye, and his jewels. Or the sense is, that the Lord is he that upheld his soul; not only the chief of his upholders, but the only one: so R. Moses (l) interprets it, that he is the alone upholder, and is instead of all upholders, and

answers to them all; who upheld his soul in life, and followed him with his goodness: as when God is said to be the first, and "with the last", the meaning is, that he is the first and the last, Isa_41:4; see Psa_118:7; so he upheld the soul of Christ in the wilderness, and in the garden, and on the cross; see Isa_42:1. And he upholds all his people in a providential way in their beings, and supplies them with all the necessaries of life; and, in a spiritual way, maintaining their spiritual life, supplying them with all grace, bearing them up under all trials, holding up their goings in his ways, and preserving them to the end.

HE�RY, "We have here the lively actings of David's faith in his prayer, by which he was assured that the issue would be comfortable, though the attempt upon him was formidable.

I. He was sure that he had God on his side, that God took his part (Psa_54:4); he speaks it with an air of triumph and exultation, Behold, God is my helper. If we be for him, he is for us; and, if he be for us, we shall have such help in him that we need not fear any power engaged against us. Though men and devils aim to be our destroyers, they shall not prevail while God is our helper: The Lord is with those that uphold my soul.Compare Psa_118:7, “The Lord taketh my part with those that help me. There are some that uphold me, and God is one of them; he is the principal one; none of them could help me if he did not help them.” Every creature is that to us (and no more) that God makes it to be. He means, “The Lord is he that upholds my soul, and keeps me from tiring in my work and sinking under my burdens.” He that by his providence upholds all things by his grace upholds the souls of his people. God, who will in due time save his people, does, in the mean time, sustain them and bear them up, so that the spirit he has made shall not fail before him.

JAMISO�, "(Compare Psa_30:10).

with them— on their side, and for me (compare Psa_46:11).

K&D 4-7, "(Heb.: 54:6-9) In this second half, the poet, in the certainty of being

heard, rejoices in help, and makes a vow of thanksgiving. The � of �סמכי is not meant to

imply that God is one out of many who upheld his threatened life; but rather that He comes within the category of such, and fills it up in Himself alone, cf. Psa_118:7; and for the origin of this Beth essentiae, Psa_99:6, Jdg_11:35. In Psa_54:7 the Kerî merits the preference over the Chethîb (evil shall “revert” to my spies), which would at least require

vid., on Psa_27:11. In the rapid transition ,שררי Concerning .(cf. Psa_7:17) ל instead of עלto invocation in Psa_54:7 the end of the Psalm announces itself. The truth of God is not described as an instrumental agent of the cutting off, but as an impelling cause. It is the

same Beth as in the expression �נדבה (Num_15:3): by or out of free impulse. These free-

will sacrifices are not spiritual here in opposition to the ritual sacrifices (Psa_50:14), but

ritual as an outward representation of the spiritual. The subject of ה3ילני is the Name of

God; the post-biblical language, following Lev_24:11, calls God straightway ה4ם, and passages like Isa_30:27 and the one before us come very near to this usage. The praeterites mention the ground of the thanksgiving. What David now still hopes for will then lie behind him in the past. The closing line, v. 9b, recalls Psa_35:21, cf. Psa_59:11;

Psa_92:12; the invoking of the curse upon his enemies in v. 8 recalls Psa_17:13; Psa_56:8; Psa_59:12.; and the vow of thanksgiving in v. 8 recalls Psa_22:26; Psa_35:18; Psa_40:10.

CALVI�, "4.Behold! God is my helper Such language as this may show us that David did not direct his prayers at random into the air, but offered them in the exercise of a lively faith. There is much force in the demonstrative adverb. He points, as it were, with the finger, to that God who stood at his side to defend him; and was not this an amazing illustration of the power with which faith can surmount all obstacles, and glance, in a moment, from the depths of despair to the very throne of God? He was a fugitive amongst the dens of the earth, and even there in hazard of his life — how, then, could he speak of God as being near to him? He was pressed down to the very mouth of the grave; and how could he recognize the gracious presence of God? He was trembling in the momentary expectation of being destroyed; and how is it possible that he can triumph in the certain hope that Divine help will presently be extended to him? In numbering God amongst his defenders, we must not suppose that he assigns him a mere common rank amongst the men who supported his cause, which would have been highly derogatory to his glory. He means that God took part with those, such as Jonathan and others, who were interested in his welfare. These might be few in number, possessed of little power, and cast down with fears; but he believed that, under the guidance and protection of the Almighty, they would prove superior to his enemies: or, perhaps, we may view him as referring, in the words, to his complete destitution of all human defenders, and asserting that the help of God would abundantly compensate for all. (291)

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 4. Behold, God is mine helper. He saw enemies everywhere, and now to his joy as he looks upon the band of his defenders he sees one whose aid is better than all the help of men; he is overwhelmed with joy at recognizing his divine champion, and cries,Behold. And is not this a theme for pious exultation in all time, that the great God protects us, his own people: what matters the number or violence of our foes when HE uplifts the shield of his omnipotence to guard us, and the sword of his power to aid us? Little care we for the defiance of the foe while we have the defence of God.The Lord is with them that uphold my soul. The reigning Lord, the great Adonai is in the camp of my defenders. Here was a greater champion than any of the three mighties, or than all the valiant men who chose David for their captain. The psalmist was very confident, he felt so thoroughly that his heart was on the Lord's side that he was sure God was on his side. He asked in the first verse for deliverance, and here he returns thanks for upholding: while we are seeking one mercy which we have not, we must not be unmindful of another which we have. It is a great mercy to have some friends left us, but a greater mercy still to see the Lord among them, for like so many cyphers our friends stand for nothing till the Lord sets himself as a great unit in the front of them.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GS

Ver. 4. Behold, says he, I produce a certain fact, well known, demonstrated by a new proof, and worthy of all attention; for the particle behold, contains this breadth of meaning. Hermann Venema.Ver. 4. Christ sees with the utmost clearness, that God will be his own helper, and of them--the disciples and believers-- that uphold his soul. In the same moment, does he foresee the destruction of his enemies. He views, in thought, the armies of Titus, the fall of the Jewish nation, and the dispersion of the remnant. He beholds the avenging hand of God, stretched in fury over the destroyers. William Hill Tucker.Ver. 4. (second clause). Such as take part with the persecuted saints, God will take part with them! The Lord is with them that uphold my soul. David Dickson.Ver. 4-5. He is assured of help to himself and to his friends, and of vengeance to his enemies. Whence learn,1. Fervent prayer hath readily a swift answer, and sometimes wonderfully swift, even before a man have ended speech, as here David findeth in experience. Behold, saith he, God is my helper.2. The sight of faith is very clear and piercing through all clouds when God holds forth the light of his Spirit unto it, it can demonstrate God present in an instant; ready to help in greatest straits: Behold, God is my helper.3. There is more joy in God's felt presence than grief in felt trouble; for, Behold, God is mine helper, was more comfortable to David than his friends' unkindness, and strangers' malice was grievous. David Dickson.

COFFMA�, "Verse 4"Behold, God is my helper:

The Lord is of them that uphold my soul.

He will requite the evil unto mine enemies:

Destroy thou them in thy truth."

"The Lord is of them that uphold my soul" (Psalms 54:4). "This is a literal rendition of the Hebrew";[2] but the thought is not that the Lord is merely one of David's helpers, but that it is no other than God himself who supports and aids all of those helpers who are helping David. "Like a string of zeroes, our many friends stand for nothing, unless the Lord sets himself as a unit in front of them; then their number is innumerable."[3] Who were David's human helpers? They were the "six hundred men"; they were the "thirty-three mighty men"; they were "all in Israel who loved the Lord," and who prayed to be rid of the blatant paganism of Saul.

"He will requite the evil unto mine enemies" (Psalms 54:5) "The center of the Psalm is God's faithfulness; therefore right will be vindicated and enemies will be punished."[4] �othing is further from the Spirit of God than the foolish notion that God is never really going to punish anybody.

COKE, "Psalms 54:4. The Lord is with them that uphold my soul— These words

are capable of a double sense, each applicable to the context. Either "God is with them who uphold me, as their friend and helper, to assist and prosper them;" or, "God is amongst them; he is one of the number of those who support me, and will preserve me in safety."

WHEDO�, "4. Behold, God is mine helper—From the treachery and enmity of men the psalmist turns in confidence to God. Help, here, literally means to surround, as if to protect on all sides. The complementary word in the next hemistich is uphold, support, make strong. The participial form of the two words denotes a present helping and upholding, as if faith already felt the prayed-for relief. Calvin: “Then must it needs be that he excelled wonderfully in strength of faith, whereby, surmounting so many obstacles, he penetrated even from hell to heaven.” The form is very expressive, not only counting God in the class of his helpers, but placing him as his sole reliance.

TRAPP, "Psalms 54:4 Behold, God [is] mine helper: the Lord [is] with them that uphold my soul.

Ver. 4. Behold, God is mine helper] And that mine enemies might have seen, had they set God before them. The Dutch have a proverb, Where God hath a mind to destroy a man, he first putteth out his eyes.

The Lord is with them that uphold my soul] That favour my righteous cause, and wish my welfare, as doth Jonathan, and the rest that fear God; who although they be but few and feeble in comparison, yet they have God with them and for them ( non interfuit modo, sed etiam praefuit), and how many do you reckon him for? as Antigonus once said. David was environed, and in great danger to be surprised; but God rescued him by an invasion of the Philistines, 1 Samuel 23:27-28. The Lord knoweth how to deliver his, 2 Peter 2:9 R. Moses expounded it, God is loco omnium, et super omnes, instead of all, and above all.

CO�STABLE, "Verse 4-5David was confident that God would help and sustain him. He also believed God would punish those who opposed him, and he asked God to do so. He could pray this way because what his adversaries were doing was contrary to God"s will.

"The imprecation is not vindictive but expressive of trust in divine justice. Evil must be repaid." [�ote: VanGemeren, p391.]

EBC, "Prayer is, as so often in the Psalter, followed by immediately deepened assurance of victory. The suppliant rises from his knees, and points the enemies round him to his one Helper. In Psalms 54:4 b a literal rendering would mislead. "The Lord is among the upholders of my soul" seems to bring God down to a level on which others stand. The psalmist does not mean this, but that God gathers up in Himself, and that supremely, the qualities belonging to the conception of an upholder. It is, in form, an inclusion of God in a certain class. It is, in meaning, the

assertion that He is the only true representative of the class. Commentators quote Jephthah’s plaintive words to his daughter as another instance of the idiom: "Alas, my daughter thou art one of them that trouble me"-i.e., my greatest troubler. That one thought, vivified into new power by the act of prayer, is the psalmist’s all-sufficient buckler, which he plants between himself and his enemies, bidding them "behold." Strong in the confidence that has sprung in his heart anew, he can look forward in the certainty that his adversaries (lit. those who lie in wait for me) will find their evil recoiling on themselves. The reading of the Hebrew text is, Evil shall return to; that of the Hebrew margin, adopted by the A.V. and R.V, is, He shall requite evil to. The meanings are substantially the same, only that the one makes the automatic action of retribution more prominent, while the other emphasises God’s justice in inflicting it. The latter reading gives increased force to the swift transition to prayer in Psalms 54:5 b.

That petition is, like others in similar psalms, proper to the spiritual level of the Old Testament, and not to that of the �ew; and it is far more reverent, as well as accurate, to recognise fully the distinction than to try to slur it over. At the same time, it is not to be forgotten that the same lofty consciousness of the identity of his cause with God’s, which we have already had to notice, operating here in these wishes for the enemies’ destruction, gives another aspect to them than that of mere outbursts of private vengeance. That higher aspect is made prominent by the addition "in Thy troth." God’s faithfulness to His purposes and promises was concerned in the destruction, because these were pledged to the psalmist’s protection. His well-being was so intertwined with God’s promises that the Divine faithfulness demanded the sweeping away of his foes. That is evidently not the language which fits our lips. It implies a special relation to God’s plans, and it modifies the character of this apparently vindictive prayer.

GUZIK, " Proclamation and prayer.

1. (4-5a) The proclamation.

Behold, God is my helper;

The Lord is with those who uphold my life.

He will repay my enemies for their evil.

a. Behold, God is my helper: Though a hunted man, David could confidently expect God's help. His present adversity had not led him to question the goodness of God, but to appeal to it.

i. "David was bringing himself and then his enemies to God's attention, he now

brings God before his own attention." (Kidner)

ii. Maclaren had in mind that David said, Behold, God is my helper to his enemies. "The suppliant rises from his knees, and points the enemies round him to his one Helper." (Maclaren)

iii. "Little care we for the defiance of the foe while we have the defence of God." (Spurgeon)

b. The Lord is with those who uphold my life: The sense of this remarkable statement is that Adonai is among those who help me by upholding my life.

i. "In 4b the ancient versions, followed by most modern ones, seem to have found the Hebrew text too startling, where it numbers God 'among' the upholders of my life. But this is not belittling Him; it is seeing His hand behind the human help." (Kidner)

ii. He will repay my enemies for their evil: "They worked for evil, and they shall have their wages." (Spurgeon)

PETT, "Verses 4-6David Expresses His Confidence In God’s Protection And Deliverance And Assures Him That He Will �ot Be Short On Gratitude (Psalms 54:4-6).

Psalms 54:4-5

‘Behold, God is my helper,The Sovereign Lord is of those who uphold my life.He will requite the evil to my enemies,Destroy you them in your truth.’Having prayed to God he is confident of God’s help and protection. He sees God as his helper. For had God not anointed him to replace Saul? How then could He not help him to escape from Saul? And he sees Him as the Sovereign Lord (adonai) Who is the Upholder of his life, as One Who is on his side. He is thus confident that God will respond to the evil of his enemies by Himself acting against them, requiting them for what they are doing. And that, having by anointing David demonstrated His favourable attitude towards him, He will be true to His promise so given.

BI 4-7, "Behold, God is mine helper; the Lord is with them that uphold my soul

God our Helper

I.When God is the helper of His people.

1. In the great crisis of their conversion. He raiseth from the pit, delivers, saves, etc.

2. In the troubles and afflictions of life. These are many, varied, sometimes severe,

etc. Job, the apostles (2Co_1:8-10).

3. In the perils and conflicts of their warfare (Psa_37:14-15; Psa_60:11-12).

4. In their labours and toils in His kingdom (Psa_121:1-2).

5. In weakness, sickness and death (Psa_23:4; Psa_116:1-9).

II. What kind of a helper is God.

1. Always near at hand.

2. Always efficient and sufficient.

3. Perpetual and everlasting.

III. The conclusions to which the subject should lead us.

1. Personal knowledge and reliance on God.

2. Unwavering faith and hope.

3. Constant prayer and supplication. He will be sought and inquired of.

4. Acknowledgment and praise. “Bless the Lord at all times,” etc. (J. Burns, D. D.)

5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them.

BAR�ES, "He shall reward evil unto mine enemies -Margin, “those that observe me.” The original word here means literally “to twist, to twist together;” then, to press together; then, to “oppress,” or to treat as an enemy. The reference here is to those who pressed upon him as enemies, or who endeavored to crush him. The idea is that God would recompense them for this conduct, or that he would deal with them as they deserved.

Cut them off in thy truth - In thy faithfulness; in thy regard for what is right. This is simply a prayer, or an expression of strong confidence, that God would deal with them as they deserved, or that he would not suffer such conduct to pass without a proper expression of his sense of the wrong. There is no evidence that David in this prayer was prompted by private or vindictive feeling.

CLARKE, "He shall reward evil - Saul and his courtiers, instead of having God’s approbation, shall have his curse.

Cut them off in thy truth - Thou hast promised to save me; these have purposed to destroy me. Thy truth is engaged in my defence; they will destroy me if permitted to live: to save thy truth, and to accomplish its promises, thou must cut them off.

GILL, "He shall reward evil unto mine enemies,.... That eyed him as Saul did; that observed his haunts, where he resorted, and who were with him, as the Ziphites did under Saul's direction; as the Word (m) here used for "enemies" signifies: the mischief they had devised for him, he believed, would be returned upon their own heads; the pit they digged they would fall into themselves; and the net they had spread for others their own feet would be taken in. This was true as of David's enemies, so of Christ's, the wicked Jews, who narrowly watched him to take every advantage against him;

cut them off in thy truth; root and branch, as Saul, and his family, and his courtiers, quickly were, according to the truth of promises made to David, and of threatenings unto them.

HE�RY, " God taking part with him, he doubted not but his enemies should both flee and fall before him (Psa_54:5): “He shall reward evil unto my enemies that observe me,seeking an opportunity to do me a mischief. The evil they designed against me the righteous God will return upon their own heads.” David would not render evil to them, but he knew God would: I as a deaf man heard not, for thou wilt hear. The enemies we forgive, if they repent not, God will judge; and for this reason we must not avenge ourselves, because God has said, Vengeance is mine. But he prays, Cut them off in thy truth. This is not a prayer of malice, but a prayer of faith; for it has an eye to the word of God, and only desires the performance of that. There is truth in God's threatenings as well as in his promises, and sinners that repent not will find it so to their cost.

JAMISO�, "He shall ... evil— or, “Evil shall return on” (Psa_7:16) my enemies or watchers, that is, to do me evil (Psa_6:7).

in thy truth— Thy verified promise.

CALVI�, "5.He shall reward evil unto mine enemies As the verb ישיב , yashib, may be rendered he shall cause to return, (292) it seems to point not only at the punishment, but the kind of punishment, which would be awarded to his enemies, in the recoiling of their wicked machinations upon their own heads. Some give an optative signification to the verb, understanding the words to express a wish or prayer; but I see no reason why it should not be taken strictly in the future tense, and imagine that David intimates his certain expectation that this favor, which he had already prayed for, would be granted. It is by no means uncommon to find the prayers of the Psalmist intersected with sentences of this kind, inserted for the purpose of stimulating his faith, as here, where he announces the general truth, that God is the righteous judge who will recompense the wicked. With the view of

confirming his hopes, he adverts particularly to the truth of God; for nothing can support us in the hour of temptation, when the Divine deliverance may be long delayed, but a firm persuasion that God is true, and that he cannot deceive us by his divine promises. His confidence of obtaining his request was grounded upon the circumstance that God could no more deny his word than deny himself.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 5. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies. They worked for evil, and they shall have their wages. It cannot be that malice should go unavenged. It were cruelty to the good to be lenient to their persecutors. It is appointed, and so it must ever be, that those who shoot upward the arrows of malice shall find them fall upon themselves. The recoil of their own gun has often killed oppressors.Cut them off in thy truth. �ot in ferocious revenge is this spoken, but as an Amen to the sure sentence of the just Judge. Let the veracity of thy threatenings be placed beyond dispute, the decree is right and just, let it be fulfilled. It is not a private desire, but the solemn utterance of a military man, a grossly injured man, a public leader destined to be a monarch, and a man well trained in the school of Moses, whose law ordains eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 4-5. See Psalms on "Psalms 54:4" for further information.Ver. 5. Cut them off. He desires that God would destroy them with a death dealing blow, which is the force the word tmu contains; its primitive sense is to be silent, to keep silence, whence it is transferred to a stroke penetrating deeply and striking fatally, such as is called a silent blow, opposed to a sounding one, which is wont to rebound and not pierce deeply. Hermann Venema.

COKE, "Psalms 54:5. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies— leshoreri, to לשרריthem who, with a hostile mind, watch and observe me. This was the conduct of the Ziphites to David: they acted as Saul's spies, and watched David, to betray him to destruction. See 1 Samuel 23:23. The next clause should be rendered in the future, conformable to this.

WHEDO�, "5. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies—The “evil” they sought to do to me shall recoil upon themselves. God shall turn it back upon them. So the word rendered “reward” properly signifies. It is another instance of the lex talionis.

Cut them off in thy truth—The optative sense, here, is to be taken in connexion with the qualifying words “thy truth.” Only in accordance with this does David invoke divine interference. Immutability and authority of law are the gist and essence of the prayer. If these fail all is lost. Prayer for the deliverance of the righteous cannot be answered without the reformation or the destruction of the wicked; that is, destruction as to their power to do evil.

TRAPP, "Psalms 54:5 He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.

Ver. 5. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies] Or, mine observers, that watch me a

mischief. I shall escape out of trouble, and they shall come in my stead, Proverbs 11:8.

Cut them off in thy truth] i.e. According as thou hast pronounced against such as seek and suck innocent blood.

GUZIK, "(5b-6) The prayer.

Cut them off in Your truth.

I will freely sacrifice to You;

I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good.

a. Cut them off in Your truth: David came to prayer again. He asked God to kill or cast out his enemies, and to do it in Your truth. David could pray such bold prayers against his enemies because he believed more than his self interest was at risk; so was God's truth.

i. Cut them off: "He desires that God would destroy them with a death–dealing blow, which is the force the word צמת contains; its primitive sense is to be silent, to keep silence, whence it is transferred to a stroke penetrating deeply and striking fatally, such as is called a silent blow, opposed to a sounding one, which is wont to rebound and not pierce deeply." (Venema, cited in Spurgeon)

ii. "Thou hast promised to save me; these have purposed to destroy me. Thy truth is engaged in my defence; they will destroy me if permitted to live: to save thy truth, and to accomplish its promises, thou must cut them off." (Clarke)

iii. Some are uncomfortable with prayers that ask for the doom of enemies. It's true that Jesus told us to pray in a more generous way for our enemies (Matthew 5:43-44). Yet there is nothing wrong with the basic principle of wanting to see good triumph and for God to do His work against those who do evil.

iv. David lived out another aspect of this prayer. He prayed, Cut them off in Your truth but refused to take vengeance in his own hands. Immediately after the second betrayal of the Ziphites (1 Samuel 26:1) David had the opportunity to kill King Saul in his sleep and he refused to do it. David would not cut him off; he waited upon God to do it.

b. I will freely sacrifice to You: This described what is sometimes called a freewill sacrifice - one that is given to God without specific reference to a previous vow made. It was a sacrifice that didn't need to be made; it was done freely out of gratitude.

i. "Freely sacrifice; not by constraint, as many do, because they are obliged to it, and cannot neglect it without shame and inconvenience to themselves; but with a willing and cheerful mind, which thou lovest in and above all sacrifices." (Poole)

c. I will praise You name, O Lord, for it is good: David said this in anticipation of God's rescue, but not in a demand for the rescue. He was able to praise God while the problem remained and before the prayer was answered.

i. "Christians should follow his example: they should consider how great things God hath done for them, and should never suffer the voice of praise and thanksgiving to cease in the church of the redeemed." (Horne)

6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.

BAR�ES, "I will freely sacrifice unto thee - The Hebrew words rendered “freely,” mean with “willingness, voluntariness, spontaneousness.” The idea is, that he would do it of a free or willing mind; without constraint or compulsion; voluntarily. The reference is to a free-will or voluntary offering, as distinguished from one, that was prescribed by law. See Exo_35:29; Exo_36:3; Lev_7:16; Lev_22:18; Num_15:3; Num_29:39. The idea is, that as the result of the divine interposition which he prayed for, he would bring voluntary offerings to God in acknowledgment of his goodness and mercy.

I will praise thy name, O Lord - I will praise thee. See Psa_52:9.

For it is good - That is, God himself is benevolent; and David says that he would express his sense of God’s goodness by offering him praise.

CLARKE, "I will freely sacrifice unto thee - Or, I will sacrifice nobly unto thee. Not only with a willing mind, but with a liberal hand will I bring sacrifice unto thee.

For it is good - Thy name is good; it is descriptive of thy nature; full of goodness and mercy to man. And it is good to be employed in such a work: whoever worships thee in sincerity is sure to be a gainer. To him who orders his conversation aright, thou dost show thy salvation.

GILL, "I will freely sacrifice unto thee,.... Not legal sacrifices; no, nor freewill offerings the law gives directions about, though the allusion is to them; but the freewill offerings of his mouth, Psa_119:108; the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, on account of help, salvation, and deliverance, as appears from the following clause; which he determines to offer, not by constraint, but willingly; not by force, but of a ready mind; freely, and with all his heart. The sacrifice of his antitype is himself, his soul and body, as in union with his divine Person; and this was offered up to God, against whom man has sinned, and whose justice must be satisfied; and this was done freely and voluntarily; he gave himself an offering; he laid down his life of himself, and that for sinners. The sacrifices of his people are their prayers and praises, their acts of beneficence, and the presentation of their souls and bodies in divine service; all which they do freely, under the influence of divine grace;

I will praise thy name, O Lord; which explains what is meant by sacrificing: this is what is due to the Lord, and comely in his people;

for it is good; either the name of God; and therefore to be praised. He himself is good, as, he is, both in a way of providence and of grace; and it is good, both pleasantly and profitably good, to sing praises to him, Psa_147:1.

HE�RY, "He promises to give thanks to God for all the experiences he had had of his goodness to him (Psa_54:6): I will sacrifice unto thee. Though sacrifices were expensive, yet, when God required that his worshippers should in that way praise him, David would not only offer them, but offer them freely and without grudging. All our spiritual sacrifices must, in this sense, be free-will-offerings; for God loves a cheerful giver. Yet he will not only bring his sacrifice, which was but the shadow, the ceremony; he will mind the substance: I will praise thy name. A thankful heart, and the calves of our lips giving thanks to his name, are the sacrifices God will accept: “I will praise thy name, for it is good. Thy name is not only great but good, and therefore to be praised. To praise thy name is not only what we are bound to, but it is good, it is pleasant, it is profitable; it is good for us (Psa_92:1); therefore I will praise thy name.”

JAMISO�, "I will freely, etc.— or, present a freewill offering (Lev_7:16; Num_15:3).

CALVI�, "6.I will freely sacrifice unto thee. According to his usual custom, he engages, provided deliverance should be granted, to feel a grateful sense of it; and there can be no doubt that he here promises also to return thanks to God, in a

formal manner, when he should enjoy an opportunity of doing so. Though God principally looks to the inward sentiment of the heart, that would not excuse the neglect of such rites as the Law had prescribed. He would testify his sense of the favor which he received, in the manner common to all the people of God, by sacrifices, and be thus the means of exciting others to their duty by his example. And he would sacrifice freely: by which he does not allude to the circumstance, that sacrifices of thanksgiving were at the option of worshippers, but to the alacrity and cheerfulness with which he would pay his vow when he had escaped his present dangers. The generality of men promise largely to God so long as they are under the present pressure of affliction, but are no sooner relieved than they relapse into that carelessness which is natural to them, and forget the goodness of the Lord. But David engages to sacrifice freely, and in another manner than the hypocrite, whose religion is the offspring of servility and constraint. We are taught by the passage that, in coming into the presence of God, we cannot look for acceptance unless we bring to his service a willing mind. The last clause of this verse, and the verse which follows, evidently refer to the time when the Psalmist had obtained the deliverance which he sought. The whole psalm, it is true, must have been written after his deliverance; but up to this point, it is to be considered as recording the form of prayer which he used when yet exposed to the danger. We are now to suppose him relieved from his anxieties, and subjoining a fresh expression of his gratitude: nor is it improbable that, he refers to mercies which he had experienced at other periods of his history, and which were recalled to his memory by the one more immediately brought under our notice in the preceding verses; so that he is to be understood as declaring, in a more general sense, that the name of God was good, and that he had been delivered out of all trouble I have already adverted, in a former psalm, (Psalms 52:6,) to the sense in which the righteous are said to see the destruction of their enemies. It is such a sight of the event as is accompanied with joy and comfort; and should any inquire, whether it is allowable for the children of God to feel pleasure in witnessing the execution of Divine judgments upon the wicked, the answer is obvious, that all must depend upon the motive by which they are influenced. If their satisfaction proceed in any measure from the gratification of a depraved feeling, it must be condemned; but there is certainly a pure and unblameable delight which we may feel in looking upon such illustrations of the divine justice.

Psalms 52PsalmsPsalms 55

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 6. I will freely sacrifice unto thee. Spontaneously will I bring my freewill offerings. So certain is he of deliverance that he offers a vow by anticipation. His overflowing gratitude would load the altars of God with victims cheerfully presented. The more we receive, the more we ought to render. The spontaneousness of our gifts is a great element in their acceptance; the Lord loveth a cheerful giver.I will praise thy name, O Lord. As if no amount of sacrifice could express his joyful feelings, he resolves to be much in vocal thanksgiving. The name which he invoked in prayer (Psalms 54:1), he will now magnify in praise. �ote how roundly he brings it out:

O Jehovah. This is ever the grand name of the revealed God of Israel, a name which awakens the most sublime sentiments, and so nourishes the most acceptable praise. �one can praise the Lord so well as those who have tried and proved the preciousness of his name in seasons of adversity. The psalmist adds,for it is good, and surely we may read this with a double nominative, God's name is good, and so is his praise. It is of great use to our souls to be much in praise; we are never so holy or so happy as when our adoration of God abounds. Praise is good in itself, good to us, and good to all around us. If David's enemies are described in Psalms 54:3 as not setting God before them, he here declares that he is of a different mind from them, for he resolves to have the Lord in perpetual remembrance in his sacrifices and praises.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 6. I will freely sacrifice unto thee. He would sacrifice freely: by which he does not allude to the circumstance, that sacrifices of thanksgiving were at the option of worshippers, but to the alacrity and cheerfulness with which he would pay his vow when he had escaped his present dangers. John Calvin.

COFFMA�, "Verse 6"With a freewill-offering will I sacrifice unto thee:

I will give thanks unto thy �ame, O Jehovah, for it is good.

For he hath delivered me out of all trouble;

And mine eye hath seen my desire upon mine enemies."

That sudden cessation of Saul's pursuit of David in the wilderness of Maon was as dramatic and evident an answer to prayer as anyone could imagine; and David no doubt understood it to mean that God would indeed deliver him and preserve him, hence the confidence of these last verses.

"Confidence having now mounted up to certainty, and regarding his deliverance as already surely accomplished, David promises to make a freewill-offering as soon as he is able to approach the sanctuary. The freewill-offering mentioned here is the one mentioned in �umbers 15:3."[5]

"And mine eye hath seen my desire upon mine enemies" (Psalms 54:7). We believe this translation is defective because, as Rawlinson said, "There is nothing about `desire' in the original."[6] That is the reason the word `desire' is written in italics in many versions, including the ASV. Rawlinson proposed this as a better rendition, "Mine eye has looked calmly and leisurely upon my defeated enemies."[7]

Certainly this is a thousand times better than that of J. M. P. Smith, who rendered it, "My eye has gloated over my foes." He then called it a "�asty note of personal vengeance."[8]

"This is probably not personal vindication, but an affirmation of how things must work in a world ruled by God's faithfulness."[9]

WHEDO�, "6. I will freely sacrifice—Hebrew, with a free-will offering I will sacrifice, etc. נדבה, (nedabah,) is always used for the free-will offering in the Pentateuch, and generally elsewhere. Its peculiarity consisted in its pure spontaneity, springing solely from the willing heart of the worshipper, without the prompting of a legal requirement or an antecedent vow, with which it, namely, the votive offering, stood in contrast. The free-will sacrifices of the text “were not spiritual in opposition to the ritual sacrifices, (as in Psalms 50:14 ; Psalms 51:17,) but ritual as an outward representation of the spiritual.”—Delitzsch. The free-will offering belonged to the class of peace offering on receiving the answer of prayer, and assured acceptance and fellowship with God. The remaining members of the verse corroborate the view here given. It is good—That is, thus to give thanks.

TRAPP, "Psalms 54:6 I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD for [it is] good.

Ver. 6. I will freely sacrifice unto thee] Or, liberally; not with an ill will and pinchingly. The Arabic rendereth it, Laudabo te obediens. Praise is the best sacrifice, and obedience is the best praise.

I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good] Thy name is good, and it is a good thing to praise it; for thereby men do thee right, help thee to thine own, secure to themselves former favours, and procure future.

CO�STABLE, "Verse 6-7David was so sure that God would deliver him that he spoke of offering a freewill sacrifice of worship for God"s deliverance. This would have been the peace (fellowship) offering ( Leviticus 3; Leviticus 7). He believed God would deliver him because God is good (cf. Psalm 52:9). In Psalm 54:7, the psalmist spoke of his deliverance as already past, as a way of expressing his confidence in God. He would have found satisfaction in God punishing his enemies for their evil, not because he hated them personally.

When God"s people experience opposition from others who seek to thwart His will, they can count on His eventual deliverance. It may not come this side of the grave, but God will punish evildoers and reward those who trust and obey Him. [�ote: See Swindoll, pp141-51.]

EBC, "The closing verses of this simple little psalm touch very familiar notes. The faith which has prayed has grown so sure of answer that it already begins to think of the thank offerings. This is not like the superstitious vow. "I will give so-and-so if Jupiter"-or the Virgin-"will hear me." This praying man knows that he is heard, and is not so much vowing as joyfully anticipating his glad sacrifice. The same

incipient personification of the name as in Psalms 54:1 is very prominent in the closing strains, Thank offerings - not merely statutory and obligatory, but brought by free, uncommanded impulse-are to be offered to "Thy name," because that name is good: Psalms 54:7 probably should be taken as going even further in the same direction of personification, for "Thy name" is probably to be taken as the subject of "hath delivered." The tenses of the verbs in Psalms 54:7 are perfects. They contemplate the deliverance as already accomplished. Faith sees the future as present. This psalmist, surrounded by strangers seeking his life, can quietly stretch out a hand of faith, and bring near to himself the tomorrow when he will look back on scattered enemies and present, glad sacrifices! That power of drawing a brighter future into a dark present belongs not to those who build anticipations on wishes, but to those who found their forecasts on God’s known purpose and character. The name is a firm foundation for hope. There is no other.

The closing words express confidence in the enemies’ defeat and destruction, with a tinge of feeling that is not permissible to Christians. But the supplement, "my desire," is perhaps rather too strongly expressive of wish for their ruin. Possibly there needs no supplement at all, and the expression simply paints the calm security of the man protected by God, who can "look upon" impotent hostility without the tremor of an eyelid, because he knows who is his Helper.

PETT, "Psalms 54:6

‘With a freewill-offering will I sacrifice to you,I will give thanks to your name, O YHWH, for it is good,For he has delivered me out of all trouble,And my eye has seen (my desire) on my enemies.’David then promises that he himself will respond in gratitude. He will sacrifice a freewill offering to God, and will give thanks to Him under His covenant �ame of YHWH, a �ame which he declares to be ‘good’ (totally reliable, dependable and trustworthy). Contrast this offering of a sacrifice with Psalms 51:16 where, because he had sinned with a high hand, he knew that no sacrifice would be acceptable until he was sure of forgiveness as a consequence of God’s free and unmerited favour.

The goodness of YHWH’s �ame is especially brought out by the fact that He has delivered David from ‘all trouble’, something demonstrated by the fact that David’s eye has seen what was necessary for his deliverance on his enemies. (‘Desire’ is not there in the Hebrew. David did not desire their discomfiture as such, in the sense of wanting them to suffer and gloating over them. He sought it because it was the only way in which he could be delivered)

�ote the fairly unusual use (in this Second Part of Psalms) of the �ame YHWH. It is an indication that he is seeing God as having helped him because He is the covenant God.

Psalms 53PsalmsPsalms 55

7 You have delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

BAR�ES, "For he hath delivered me out of all trouble - This is spoken either in confident expectation of what would be, or as the statement of a general truth that God did deliver him from all trouble. It was what he had experienced in his past life; it was what he confidently expected in all time to come.

And mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies - The words “his desire” are not in the original. A literal translation would be, “And on my enemies hath my eye looked.” The meaning is, that they had been overthrown; they had been unsuccessful in their malignant attempts against him; and he had had the satisfaction of “seeing” them thus discomfited. Their overthrow had not merely been reported to him, but he had had ocular demonstration of its reality. This is not the expression of malice, but of certainty. The fact on which the eye of the psalmist rested was his own safety. Of that he was assured by what he had witnessed with his own eyes; and in that fact he rejoiced. There is no more reason to charge malignity in this case on David, or to suppose that he rejoiced in the destruction of his enemies as such, than there is in our own case when we are rescued from impending danger. It is proper for Americans to rejoice in their freedom, and to give thanks to God for it; nor, in doing this, is it to be supposed that there is a malicious pleasure in the fact that in the accomplishment of this thousands of British soldiers were slain, or that thousands of women and children as the result of their discomfiture were made widows and orphans. We can be thankful for the mercies which we enjoy without having any malignant delight in those woes of others through which our blessings may have come upon us.

CLARKE, "For he hath delivered me - Saul had now decamped; and was returned to save his territories; and David in the meanwhile escaped to En-gedi. God was most evidently the author of this deliverance.

Mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies - It is not likely that this Psalm was written after the death of Saul; and therefore David could not say that he had seen his desire. But there is nothing in the text for his desire; and the words might be translated, My eye hath seen my enemies - they have been so near that I could plainly discover them. Thus almost all the Versions have understood the text. I have seen them, and yet they were not permitted to approach me. God has been my Deliverer.

GILL, "For he hath delivered me out of all trouble,.... As he desired, 1Sa_26:24; that is, out of all his present trouble; not that he had no more afterwards; for as soon as one trouble is gone, generally speaking, another comes; but as God delivered him out of his present distress, so he believed he would deliver him out of all his afflictions in future times;

and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies: or revenge, as the Targum supplies it; not that he delighted in the destruction of his enemies, but in the justice of God glorified thereby, and in the goodness of God to him, in delivering him from them; see Rev_18:20.

HE�RY, " He speaks of his deliverance as a thing done (Psa_54:7): I will praise thy name, and say, “He has delivered me; this shall be my song then.” That which he rejoices in is a complete deliverance -He has delivered me from all trouble; and a deliverance to his heart's content -My eye has seen its desire upon my enemies, not seen them cut off and ruined, but forced to retreat, tidings being brought to Saul that the Philistines were upon him, 1Sa_23:27, 1Sa_23:28. All David desired was to be himself safe; when he saw Saul draw off his forces he saw his desire. He has delivered me from all trouble. Either, 1. With this thought David comforted himself when he was in distress: “He has delivered me from all trouble hitherto, and many a time I have gained my point, and seen my desire on my enemies; therefore he will deliver me out of this trouble.” We should thus, in our greatest straits, encourage ourselves with our past experiences. Or, 2. With this thought he magnified his present deliverance when the fright was over, that it was an earnest of further deliverance. He speaks of the completing of his deliverance as a thing done, though he had as yet many troubles before him, because, having God's promise for it, he was as sure of it as if it had been done already. “He that has begun to deliver me from all troubles, and will at length give me to see my desire upon my enemies.” This may perhaps point at Christ, of whom David was a type; God would deliver him out of all the troubles of his state of humiliation, and he was perfectly sure of it; and all things are said to be put under his feet; for, though we see not yet all things put under him, yet we are sure he shall reign till all his enemies be made his footstool, and he shall see his desire upon them. However, it is an encouragement to all believers to make that use of their particular deliverances which St. Paul does (like David here), 2Ti_4:17, 2Ti_4:18, He that delivered me from the mouth of the lion shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me to his heavenly kingdom.

JAMISO�, "mine eye ... desire— (compare Psa_59:10; Psa_112:8), expresses satisfaction in beholding the overthrow of his enemies as those of God, without implying any selfish or unholy feeling (compare Psa_52:6, Psa_52:7).

HAWKER, "Psalms 54:7

REFLECTIONS

READER, let you and I make the same conclusion from the perusal of this Psalm, as is here made, and the confidence in this will bear our souls up during the exercises of the passing hour, be they what they may. We shall feel no shrinkings, we shall make no false conclusions in our progress to the end of our pilgrimage, if our hearts are in the mean time fixed trusting in the Lord. By a steady, fixed, well-grounded faith on God’s rich mercy in Christ, holding on our course, and holding out our assurance, whether the providences of our God seem to frown or look cheerful; by keeping fast hold of God the Father’s covenant, and Christ’s merit, and the everlasting efficacy of his blood and righteousness, we shall find that God is still our helper, and the Lord is with them that uphold our souls.

Blessed Redeemer! give me grace to look to thee, and to call to my recollection thine exercises amidst the false friends and open foes, which in the days of thy flesh surrounded thee. Lord, help me so to consider thee, who didst endure such a contradiction against thyself, that I may not be weary and faint in mind. And while the Ziphims of the present hour harass and distress me, and would deliver my soul into the hand of the enemy; oh! for grace to be looking unto thee, and deriving strength from thee, that I may discover thy gracious hand delivering me out of all may troubles, and making me more than conqueror in thy strength, and in the power of thy might.

SPURGEO�, "Ver. 7. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble. Up to that time deliverance had come, and for that danger also he felt that rescue was near. David lived a life of dangers and hair breadth escapes, yet he was always safe. In the retrospect of his very many deliverances he feels that he must praise God, and looking upon the mercy which he sought as though it were already received, he sang this song over it--"And a new song is in my mouth,To long loved music set,Glory to thee for all the graceI have not tasted yet."Out of all trouble our covenant God is pledged to bring us, and therefore even now let us uplift the note of triumph unto Jehovah, the faithful preserver of them that put their trust in him. Thus far have we proved his promise good; he changes not, and therefore in all the unknown future he will be equally our guardian and defence, "showing himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him."And mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. He knew that yet he should look on his haughty foes, gazing down on them in triumph as now they looked on him in contempt. He desired this as a matter of justice, and not of personal pique. His righteous soul exulted because he knew that unprovoked and gratuitous malice would meet with a righteous punishment. Could we keep out of our hearts all personal enmity as fully as the psalmist did in this Psalm, we might yet equally feel with him a sacred acquiescence and delight in that divine justice which will save the

righteous and overthrow the malicious. In closing, let us trust that if we are as friendless as this man of God, we may resort in prayer as he did, exercise the like faith, and find ourselves ere long singing the same joyous hymn of praise.EXPLA�ATORY �OTES A�D QUAI�T SAYI�GSVer. 7. Mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. Or, mine eye hath looked upon mine enemies; that is, he was able to meet them without terror. Samuel Davidson, D.D., 1852.Ver. 7. The reader will note that the words his desire are supplied by our translators, and are not in the original text. C. H. S.

ELLICOTT, "(7) This verse does not actually state what has happened, but, according to a well-known Hebrew idiom should be rendered, When he shall have delivered, &c

Hath seen his desire.—Or, hath gloated on The Hebrews use the words seeing and looking very expressively, making the simple verb do almost what the eye itself can do: show hatred, love, triumph, defeat, wistfulness, disgust, &C (See Psalms 35:21; Psalms 52:6; Psalms 59:10; Psalms 92:11; Song of Solomon 6:13; &c)

WHEDO�, "7. Hath delivered… hath seen—The past tense of the verbs is the language of faith, which speaks of future events as already accomplished, “and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Romans 4:17. Mine eye hath seen, etc.—The words his desire are not in the text, which simply reads, Mine eye has looked on my enemies; an expression to be interpreted idiomatically. �ot merely that they had approached so near that he saw them in their retreat, which, indeed, is quite probable, but that he “calmly surveyed them without alarm, for he feels that the shield of God’s power and love is cast over him to protect him,” (Wordsworth,) with the idea further implied, that God had given him to see their downfall in the miscarriage of their plans, as in Psalms 59:11; Psalms 92:12, where “his desire” is not in the text.

COKE, "Psalms 54:7. He hath delivered me out of all trouble— From every strait. In Psalms 92:11 we have a similar expression to the last clause of this verse, mine eye hath seen, &c. where the words his desire, are supplied by our translators, and are not in the original. As the sentence, Mine eye hath seen upon mine enemies, seems imperfect, it has been variously filled up. Bishop Hare adds, quod volui: mine eye hath seen what I would, or wished, &c. Le Clerc, fine metu, without any fear of them; not to mention any other: but I apprehend there is no need of any supplement, and that though the sentence is not quite complete, yet any addition would take from the spirit of it. It is a sort of triumph over his enemies: Mine eye looked upon them; as we render the words, Genesis 29:32. "They came near enough to be seen by me, and that was all. God kept them from coming near me, so that they all have been disappointed of their prey." This was the very case with David, when Saul encompassed him with his troops, and, by an unexpected call, was obliged to retreat. Or the words may be rendered, mine eyes saw mine enemies: "Saw them with pleasure at a distance, and enjoyed the sight; especially when they marched off,

and left me to escape." See Chandler, and Psalms 64:8.; Ecclesiastes 2:1.; Isaiah 66:5. Dr. Delaney renders it, God hath snatched me out of every strait, and on mine enemies hath mine eye seen; or, as the Arabic explains it, rested. God hath delivered him out of all his straits, (for, doubtless, it was a distressful dilemma to be forced either to die tamely, or fight his sovereign and his own people,) and he could now calmly and confidently survey those enemies whom before he did not dare to look in the face. The prayers of great men in distress, and their thanksgivings after great deliverances, have always been matter of uncommon delight to curiosity, and men of serious and religious spirits. �or does the glory of any great man ever shine out to their eyes in half the lustre, as when they behold him upon his knees, lifting up his eyes, or stretching out his hands, to heaven; or, what is yet greater, prostrating himself before it, in humiliation and acknowledgment. Then is the hero seen in all his dignity! and in this light it must be owned that Henry the Fourth of France, before the battle of Yvry, and Henry the Fifth of England, after that of Agincourt, and David after this deliverance, appear with a grandeur very superior to that of either a Caesar or an Alexander. The latter, in their height of glory, were but mere rulers of men, but the former, upon their knees, the dependants and the friends of God.

REFLECTIO�S.—1st, It is a comfort to a child of God, that, whatever he meets with from man, he has a friend to fly to, who will yield him full relief. We have here,

1. David's prayer for help and strength. Save me, O God, by thy name; by thy power and wisdom, which can frustrate the devices of my perfidious foes; or, for thy name's sake, to manifest thy glory in protecting the poor destitute that flies to thee for succour; and judge me by thy strength: strongly interpose in my behalf; and, as my cause is just, be thou my judge, O Lord, and avenge me of mine enemies. �ote; (1.) Prayer is a sovereign medicine for every distress. (2.) Salvation cometh from God, and he never faileth those who seek him.

2. He complains of his persecutors. Strangers are risen up against me: though they were of his own tribe, and professors of the same religion, yet they acted worse than Philistines; and oppressors, or the mighty men, Saul, Doeg, and the Ziphites, seek after my soul: nothing but his life would gratify their blood-thirsty malice: they have not set God before them; pay no regard to his appointment, forget his all-seeing eye, and disregard the threatenings of his word. �ote; (1.) The bitterest enemies of a child of God, are often his nearest neighbours and relations. (2.) When men leave God out of their sight, there is no wickedness too great for them. (3.) Though our spiritual foes seek with more inveterate malice after our souls, than these Ziphites after David, God will not leave us in their hands, if we cleave to him.

2nd, Having commended his cause in prayer to God, we have,

1. The lively profession of his confidence in God. Behold, take notice of it, ye children of God, for your encouragement; be admonished, ye sons of wickedness, before it be too late; God is my helper against every foe, therefore will I not faint or fear: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul; he is my upholder, and the friend

of my friends, approving and supporting them in their adherence to me. �ote; (1.) They who are faithful to God, shall find that he will raise them up friends in the worst of times. (2.) They who espouse the cause of injured innocence, shall be supported by the God of truth.

2. God's gracious help he promises thankfully to remember. I will freely sacrifice unto thee, not only the free-will offerings of bullocks, but the more pleasing oblation of the calves of the lips. I will praise thy name, for it is good; gracious, and worthy to be praised; and most becoming him would it be, who had experienced God's goodness, to shew it forth continually.

3. He looks upon his petitions as already accomplished, since faith is in exercise. He hath delivered me out of all my trouble, and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies; humbled, and disabled from hurting him.

TRAPP, "Psalms 54:7 For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen [his desire] upon mine enemies.

Ver. 7. For he hath delivered me] i.e. He surely will. This is the language of faith; this is the triumph of trust.

And mine eye hath seen my desire upon mine enemies] This was not an evil eye of envy or private revenge; such as was that of him, who, when he saw a pit full of man’s blood, cried out, O formosmn spectaculum! O brave sight! or that of Antichrist, who hath oft glutted his eyes with many such goodly bloody sights; as when he caused the massacre of Paris to be painted in his palace, and had the admiral’s head sent him for a present; but as admiring God’s justice on his enemies, and love towards his people, he was well pleased with such a providence, and beheld it with comfort (Thuan.). The Arabic rendereth it, Oculus meus requievit. My eye rested. Tremellius, mine eye beholdeth mine enemies; I dare now boldly look them in the face, being strengthened with thy night, &c.

GUZIK, " (7) The confident conclusion.

For He has delivered me out of all trouble;

And my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.

a. For He has delivered me out of all trouble: David confidently brought his request to God, knowing that many times before God had delivered him. God's past faithfulness became the ground for future faith.

i. "This is the language of faith; this is the triumph of trust." (Trapp)

ii. It is likely that David said this in faith, in anticipation of deliverance. When it

came, it was remarkable. After the Ziphites betrayed David in 1 Samuel 26:1 Saul came very close to capturing him. When David was almost in Saul's grasp, the king learned of a Philistine invasion and had to break off his pursuit (1 Samuel 23:27-28).

iii. "David lived a life of dangers and hair–breadth scapes, yet was he always safe." (Spurgeon)

b. My eye has seen its desire upon my enemies: David knew what it was like to defeat his enemies before (Goliath is one example); he trusted that he would know it again.

i. "As admiring God's justice on his enemies, and love towards his people, he was well pleased with such a providence, and beheld it with comfort." (Trapp)

ii. There is a sense in which David in this Psalm prefigured his Great Son. Jesus was the anointed King yet to come into the fullness of His kingdom. He came to rescue and lead God's people, and when He did, some among God's people betrayed Him unto death. We can easily see these lines from the Psalm in the mouth of Jesus, praying to His Father:

Save Me, O God, by Your name

Strangers have risen up against Me

Behold, God is My helper

He has delivered Me out of all trouble